Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: personal use of common spaces

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

David L. Mandel wrote:

>A related issue that did come up recently had to do with some signs one
>resident posted in the common veggie garden that conveyed a fairly obscure
>spiritual trip of some sort that few if any of the rest of us 
understand.  <snip>
>The problem was that they gave the appearance of representing the 
group, posted >as they were in common space.

Personal use of the common spaces is a common topic to discuss in a 
group.  Spirituality expressions in common spaces are just one element 
of a vast and ongoing dialog about how the common spaces will be used.  
For example, is it OK to grow Zucchini in the common garden?  What 
about using Slug bait or other chemicals?
Is it OK for kids to run naked through the sprinkler on the common 
lawn?  Is it OK to have a private party in the commonhouse?  Etc. Etc.

Often these sorts of discussions happen between a few people, without 
everyone having the benefit of inclusion and so often the issue ends up 
being repeated.  In the example David wrote about with the signs I 
would wonder what record of the "decision" got made if any?  This may 
seem over kill, but two years from now, the same thing may very well 
occur with a different person and several people will wander around and 
say: "didn't we figure out something about this a couple years ago?"  
The person who placed the original sign may then have cause to feel 
some angst that his sign had to be removed, and this second one didn't, 
if that is how it turns out.

So as you bump into these things,  get somebody to write them down so 
you can remember what you decided, when.  At Sharingwood we have a 
document we keep with this sort of thing, although it only reflects 
issues which the whole group have actually decided upon at a meeting.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood
( a guy who routinely forgets everything)