Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Zoning for Cohousing

[Laura Fitch (lfitch]

If the zoning is progressive and allows for the density by right - then the
NIMBY factor usually can't stop a project.  But most zoning is BAD.  It is
in our interest to help planners pass new zoning by-laws in our area.  In my
tow that takes 2/3 vote of town meeting.  It won't happen without a lot of
professional work and grass roots support.

It was a cohousing resident who put this zoning change to our town even
though we had already built our own community in the last parcel that was
zoned to allow it.  That is what I call "service"!

Laura Fitch, AIA, LEED AP
Kraus-Fitch Architects, Inc.
110 Pulpit Hill Rd.
Amherst, MA  01002
413-549-5799

lfitch [at] krausfitch.com
www.krausfitch.com



-----Original Message-----
From: Marganne Meyer [mailto:marganne [at] macnexus.org] 
Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2010 4:30 AM
To: Cohousing-L
Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Zoning for Cohousing


At 4:09 PM -0400 6/28/10, Laura Fitch wrote:
>Check out this link to the overlay zoning that Amherst, MA wrote to 
>allow for cohousing like projects.  Look under section 4.5 Open Space 
>Community Development.
>
>http://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=258

Laura ... this is a great document. So glad some planners are opening the
way to accommodate changes for building homes that differs radically from
what the 'norm' has been for so long.

I only skimmed the document, so perhaps you can tell me more about the
problem of density. I've know of cohousing projects that identify locations,
get people in the planning department to work with them, but then the
neighbors protest the project because they feel it will increase density
enough in an area to affect their quality of life, cause more traffic, etc.

Do some of the provisions in this document help projects avoid this NIMBY
thing?

Cheers!
Marganne
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