I'm excited about the idea of a closely-knit gathering of energy-efficient, green-built homes, especially if they are affordable and on a small footprint! I am attracted to the notion of rounding up 10-or-so homes on a small-ish enough parcel of land so that people who live there naturally gravitate to contributing their ideas, talents, and leadership skills in a neighborly way. But that's me, and when it comes to added value for my clients, I'm not objective.
What I want to know is what YOU think. Is it important to you to engage the community in which you live? You may find the benefits of neighborly collaboration - sharing in community projects such as community gardens... attractive. If so, let me know because I happily will clue you in to what is happening in Asheville... and will put you in touch with other real estate experts all across the USA who can be of service to you in finding affordable green housing. But, wait a minute...first....
Tell me, how would you define that as "cluster housing"? Does it look the the graphic below? (the graphic shows an artist's rendering of Asheville's Villages at Crest Mountain.)
Look it up at Wikipedia and you will find it described as "...the grouping of residential properties on a development site in order to use the extra land as open space, recreation or agriculture... increasingly becoming popular in subdivision development for its low impact and sustainability appeal.... [and] other advantages, including more green/public space, closer community, and an optimal storm water management." Could this be the remedy for balancing conservation and development objectives, and offering an opportunity for developers and conservationists to meet in the middle, creating more livable communities in the process?
PLEASE DO STAY TUNED as I look for the answer in a number of such enterprises in this series.
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(*)/'(*).......... ............and keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. WHAT is Cluster Housing, Again? Greenolina in Asheville NC Copyright © 2010 All Rights Reserved
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PLEASE DO STAY TUNED as I look at a number of such enterprises (many of them right here in Asheville NC) in this series.
I love the idea of cluster housing. We have a few examples in NH, but they basically allow for greater density with a dedicated open space.. Hopefully, they will become better defined. In some of the cases, the developers have seen it as a way to legally "circumvent" some zoning requirements to get more larger homes in a smaller space... it will be interesting to read how this can work in an eco-friendly way.
Joan~
Yes...those developments that use the concept but remove the objective of open green space quite possibly miss the point...
janeAnne, we have some communities with 50' lots and open green spaces that are similar in concept, but nothing exactly like this.
JaneAnne This will be a great series. I have listened to several communities comprehensive plans in my area and it seem cluster housing is going to play a big part. I will be back to see the rest of your series.
JaneAnne This will be a great series. I have listened to several communities comprehensive plans in my area and it seem cluster housing is going to play a big part. I will be back to see the rest of your series.
The idea behind cluster housing has been around forever, but the form of execution has changed drastically over time. I think, as with many green "innovation" in housing, we're simply moving back to when certain ways of doing things just made sense. Metal roofs? Cisterns? I could go on...
I think there are certainly times in life where cluster housing makes sense....
1. When children are growing...what a great place to find playmates and have 14 pairs of eyes..."
2. Senior housing...each having their own space yet being able to keep their eyes out for eachother...
I like the sharing of resources that Jeff talks of...the sense of community while having ones own space...
I like to think on the other side of the graphic, there are private areas...where I can hang my laundry to dry and chill on the deck with a cup of coffee, enjoying the sounds of nature, but not having to talk?
Cluster housing...a group of like minded individuals coming together to create, and share, as a community...
I think that is what is lacking in our "neighborhoods"