Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re:[C-L]_ private use of commons

[David Heimann (heimann]

Hello,

        I keep getting images of Garrett Hardin's "The Tragedy of the
Commons" here.  Look out!

Thanks,
David Heimann


> Date: Fri, 1 Oct 04 10:43:11 +0800
> From: Lynn Nadeau <welcome [at] olympus.net>
> Subject: [C-L]_ private use of commons
> To: "cohousing L" <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Message-ID: <20041001174616.6485D3FC081 [at] fry.tigertech.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> RoseWind Cohousing, Port Townsend WA. (24 households, built and running
> for years now).
> On our 9 acre site, about half the land is in commons, including the
> common house and its site. There is a large central field, and various
> "local commons" areas which are among the home sites, ranging from
> walk-through/view-through areas between homes to pocket-park areas.
>
> My vision of commons use has always been that it would always and only be
> for community projects, equally accessible to all members. A trend is
> emerging which I find disturbing. Is this "privatization" or simply an
> efficient way to get more happening on the commons and satisfy various
> members? What do you think?
>
> Example 1: Chickens. A group of about 10 decided they wanted to have
> chickens here. The community supplied a surplus wooden tool shed for the
> coop, and a plot of common land on the central commons, where the chicken
> group built a fenced run around the shed. The chicken club pays for the
> food and materials, cares for the hens, and gets the eggs and occasional
> meat. We're all free to "enjoy" the chickens, but they are in effect a
> private club: to join you need to pay.
>
> When they proposed this, last spring, to get the proposal through it was
> framed as a pilot/demo project, with reevaluation for feasibility as a
> budgeted community project, this fall prior to budget setting. Now it
> turns out they really want it to stay a club, and are not willing to
> discuss it. We were left with either deciding to do away with the
> chickens (which would have been foolish, as they are starting to lay now
> and the project is going well) or allow them to continue for another year
> as is. Nobody wanted 30 dead chickens on their conscience, so it passed.
>
> Example 2: Garden. We have a sizeable deer-fenced vegetable garden on the
> central commons. As an interim way of using it (I thought) we have had
> individual patches farmed by members for their own use or giveaway
> decisions. This year, a group of families decided to pool their patches
> and pay one member for 40 hours a month of farm work, plus they pay a
> monthly fee, like a CSA, and then get vegetables for that. Some
> additional families, who didn't have plots, have joined the paid plan.
> Could the whole community pay the farmer and get the benefits? The farmer
> is adamant that this could never work and that he wouldn't have anything
> to do with it. No discussion.
>
> Example 3: The most private. A member household, having used all of their
> 5400 sq ft lot for their house, gardens, storage, etc, is requesting to
> put up a 10x20 Costco tent-like shelter for a workshop on the commons
> adjacent to their house. Dad is a carpenter who has wanted a shop here
> for a long time. Nominally, the shop is for their young-adult son to
> learn building skills. They say temporary, but speak of 18 months. The
> family is a mainstay of the community, and everyone wants to be
> supportive of one of our few 19-year-olds. Presented as a way of showing
> support for youth here, it's hard to say no. But putting an entirely
> private, closed off, tarp building on commons feels inappropriate to me.
> Does everyone now have an equal right to put on commons a greenhouse,
> bicycle shed, workshop, garage, etc? Would that be good or bad for
> community?
>
> Those who advocate such private and semi-private use of commons see it as
> logical, efficient, and satisfying. Much quicker and easier than group
> process: the most extreme advocates of this approach hate all meetings
> and consider group process burdensome, irksome, and ineffective. Even a
> single discussion circle and proposal at one meeting.
>
> Does satisfying individual needs rank high as building community? To be
> happy here, I need to do what I want, where I want, when I want? If I
> can't, you are squashing my spirit, my creativity, and the community will
> suffer?
>
> In what ways have communities let individuals use the commons for private
> or semi-private projects, and how has it affected your group?
>
> Lynn Nadeau, RoseWind Cohousing
> Port Townsend Washington (Victorian seaport, music, art, nature)
> http://www.rosewind.org
> http://www.ptguide.com
> http://www.ptforpeace.info (very active peace movement here- see our
> photo)
>
>