Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: noise, pets, Commonhouse event use

[david bygott (davidbygott]

Re pets: At Milagro we have the following policy (extract from CC&R’s)

"General Restrictions: Each Lot may have a reasonable number of 
generally-recognized house or yard pets provided that they are not kept bred or 
maintained for any commercial purpose. No animal may be allowed to become a 
nuisance. The Board of Directors has the right to determine in its sole and 
absolute discretion whether a particular animal is a generally-recognized house 
or yard pet, whether the animal constitute a nuisance, or whether the number of 
animals kept by a household is reasonable. All animals must be kept under leash 
or controlled at all times so that they will not interfere with any Owner's use 
and enjoyment of the Common Areas. It shall be the responsibility of all pet 
owners to clean up after their pets. At night all pets must be kept in the 
Dwelling Unit or within the private yard of a Dwelling Unit. The Board of 
Directors in its absolute discretion may set forth additional pet restrictions 
in the Association Rules. 
Livestock: Domestic livestock (including, but not limited to, chickens) are 
allowed on the Properties only with written prior approval of the Board of 
Directors and in accordance with any applicable Rules adopted by the Board.” 
(the Board being all the homeowners)

Pets are not allowed in the Common House and I think everyone respects this 
rule.

Leash rules were contentious for our first few years, despite the fact that we 
are within the city limits and subject to the city’s strict leash laws. The 
people who most persistently flouted the leash laws experienced some social 
pressure and eventually moved out, and a few instances of dog-bite (including 
me) reinforced the necessity of such a law. A few years ago we reached a 
consensus that the pet-owners should police one another for the good of all, 
e.g. in ensuring that dogs were leashed and that poop was picked up and that 
noisy dogs were trained to be quieter, and that seems to work very well. From 
time to time the idea of an outdoor dog-run has been discussed, but it never 
got off the ground. We do have a huge area of natural desert where dogs can be 
walked on leash.

Cats are only permitted as indoor pets, and as a result we have abundant wild 
birds, reptiles and small mammals throughout the community gardens.

A number of people who joined with pets (mostly dogs) have not replaced them 
when they died, and this is apparently common in cohousing. I’d guess that less 
than half of our households have pets.

David Bygott
Milagro Cohousing, Tucson AZ