Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: merging groups

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

Stephanie Fassnacht wrote:
<Since both groups (Porchlight and Village)are so small now, there has 
been some talk of the
possibility of merging.  Both groups have been in existence for 2 to 2.5 years,
and have spent a lot of time working out their respective group visions, and
bonding with each other.  I can see both advantages and potential problems in
trying to merge.  Does anyone have any experience with this?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sharingwood has a five acre site which we are developing into our 
second phase. Two existing groups have come out to look at the site and 
consider merging with us. Nether did.  From conversations the issues 
were mostly autonomy.  Both groups wanted to keep autonomy and form 
"their" development.  We wanted them to become us, as equal member 
partners, not as a separate development.  I wasn't part of the tour and 
negotiations but I understand, from our viewpoint mind you, that the 
groups had invested much in their own "identity" and couldn't give that 
up to become something else.  This must have been a major issue for 
them cause they walked away from property which only needs a design to 
go, all the rezoning, legal stuff, utilities and road are done.  I 
understand that our stated goals were very much mutually compatible 
with both groups although I did not actually read or hear what either 
groups goals were.  The group identity issue seems odd to me as the  
people in either group would have still been intact if they had joined us.

I suspect that they might have felt they would have had less control 
over the design of the site than if they were the single owners of it 
and that was the real, though unstated reason.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood