Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Footpath:

[Maggi (maggi]

At Touchstone, I was also frustrated during development when I  
discovered the new township requirements precluded close spacing of  
our units.  We have an ugly wide (20'?) asphalt loop running through  
our neighborhood, with deep front yards (per other township  
requirements), which creates a very different look and feel than you  
would see at our close neighbors, Great Oak and Sunward.

However, after 2 years of living together, I must say there are some  
unexpected benefits:
- The neighborhood kids love the expanse of asphalt and everyone  
(Great Oakers included) bring their wheeled vehicles, scooters,  
rollerblades and what-have-you to Touchstone in the warm months.   
Hence, we have a bustling interaction between homes, even though we  
are not closely spaced.
- More asphalt means more chalk drawings.  We have seen elaborate  
designs for birthdays and other special occasions, such as our  
wedding reception, and lots of kids' drawings on any ordinary day.   
My husband and I hosted a puzzling convention in which we created a  
whole series of interactive puzzles drawn in chalk that went all the  
way around the loop.
- More space between homes means that the families in each building  
develop closer bonds.  So we have small sub-communities within our  
larger community, which works just fine.

I'm saying, don't shut down a project just because it doesn't fit  
your original design.

-Maggi Idzikowski
Touchstone Cohousing, Ann Arbor, MI

On May 7, 2008, at 3:54 PM, Robert Heinich wrote:

> At Eno Commons we have something similar.  Our pedway is is an 8-foot
> asphalt lane on a 10-foot bed of rock/gravel.  As Footpath would have
> been across the creek, the developers are familiar with our
> construction.  Unfortunate, it appears that Durham changed the regs to
> require a 40-foot road.  I do not not know if Footpath explored
> seeking a variance.
>
> -Robert Heinich
>   Eno Commons Cohousing Neighborhood
>   http://www.enocommons.org
>   Durham, NC
>   where Eno Commons is accepting a Golden Leaf Merit Award for design
> excellence
>   in the category of Sustainable Properties on 2008May22.  I am  
> debating on
>   how I should tell the city that their rules is preventing a  
> repeat of our
>   success.
>
>
> Quoting Ruth Hirsch <heidinys [at] earthlink.net>:
>
> > > Ana, et al,
> >
> > I am not up-to-date on this List, so please excuse if this is not
> > timely/redundant.  When we built, we were required to put in a path
> > so that firetrucks and other emergency vehicles would have access.
> > We were able to put that in as a bed of rock/gravel,  thinly covered
> > w enough soil to be a growing medium for grass/shallow rooted plants.
> >
> > I wonder if there is any chance of their allowing similar elsewhere.
> >
> >
> > > best,
> > Ruth  Hirsch
> > Cantines Island, Saugerties, NYS
>
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