Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Need information on Common House use

[Katie Henry (katie-henry]

I wonder why the planning board is asking about this. Would they ask the 
developer of a conventional condo project why it needs a clubhouse? 

Also, what answer is the planning board looking for? If you tell them that it 
will be busy all the time with a full slate of activities, will they see that 
as a good thing or a bad thing?

Katie Henry


I am with Middlesex Senior Co-housing, which hopes to build the region's first 
senior co-housing development on property we've optioned in Littleton, MA. Our 
plans are before the Littleton Planning Board and among their questions is: why 
do we need a common house? (I know -- this does not strictly relate to the 
zoning bylaw, but we're trying to reassure them in as many ways as possible.) 
One member maintains that a Common House is "never used". Before the next 
Planning Board meeting (in a few weeks) I want to present results of a short 
survey of  co-housing communities' use of their common house. Could anyone out 
there please help us out by answering a few questions?
 

1. How often is your common house used -- on a daily, weekly or monthly basis?

2. For what purposes do people use your common house? (As many uses as 
possible!)

 
Many thanks from all of us in Middlesex Senior Cohousing!Barbara B Smith