Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Need help - zoning

[Fred-List manager (fholson]

Wendy Willbanks Wiesner <wwiesner [at] affordablecohousing.org>
is the author of the message below.  It was posted by
Fred, the Cohousing-L list manager <fholson [at] cohousing.org>
due to a format problem.
--------------------  FORWARDED MESSAGE FOLLOWS --------------------
Hello Ty,

I just gave a presentation to a roomful of planners and a few of them
highlighted how helpful it would be to have a cohousing designation within
local zoning code.  Having this available would be a positive, proactive
step; planners could actually refer to something in writing that says
cohousing is allowed and that it has certain well-conceived guidelines that
have been honed by various municipalities with prior experience.

It seems the closest thing we can reference here today is the scant
presence of ecovillage zoning.  Here a piece written by Diana Leafe
Christian:  http://gen.ecovillage.org/en/node/8767.  (Thank you, Diana!).

Possibly we start with the original Ecovillage Zoning designation pioneered
by Dandelion Village in Bloomington, IN (as referenced in Diana's post)?
Ecovillage zoning addresses a broader array of issues than most cohousing
communities currently require, thus casting a larger net to cover a wide
swath of possibilities that might arise as cohousing communities
organize/develop/build in increasingly sustainable fashion.

Wendy

Wendy Willbanks Wiesner
Executive Director
Partnerships for Affordable Cohousing (PFAC)

On Tue, Mar 21, 2017 at 9:45 AM, Ty Albright <tmalbright [at] verizon.net> 
wrote:

>
> Hey Cohousers - can you tell me:
>
>
>
> 1). I need actual examples of what zoning (land use) designations other
> municipalities / cities have used to allow cohousing.
>
> 2). Do you have suggested language to describe the zoning land-use that
> would allow cohousing - but also be broad in scope to allow cohousing like
> developments?
>
>
>
> I'm working with the City of Denton Texas on a tiny house village for
> homeless veterans - we have explained to them the benefits of cohousing and
> how we plan to use "cohousing like" strategies for design and resident
> formation - the city is supportive and has offered to develop for approval
> a
> new "Cohousing" land use designation.  If this is successful it could be a
> home run for cohousing elsewhere - people could point to Denton Texas as an
> example where municipalities are recognizing cohousing.
>
>
>
> The lead for the land use / zoning group is preparing a proposal for city
> approval - and has asked for help to identify what other municipalities /
> locations have done.
>
>
>
> If you can share any feedback / actual examples that would be much
> appreciated - thanks
>
>
>
>
>
> Ty
>
> Ty Albright Project Management
> Little Red Hen LLC
> 214-336-7952
>  <mailto:tmalbright [at] verizon.net> tmalbright [at] verizon.net
>  <http://www.linkedin.com/in/tmalbright> www.linkedin.com/in/tmalbright