Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Size of Community

[Robert Heinich (robert_heinich]

Emily-

Here at the Eno Commons we are in lower end of # of units of cohousing (22 
houses).  There are larger cohousing developments in our area (Arcadia 
Cohousing (33), Solterra (38) and soon Pacifica (46).

We just had a local Communities Gathering this month and I came away how our 
level of conflict seemed to be much lower.  Now is this due to that we have 
fewer units?  There are other factors that could account for this: we have more 
kids (which engages the adults), our homes come in only two models (which lead 
to our matra "it may not be the perfect house but it will be the perfect 
neighborhood"), and we are on libertarian end of rule making (relying more on 
trusting our neighbors).

So while I do envy some of the physical features of the other neighborhoods 
which their greater population can afford,  I can not imagine living any place 
else.  

Have you considered pods a la Earthaven?

-Robert
Eno Commons Cohousing Neighborhood
Durham, NC


-- Emily Daniel <edaniel6917 [at] adelphia.net> wrote:
I looked through the threads to read previous thoughts on co-housing 
communities and size but have some more detailed questions that I would 
appreciate hearing feedback on.   I am living in Liberty Village in 
Maryland and we currently have 19 separate units and are getting ready 
to gear up for the next phase of development.  We have had issues with 
the county around sewer and adequate public facilities 
ordinances((apfo)so things have taken much longer than initially 
projected.  The original plan was to build 38 units.  We will 
definitely have approval to build ten more units but the next ten is a 
maybe because of apfo.  We don't have a common house yet because of the 
inability to sell lots but have meals together in a basement and in 
other common outside areas once or twice a week.

What has also happened is that people have been subdividing their 
units. We will soon have five apartments which have been added to 
existing homes in our community.  Some of the apartment residents are 
quite involved in the community.  I feel like the community has been 
growing without building new separate units.

My question is how might this phenomenon affect our eventual size of 
the community?  What experience have people had with this phenomenon?  
What I have observed is that the larger the group the more structure 
that appears to be needed.  We're constantly trying to walk that line 
about how much structure is enough and how much is too much which I 
suspect is an ongoing co-housing issue.   I'm a little concerned about 
our goal of 38 houses with all of this subdividing occuring.

So here are the questions:  From a non economic perspective what are 
the things you like and dislike about the size of your community and 
how has subdividing units affected your community?

_________________________________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at: 
http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L/