Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Definition of CoHo, Christians, etc.

[Rob Sandelin (Floriferous]

Several people have commented that they feel "pedetrian-orientation" is
key--I agree it is key and I speak strongly for the advantages of
pedetrian-orientated design but it gets a little tricky in a specific
definition. 

I think architectural design is not what cohousing is about, and should be 
avoided in terms of a definition. Whether a place is designed from scratch, or 
retrofited from and into existing structures and neighborhoods, it seems that 
the participatory and democratic process, coupled with resident ownership and 
management  with the goal of creating a closer neighborbood community is what 
people who are into cohousing are after.  Architectural stuff is cool but not 
a defining characteristic, nor is being ecological. They can be attributes of 
various communities, but they can exist without them.

And no, Sharingwood has no sidewalks, but does have a pedestrian second phase, 
which just got final engineering approvals this week, so now its on to the 
titles and dirt moving soon. (gads....its about time....) We would've gone 
pedestrian in phase I but we started way before anybody heard much about it,  
We did our site design in 84.

Maybe next spring we can get central park (our garden, arboreteum and hang out 
space) started. 

Still have a few lots left for those adventurous enough to brave the rigors of 
the country, surrounded by towering forests, wild animals, and friendly 
neighbors. I know, those pesky birds and squirrels are so loud in the morning 
in spring, and the owls hooting in the winter make it pretty halloween-like at 
times. Geeeze, and then there's all the deer that eat your landscaping and the 
hawks that pick off the ditty birds at the feeders. And of course now we have 
chickens, and rabbits, and maybe soon some goats, so its just a regular 
farmland out here. There is even a lady who picks WEEDS, and puts in them our 
dinners. Sheesh, must be all that fresh air.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood