Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: "Cohousing Overlay" as Zoning Regulation

[Brian Bartholomew (bb]

> The only topics which we're currently promoting is 1) for density to
> be increased with the use of cottages 600 ft2 or less (counting as 1/2
> of a dwelling unit) and cottages between 600 ft2 and 800 ft2 (counting
> as 3/4 of a dwelling unit) and 2) eliminating the restriction on
> clustered housing that mandates that all homes lined up on any side be
> similar in design.  We're all for variety; have five, basic models;
> and don't want to be told what house goes where.

How about you let your cohousing zoning overlay be a stalking horse for
low-income housing for retirees?  Allow cottages that arrive on their
own wheels, or on a truck bed.  Eliminate blanket legal prohibitions
against mobile homes, Katrina cottages, recreational vehicles.  Allow a
cohousing planned-unit-development to be approved without having all the
house footprints defined.  This eliminates one of the major prohibitions
against building a house in stages, yourself, while living in it, and
not going into debt.
                                                        Brian