COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND
RESTRICTIONS (CC&R)
of
ISLAND COHOUSING COMMUNITY
ASSOCIATION, INC
1.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND
IMPOSITION OF COVENANTS
The
covenants contained in this Declaration are imposed for the mutual benefit of
all current and future Members of Island Cohousing in accordance with the
provisions of this Declaration and the By-Laws of the Community. The Community desires to provide for the
preservation and enhancement of the property and its value, the encouragement
of ecological design and construction
methods and the orderly development, management , and long term health of Island Cohousing and its residents.
These
covenants shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, all parties
having any right, title or interest in the Property or any part thereof, and
their heirs, personal and legal representatives, successors and assigns; and
the Community hereby declares that all of such Property shall hereafter be
held, sold, conveyed, encumbered, leased, rented, occupied and improved subject
to the provisions of this Declaration.
2. DEFINITIONS
For
the purposes of this Declaration:
a. By-Laws - shall mean the by-laws of
the Community, as amended from time to time.
b. Common Areas - shall mean all real property and related
improvements that are intended for the mutual benefit or use of all Members of
the Community and shall consist of all Property that is subject to this
declaration but is not a part of House Lot.
The Common Areas, as depicted in Exhibit A, shall be inclusive of but
not limited to the Shared Systems, wells and community water system, common
house, roads, pond, garden, underground utilities, forest and agricultural
lands, and any other future shared facilities or improvements.
c. Community - shall mean Island Cohousing Community
Association Inc., a Massachusetts non-profit corporation formed by its
Members as the organization of homeowners in Island Cohousing.
d. Community Policies - shall mean policies that may be
established from time to time by the Community, in accordance with Section 9
below.
e. Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R) or
Declaration - shall mean the recorded land use restrictions, design
controls, and construction standards established by the Community in this
document.
f. Design Review Committee - shall consist of no less than
three (3) and no more than five (5) Members selected by the Community, who
shall develop rules and procedures to assist in the review of proposed House
Lot and Common Area improvements, and shall administer the provisions of the
Declaration as described in Section 8 below.
g. Design Objectives - shall mean guidelines established by the
Community and enforced by the Design Review Committee as described in Section 8
below.
h. Greywater –
shall mean any putrescible wastewater discharged from domestic activities
including but not limited to washing machines, sinks, showers, bath tubs,
dishwashers, or other source except toilets, urinals and any drains equipped
with garbage grinders.
i. House Lot(s) - shall consist of the 16 separate house lots
on the Property, as depicted on Exhibit A.
j. Member(s) - shall mean any adult individual who holds a
beneficial ownership in a House Lot as well as such individual's successors in
interest.
k. Member Household(s) - shall mean all of the Member or
Members of a single household owning and/or occupying a House Lot who shall act
as the governing board of the Community.
l. Property - shall mean all real property and improvements
comprising Island Cohousing that are subject to this Declaration and described
in Exhibit A, including all Common Areas and all House Lots.
m. Shared System – shall mean an on-site graywater-only sewage
disposal system serving all of the House Lots and Common Areas of the Community
complying with Title 5 and regulations of the West Tisbury Board of
Health, shown on a plan entitled “Graywater System Easement Plan, Head of the
Pond Road, West Tisbury, Massachusetts” dated January 8, 1999, scale 1"=50',
prepared by Schofield Barbini & Hoehn, Post Office Box 339, Vineyard Haven,
Massachusetts (the “Plan”), recorded with Dukes County Registry of Deeds
herewith, being the same as the Shared System described in the Grant of
Title 5 Covenant and Easement and Nitrogen Loading Restriction also
recorded herewith.
n. Site Plan - shall mean a plan depicting the Property and
improvements as amended from time to time that will be available for inspection
at the offices of the Community, as set forth in the By-Laws.
o. Title 5 – shall mean Title 5 of the State Environmental
Code 310 CMR 15.000, as amended from time to time.
3. COMMON AREAS
The
Community shall be responsible for the maintenance, management, operation and
control of the Common Areas. Subject to
the provisions of this Declaration and the By-Laws of the Community, every
Member shall have a right of enjoyment in and to the Common Areas (subject to
any policies as promulgated from time to time by the Community), which right
shall be appurtenant to and shall pass with the title to every House Lot.
4. MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING
Except
to the extent expressly otherwise provided
in this Declaration, all of the rights, powers and duties of the Community and
its Members, including the Member Households' voting rights, shall be governed
by the By-Laws. However, in the event
of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this Declaration and
the provisions of the By-Laws, this Declaration shall control.
5. ASSESSMENTS
The
Community shall have the power and authority to make and collect assessments
from the Member Households for the maintenance, management, operation, and improvement
of the Common Areas, and for other purposes in accordance with the By-Laws and
it shall be the responsibility of the Member Households to pay all assessments
levied by the Community.
6. EASEMENT RIGHTS AND RESERVATIONS
The
Community reserves the right to establish from time to time, by dedication,
easement or otherwise, utility and other easements, permits or licenses over
the Common Areas for existing and future common facilities, roads, paths,
walkways, trails, drainage, agricultural areas, parking areas and recreational
areas, and to create other reservations and exclusions consistent with the
overall intent of this Declaration and with the Member Household's common use
and enjoyment of Island Cohousing. The
Community reserves the right to establish from time to time, by dedication,
easement or otherwise, utility, landscape and other easements over the House
Lots subject to this Declaration provided that no such easement shall
materially interfere with or impair the use and enjoyment of a House Lot by a
Member Household. All House Lots are subject, by this Declaration,
to the Community’s right to install, maintain, operate, repair, monitor, and
improve all underground electrical lines, phone lines, cable television lines,
water piping and water system components, waste treatment system piping and
components, and any other common or individual utilities that the Community may
deem to be necessary to be installed on any portion of any or all House
Lots. This includes the right of the Town
of West Tisbury and other regulatory authorities to conduct all necessary inspections
from time to time.
The
Community shall operate, maintain, repair, replace, upgrade and/or expand, as
necessary or appropriate, all common facilities, including the Shared System,
as more fully provided in Section 10, utility systems for electrical and phone
service and delivery of potable water which serve more than one house or
building in the Community.
7. RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL
In
the event a Member Household desires to sell its House Lot, upon receipt of a
bona fide offer acceptable to the Member Household from a third party, who is
not a Member, for the purchase of the House Lot, the Member Household shall
give written notice to the Community including the name of the prospective
purchaser and the amount and the material terms of said offer. Upon receipt of notice, the Community,
within thirty (30) days, may enter into agreement with the Member Household to
purchase the House Lot for an amount equal to the amount stated in the notice
upon substantially the same terms and conditions. If the Community has not agreed in writing within thirty (30)
days after receiving notice to purchase the House Lot, the Member Household
shall have the right, without further written approval, to sell the House Lot
to the original third party for an amount not less than that stated in the
notice and upon the same terms and conditions, subject, however, to all
covenants and limitations herein contained.
Should, however, such sale not be consummated within six (6) months of
the date of notice, the terms and limitations of this Article shall again be
imposed upon any sale by a Member Household.
The
provisions of this Article shall not apply to any sale or conveyance of a House
Lot to the Member Household's immediate family (spouse, children or
grandchildren). The provisions of this
Article shall not apply to sales under powers contained in mortgages, deeds of
trust and similar security instruments, but shall be applicable to all
subsequent sales by Member Households who acquired title to their House Lot
through foreclosure or conveyance in lieu thereof.
8. ARCHITECTURAL AND LAND USE
CONTROLS
In
order to assure a harmonious, well-balanced community, high quality
architectural and landscape design and continuing environmental responsibility,
Island Cohousing shall be developed in a coordinated fashion in accordance with
the design standards and objectives set forth in this Section 8 and Exhibit B
of this Declaration. The underlying guiding principle shall be that all
improvements subsequent to initial construction and occupancy shall be
consistent and harmonious with the existing community as designed and
built. To oversee future improvements, the Community as set forth in the By-Laws
shall establish a Design Review Committee.
The Design Review Committee shall have the right to approve or
disapprove all plans for material exterior changes or improvements, such as
additions, new structures, fences, antennas, satellite dishes, hot tubs, major
landscaping, or tree cutting, on any
proposed House Lot or within the Common Areas. The Design Review Committee may,
in its sole discretion, enforce standards or design guidelines previously
approved by the Community for construction and development which may be greater
or more stringent than standards prescribed in the Town of West Tisbury’s
zoning or other governmental codes.
a. Design Review Procedures
A
Member Household shall submit the following materials for consideration by the
Design Review Committee for a proposed improvement:
(i) Plan and specifications of the proposed improvement.
(ii) A site and landscape plan (scale 1” to 20’ or larger) of the entire
House Lot showing the proposed location of the improvements and noting
important features such as direction
of views, prime vegetation and topographic features.
(iii) Elevations of each view of
the improvement.
(iv) A description of the
materials to be used on exterior surfaces, the roofline and materials and
exterior lighting.
When
submitting such materials , the Member Household shall indicate the proposed
date on which construction will commence.
The Design Review Committee shall, within 30 days after a complete set
of such materials has been submitted to the Design Review Committee, either
approve, disapprove, or approve with conditions such application. The Design Review Committee’s decision is
intended to ensure the fulfillment of the objectives of this Declaration. If approval is not granted the committee
shall explain its reasons in writing.
In the event the Design Review Committee fails to take action within the
said 30-day period, the proposal shall be deemed to have been approved. Proposals that are not approved or approved
with conditions unacceptable to the applicant may be appealed to the Community whose
decision, if made in accordance with the By-Laws, will be final. The Design Review Committee will provide
evidence of approval to banks, buyers or others having or proposing to acquire
an interest in a House Lot upon request. If a proposal is approved, the Member
Household shall submit a set of final plans and specifications to the Design
Review Committee at least five (5) days prior to construction commencement to
ensure consistency with the Design Review Committee's prior approval.
In
the case of minor improvements the Design Review Committee may, but need not,
waive submission of plans and specifications and act on the basis of
information contained in an informal written proposal.
The
Design Review Committee may, from time to time, inspect an improvement that is
under construction to assure that it complies with the plans and specifications
as approved. If the Design Review
Committee finds that the construction does not conform to the approved plans
and specifications, it may order that the construction be halted and/ or that
the changes be made. However, it is the
Member Household’s and not the Design Review Committee’s obligation to assure
that improvements comply with the approved plans and specifications. Upon completion of an improvement a Member
Household may request an inspection and a written certification of approval
from the Design Review Committee, which shall issue same, if warranted.
b. Special Architectural and Landscape
Provisions
In
addition to the general provision of Exhibit B, the Design Review Committee
when reviewing plans and specifications shall consider the following criteria:
(i) Appearance - structures shall be designed to be
compatible with the Island Cohousing residential community and shall not have a
jarring, garish, or inharmonious appearance.
Exterior improvements, alterations, or additions shall be designed to be
compatible with the existing architecture and landscape.
(ii) Location - improvements shall be located so as not to interfere
unreasonably with the views, solar access or use of neighboring parcels or open
areas and so as to minimize visual impact.
(iii) Landscaping - disturbance of natural ground cover and
vegetation shall be kept to a minimum in improving views, locating the
improvements, and in planning a landscape around them.
(iv) Energy Efficient Design
- all additions and other habitable spaces shall be designed to meet energy
efficiency and noise abatement standards to reduce energy consumption and noise
generation from heat, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
(v) Exterior lighting - any exterior lighting shall be installed
and operated in a manner as to prevent undue glare or reflection affecting
adjacent House Lots and to minimize night lighting of the sky.
c. Sitework and
Construction Standards and Practice
No
Member Household shall remove any tree measuring four (4) inches or more in
diameter at a point four (4) feet above ground level from any House Lot without
the prior approval of the Design Review Committee. The topography of a House Lot shall not be altered by removal,
excavation, fill or any other means without the prior approval of the Design
Review Committee. Each Member Household
shall comply with all applicable environmental laws, whether expressed in
federal, state and local statutes, regulations, ordinance, or other rules
intended to protect the public health and welfare as related to land, water,
groundwater, air or other aspects of the natural environment. Environmental laws shall include, but are
not limited to, those laws regulating the use, generation, storage or disposal
of hazardous substances, wastes and materials.
No Member Household shall knowingly use, generate, manufacture, store,
release, dispose of or knowingly permit to exist in, on, under or about his or
her House Lot, the Common Areas or any portion of the Property or transport to
or from any portion of the Property any hazardous materials except in
compliance with the environmental laws.
All
Member Households and their contractors shall comply with the construction
regulation portions of any Community Policies, which may regulate, without
limitation, such matters as: trash and
debris removal; sanitary facilities; parking areas; outside storage;
restoration of damaged property; conduct and behavior of builders,
subcontractors, and Member Household's representatives on the Property at any
time; the conservation of landscape materials; and fire protection. No Member Household shall do or permit any
work, construct any improvements, place any landscaping, or suffer the
existence of any condition whatsoever which shall alter or interfere with the
drainage pattern of Island Cohousing or any Common Areas therein, except to the
extent such alteration and drainage pattern is approved in writing by the
Design Review Committee. No temporary
structures shall be permitted except as may be determined to be necessary
during construction and as specifically authorized by the Design Review Committee.
All
improvements commenced on the Property shall be prosecuted diligently to
completion and any exterior improvements shall be completed within four (4)
months of commencement, unless the Design Review Committee grants an exception
in writing. Building or other
improvements shall be limited to the zone designated as the construction zone
for such House Lot.
d. Building Zone
All
structures must be set back a minimum of five (5) feet from any property line,
unless the Design Review Committee grants an exception in writing.
e.
Community Costs
The
Community has allocated the costs of Common Areas among member Households in
proportion to the size of the houses contained on their house lots, with the
result that the owners of larger houses pay a larger share of these costs. In order to maintain this apportionment
policy, any Member Household which makes a future addition to its house in
accordance with the requirements of this Declaration shall make a one-time
payment of Common Expenses in the amount of fifty dollars ($50) per square foot
of gross enclosed floor area of such addition as a condition of obtaining
Community approval of such addition.
This payment will be made prior to the commencement of construction. This amount will increase to fifty five
dollars ($55) per square foot for any addition, permission for which is
requested on or after January 1, 2005; and will increase by five dollars ($5)
per square foot every five years thereafter.
9. PLANNING AND USE RESTRICTIONS
a. Comprehensive Permit Provisions
The
Community shall strictly adhere to restrictions affecting the Property imposed
as part of a Comprehensive Permit approved by the Town of West Tisbury Zoning
Board of Appeals and recorded with the Dukes County Registry of Deeds book 748,
page 561, unless the Comprehensive Permit is duly amended. Without limitation, the Comprehensive Permit
requires that:
(i) Island Cohousing shall be restricted to a maximum build-out of 66
bedrooms and each of the 16 individual houses shall be limited to 4 bedrooms.
(ii) Dwellings shall utilize
composting toilets and greywater recycling system approved by the Community and
all improvements and alterations to such facilities shall be approved by the
Community and shall be compatible with the Community-approved system in all
ways.
b. Use Standards
The
House Lots shall be used primarily for
residential purposes as set forth herein and only as permitted by the
applicable ordinances of the Town of West Tisbury, Massachusetts.
Each
House Lot and the improvements erected thereon shall be kept and maintained in
a proper, neat and orderly manner and in good repair by the Member Household;
and shall be used and enjoyed by the Member Household, guests, and agents in a
manner that promotes common sense and respect for other Member Households. No Member Household shall do or permit to be
done anything in or about their house or in the Common Areas that will
interfere with the rights, comfort, peaceful use or convenience of other Member
Households, or that will harm the environment.
Each
Member Household shall be solely responsible for the maintenance of their House
Lot and its landscaping and other improvements in accordance with any
guidelines set forth in the Design Objectives and as regulated by the
Community.
The
Member Household of a House Lot shall have the right to lease such House Lot,
provided each such lease is in writing, is expressly subject to Community
Policies regulating leasing activities, and provides that any failure of a
lessee to comply with Community Policies or the requirements of this
Declaration is a default under the lease.
The Member Household shall be liable for any violation of the Community
Policies committed by such Member Household's tenant, without prejudice to such
Member Household's right to collect any sums paid from the tenant.
The
pursuit of a trade, business, or profession within houses will be permitted, so
long as all activity takes place within a house, the use is clearly secondary
to the residential use of the premises, the use does not cause excessive
traffic, noise, disruption, or nuisance, and the use is in compliance with West
Tisbury zoning by-laws and any review process established by the Community.
The
storage area depicted on the Site Plan may be used for storage in connection
with a Member’s trade provided that such storage produces no unnecessary or
offensive noise, smoke, dust, odors, heat, glare or unsightliness.
All
land cultivation, whether for farming, gardening, landscaping or other
purposes, will utilize organic practices as defined by Massachusetts's
law. These practices include the use of
organic fertilizers and integrated pest management.
Without
the approval from the Design Review Committee, no vegetation, landscaping,
structure or other improvement within the Common Areas shall be removed,
constructed, enlarged, demolished or altered.
The
Community may adopt and may amend from time to time written policies to
regulate the use of the Property and the well-being of the Member Households
generally, such as but not limited to the definition of nuisances, the conduct
of home businesses, the keeping of domestic and non-domestic animals, storage
use within the Common Areas, storage and use of machinery, use of antennas,
signs, trash and trash containers, organic cultivation and native landscaping,
sustainable forestry practices, and protection of wildlife habitat and natural
features. All such policies shall be in
writing, shall be distributed to the Member Households on request, and shall be
binding on all Member Households, except where expressly otherwise provided in
such polices, or where, in special circumstances, the Community issues a
variance exempting a particular House Lot from application of a specific
requirement.
10. SHARED SYSTEM
a. Purpose. The purpose of this Section 10 is to
provide for the construction, use, inspection, maintenance, repair, upgrade,
expansion and replacement of the Shared System by the Community and to provide
a financial assurance mechanism for such use, etc. in compliance with the
provisions of Title 5.
b. Rights of
Member Households. All of the
Member Households shall have the right to use the Shared System subject
to: (a) restrictions and obligations
contained herein or of prior record; (b) rules and regulations to be
established from time to time by the Community; and (c) the provisions of
Title 5 and regulations of the West Tisbury Board of Health. No Member Household shall be entitled to
discharge anything other than Greywater to the Shared System. Any Member Household that attempts to
connect toilet wastes to the Shared System may be denied access to the Shared
System.
c. Powers
and Duties of the Community. The
Community shall have all the powers and duties necessary for administration of
the Shared System as set forth in the By-Laws of the Community.
d. Title 5
Maintenance Plan. To ensure that
the Shared System will function as designed, the Community shall implement and
enforce the maintenance plan set forth in a certain “Grant of Title 5 Covenant
and Easement” from the Community as Grantor and the West Tisbury Board of
Health and the Department as Grantees recorded herewith (the “Covenant and
Easement”). The Community acknowledges
that the West Tisbury Board of Health and the Department of Environmental
Protection have the right to enter upon the Property, including any House Lot,
after notice to the Community, to inspect, maintain, repair or replace any
portion or all of the Shared System, as set forth in the Covenant and Easement.
e. Lien for Common and Special Charges. Each assessment made upon a Member Household
for Common Expenses or for Special Assessments for the Shared System (as
defined in the By-Laws) shall constitute a charge and lien upon such Member
Household’s House Lot and every portion thereof from the date of the assessment
until paid in full and shall also constitute the personal debt of the Members
of such Member Household as set forth in the By-Laws.
11. MISCELLANEOUS
The
covenants and restrictions of this Declaration shall run with and bind the
Property for an unlimited term, unless otherwise terminated or modified as
hereinafter provided.
This
Declaration may be terminated or amended only by an instrument signed by the
Members comprising at least 75% of the votes of the Member Households of the
Community. Any such termination or
amendment must be recorded with the Dukes County Registry of Deeds.
The
Community shall have the right to enforce against any Member Household, and any
Member Household shall have the right to enforce against the Community, by a
proceeding at law or in equity, all restrictions, conditions, covenants,
reservations, liens, and charges now or hereafter imposed by the provisions of
this Declaration. Failure by the
Community or by any Member Household to enforce any covenant or restriction
herein contained shall in no event be deemed a waiver of the right to do so
thereafter. Any dispute arising under
this Declaration shall be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution
provisions of the By-Laws.
The
Community may assign all or any part of its rights and reservations hereunder
to any successor who takes title to all or a part of the Property in a bulk
purchase for the purpose of development and sale. Such successor shall be identified, the particular right being
assigned shall be specified, and, to the extent required, concomitant
obligations shall be expressly assumed by such successor, all in written
instrument duly recorded in the Dukes County Registry of Deeds.
EXHIBIT A
ISLAND COHOUSING
PROPERTY DESCRIPTION
All the land
contained in Lot No. 3, shown on the “Plan of Land in West Tisbury,
Massachusetts, prepared for Island Cohousing LLC” by Schofield Barbini and
Hoehn, Inc. dated February 20, 1997, recorded with the Dukes County Registry of
Deeds as West Tisbury Case File No. 496.
Also shown on the “Plan of Land in West Tisbury, Massachusetts, prepared
for Island Cohousing LLC” by Schofield Barbini and Hoehn, Inc. dated January
20, 1998, recorded with the Dukes County Registry of Deeds as West Tisbury Case
File No. _______.
EXHIBIT B
December 1998
ISLAND COHOUSING SITE AND BUILDING DESIGN OBJECTIVES AND
PATTERNS
This is the
integrated verbal expression of how the physical community at Island Cohousing
was designed and is intended to serve as a set of guidelines for how the
Community changes over time. The idea
is to, as much as possible, to stick to these concepts - not slavishly, but
intentionally, so that if we change any of these concepts we can understand
that we are doing so and the effects of the change(s).
The objectives are in
four sections:
•
Form and Voice;
• Energy and Resources.
• Economy and Adaptability;
• Community.
The objectives are
underlined. Brief discussions follow.
Associated design patterns are boldface.
• FORM AND VOICE.
1) Development activity should fit the
site and promote diversity.
The building locations should respect and benefit from
native plantings and existing landforms. Buildings should have good sun
access. There should be variety and
choice in house locations. Therefore:
a. String
houses along a north-south circulation spine.
b.
Use the “Houses on a Street” pattern as the basic community layout, modified
to fit specific site features.
c.
Stagger the houses as dictated by existing trees and landforms, and to
optimize
solar
access for all houses.
d. Build on the plateau to minimize site
disturbance, provide better access,
improve communication, and simplify
construction.
e. Retain sufficient existing trees in the
development zone to shade buildings
and screen and shelter outdoor living
spaces.
f. Plan diverse house locations - varied
exposures, distances from Common
House and parking, and degrees of
community connection.
2) Maximize Open Space.
The Open
Space should encourage a diverse mix of appropriate uses and habitats, and
should be planned and managed to balance the landscape of the entire site. Therefore:
a. Leave the hilly upland areas undisturbed.
b. Limit roadways, make them as narrow as
possible, design them to meander
comfortably through the trees and retain
rural qualities.
c. Build a small pond (approx. 1/4 acre)
for many uses: wildlife and species
diversity, fire protection, recreation,
aesthetic enhancement.
d.
Designate a 2 - 4 acre agricultural zone on the wide southern shelf.
3) Provide central parking areas out of
the community view.
As we enter
the community, we leave our cars behind.
But we must, at the same time, make safe and convenient access for
all. Therefore:
a. Create a central, well-screened parking
areas for 30 cars down gradient
from the plateau, to the west of the
community, with 8 - 10 additional
spaces near the entrance to the Common
House.
b. Provide a storage barn on the plateau
with a covered drop-off, individual
storage areas for each household, and a
system of carts for transporting
goods to and from the houses.
c.
Vary the proximity of houses to parking, from 120’ to 320’.
d. Provide for emergency and occasional
vehicle access to within 60’ of the
front door to all houses, along
community pathways.
e.
Provide a permeable parking surface, landscaped and screened.
f. Provide a screened storage area of
approximately 1/2 acre at the northern
edge of the property, adjacent to and
accessed through the South
Mountain property, for storage of large
items: building materials, lobster
pots, old vehicles and equipment.
4) Houses should evoke regional tradition
and promote a sense of neighborhood.
The forms
should be simple, spare, honest, and satisfying. Therefore:
a.
Use a simple 1 1/2-story Victorian farmhouse form.
b. Gable ends face the community.
5) Create
architectural variety.
Visual
interest is generally created with complex oppositions of shapes. In this community it will be achieved by the
aggregate mass of the cluster of buildings and their relationship to the
landscape. We can enhance this through
the use of contrasting color and detail mixed with consistent forms and
materials. Therefore:
a. Use repetitive plans with similar siding and
roofing.
b. Vary window
color, doors, porch rails, landscape, building spacing,
building setbacks,
and building size.
6) The houses
should be healthful, nurturing places to live.
Although
compact, they should be filled with good light, clean air, good ventilation,
nice views, non-toxic materials, a spacious feeling, and long interior sight
lines. Therefore:
a.
Design an open space plan with some functional kitchen separation.
b. Provide natural light on two sides of every habitable
room if possible, and
good natural
light throughout.
c. Choose low-toxic, natural materials.
• ENERGY AND RESOURCES.
7) Design for minimum imported resource
use over time.
Whenever
possible, resources required should be produced or harvested on-site. These
include thermal and electrical energy, water, food, and building materials. Therefore:
a. Designate an appropriate upland site for
future community wind turbine(s)
that is easily
accessible.
b. Use trees from
the site as a building material.
c. Provide
sufficient cleared land for gardens, orchards, and livestock.
8) Plan for
the use of renewables.
These
include renewable energy for heating, hot water, lighting, and electrical
loads. Use renewable materials for construction, maintenance, and repair, and
maximize the use of materials with recycled content, recyclable design, and
local origin. Therefore:
a. Provide at least 300 SF of unobstructed
south facing roof at 30 degrees or
more on each
dwelling for future solar collection.
b. Use salvage
and recycled materials wherever feasible.
9) Treat human
waste as a resource, and eliminate its potential to pollute.
Human waste can be a concentrated pollutant or a valuable
resource. Design for complete organic
nutrient cycles and recycling. Compost human and other waste, filter greywater
and return to the land. Therefore:
a. Stack bathrooms to facilitate the use of
composting toilets.
b.
Bring greywater to a central filtration area.
c.
Use composter liquid end product to fertilize fields.
• ECONOMY AND ADAPTABILITY
10) Design single family houses tightly
clustered.
Although
multi-family dwellings have been determined not to make sense for this group
(due to personal preference, the current banking and appraisal climate,
and the lack of sufficient economic
advantage), if single family houses are placed close together, infrastructure will be more economical, services can be
shared, the Common House will have more value, and more open land will be
preserved.
Therefore:
a. Maintain 25’ - 35’ spacing between buildings
North to South.