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I have been interested in communal living for quite some time and am thinking about finally making this dream a reality. I've been looking at land in the Pacific Northwest, mostly in Washington, though other areas could be of interest if I find like-minded people who are willing to help fund the land purchase. Otherwise, I plan to buy the land, myself and then others can build on it so long as we're sure we can stand living in a communal environment together. I want at least 20 acres, giving us many options for farming, gardening, and just plain having a good time, either riding horses, swimming, hiking, and "camping".
Obviously, all of this is in the beginning research and planning phase. I have no intention of jumping on anything until I've found people of interest and we've spent a good amount of time getting to know each other and discussing our vision for our community.
A little about me: I am a single mother, working on my nurse-midwifery degree. I am very open to all lifestyles, so long as they aren't hurting anyone around you. I love children and would want our community to be very kid-friendly. Now, this does not mean that it's a G-rated commune; it simply means that there is a safe environment and plenty of child-friendly activities available at all times where our kids can grow, learn, and thrive off the land. This also means that, in order to protect their growing bodies, we will be a non-smoking community. I love going on adventures and will probably try to incorporate field trips into our daily life as much as possible. I have a passion for astronomy; I once wanted to be an astronaut. My favorite television show is Battlestar Galactica (the new one). I bring this up because I have some friends interested in communal living who are also big BSG fans and part of our pipe dream has become watching episodes of BSG in the "Big house" after a day of milking goats and pulling weeds. A couple of these friends have an even bigger dream of a BSG-themed community. I don't entirely know what that would entail, but I'm open to the idea if we can make it a reality. Some have even suggested a Dollhouse-like facility and while I think that'd be lovely one day, I am not a millionaire.
I have a lot of ideas for a commune; some will work, some won't. And that's where others come into play.
Not an ez task to pull off. I'm on the quest myself for building / forming senior rural housing co-op with entry equity under $60k (including home and shop / barn / greenhouses / RV sites / apartments for visitors). Very tough with PNW land prices and regulations (Thus why 85 of the 90 Senior Housing Co-ops are MN, IA, WI). There is ONE in WA with a very long waiting list and $300k entry.
Search for Eco-village, plenty of those around PNW too.
Multi-gen can be daunting, check out Boulder and Lyons, CO for issues they had and how they resolved them.
If you have plenty of capital, it will be ez'r (say about $6-10 mil). USDA and HUD have some excellent loan programs for Co-ops / IC / rural development, but they require at least a 70% subscription rate before funding. That takes the 'average Joe' about 4 projects and 20 yrs to get right.
I will GUESS MT would be ezr, ID next. then OR, and finally WA. Christine really messed up the DoEc, making it nearly impossible to do this in WA. Not IMPOSSIBLE, you just need to pay through the nose to support the HUGE staffs that are looking to justify their existance.
Your best bet is to buy a TRASHED meth infested MHP that has acreage adjacent for farming. Present a bullet proof rehab plan to county, and be prepared to relocate the current residents. Then you have something that might be within zoning requirements. I know of a few of these in WA $500k - $800k. I keep my own Bulldozers, dump trucks, and excavators to make quick work of 'decontaminating' the site. That is a significant advantage.
Plan B (and the one that seems to be most successful).. Get a group of interested people, and start buying up adjacent land that is already small farms. THAT IS IN appropriate 'use' code. (and not wetlands), and keep your density / changes minimal and under Camo Netting. (Many WA counties use aerial survellance / drones and image recognition software to validate your land use / buildings / cars / vehicles, roof area, parking, decks, sheds...)
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 03-26-2012 at 05:41 PM..
Only when wearing RED, and driving an extra Rolls Royce or two.... I think they are long gone, something about trying to poison the salad bars in Wasco County...
Cool, a hippy commune.. If you allow guns I'll join I want start my own commune, but more of a survivalist/monastery-like commune setup, rather than the hippy-style. Def would not be 420 friendly. I would like to be self-sufficient, where people raise their own food, including animals, vegetables, fruit. We can have our own water source and even build an animal sanctuary, in addition to a flower and plant garden where people can go for peaceful walks. A nice area for communal meals, events, tea and coffee drinking would also be important. In eastern cultures, people always gather together for tea or coffee. That is one thing I feel is missing in Western society. My own ancestors use to gather around the fire every day and spend time together, drinking from the pot they called the "Finjan". I kind of dream of my commune to be a mixture of Zen and Pac NW survivalist. I know my dreams are really funky. I want my little sanctuary away from Western society in Western society.
But, hey I wish you so much luck, you are kind of living my dream. I also dream of one day being able to walk around in my white robes and traditional religious gear, which does seem rather Rainbow-familyish, but I have nothing to do with those people. I grew up in Oregon where communes like this do exist.. Sadly, they are most overly-hippy and not supportive of people who want to the live the more religious or meditative way of life.
I have no problem with guns so long as you know how to use them and would only use them for protection from the outside, and not against anyone on the commune, obviously. I've never even held a gun, myself, but my friends go to shooting ranges and would like to have a shooting range on the commune, for stress relief.
I didn't realize there would be zoning issues with a commune. I don't understand why I can't just buy a residential lot and then have my friends come and live with me. I see this all the time. So long as you don't call it a commune, I don't think anyone cares. One of my co-workers built his house in his parents' backyard and his sister built her own house on the same property. They also have a barn and a couple people living in an RV on the land. No one has said a word to them because they get permission to build "guest homes" and they're not an organized group. Or, if you build a mansion, I don't think the government is allowed to regulated who can move into the bedrooms. I really don't think they should be able to regulate what I build on my land, either, but I guess that's the world we live in. I'll look more into this. Perhaps I do need to be more open to different locations if Washington law is going to make my life a living hell.
(forgot to mention that I am not anti-religion. I'm more spiritual, myself, and would be saddened to find a group of people who weren't interested in letting me meditate. One of the first things I'm putting on my land is a reflection area, very much like a Buddhist chapel, though all religions will be welcome. Who am I to judge someone's faith?)
I think hearing all these regulations only makes me even more determined. This is the exact reason I want to live on a commune; I'm tired of feeling like my daily life is being controlled by the government. I need some space from society.
... I didn't realize there would be zoning issues with a commune. I don't understand why I can't just buy a residential lot and then have my friends come and live with me.
You have some learning to do, hustle right on down to county / city planning dept. They are not too busy these days and will be happy to talk to you.
Quote:
I see this all the time. So long as you don't call it a commune, I don't think anyone cares. ...
Not (legally) in WA
There are very few exclusions for things like 'FAMILY' eldercare. AND as long as no-one in your commune is married,... you can have up to 6 unrelated people in one house within SFR zoning (in most places). One Married Household ONLY per SFR, unless eldercare of FAMILY, not friends.
I didn't realize there would be zoning issues with a commune. I don't understand why I can't just buy a residential lot and then have my friends come and live with me. I see this all the time. So long as you don't call it a commune, I don't think anyone cares. One of my co-workers built his house in his parents' backyard and his sister built her own house on the same property. They also have a barn and a couple people living in an RV on the land. No one has said a word to them because they get permission to build "guest homes" and they're not an organized group. Or, if you build a mansion, I don't think the government is allowed to regulated who can move into the bedrooms. I really don't think they should be able to regulate what I build on my land, either, but I guess that's the world we live in. I'll look more into this. Perhaps I do need to be more open to different locations if Washington law is going to make my life a living hell.
...
I think hearing all these regulations only makes me even more determined. This is the exact reason I want to live on a commune; I'm tired of feeling like my daily life is being controlled by the government. I need some space from society.
Its not a commune issue at all; its the gov't dictating what you can/cannot do with your property-- and this is done all.the.time. Either your co-worker isn't spilling all the (correct and legal) details or there's something else going on. You can look up your county's rules about the "guest homes" yourself to verify his story-- but I have a hard time believing your co-worker's situation on face value. Ultimately it sounds like they just haven't been reported on just yet or it must be a really big property to hide all the extra houses. The gov't does use satellites to check on your property (at least this is what I've been told by numerous people).
I have a really good friend whose family own an island up north. They've had this island now for 3 generations. There is a little cabin (over 60 years old now), not more than a 1,000 sq. feet and an actual (newer) house on the island, I would say a good 1800 sq. feet. The island is almost 7 acres. The cabin belongs to the Grandma, the house belongs to my friend's dad. Now, friend's dad wants to built another cabin on the property (nowhere close to the original cabin nor the house) and has been denied a permit to do so. The cabin was for my friend, her S/O and their kid.
Now its easy to say... hey, why don't he say screw it and build it anyways? The county told her father that if they find out he went ahead and build a cabin (of more than 450 sqft), then he'll be heavily fined and if he didn't pay that-- the island will be taken away from him. The problem comes in the "neighbors" who would only be too happy to report them. And the "neighbors" have already made it clear that they don't think the family should own the island and that the island should be open to the public. So these people are actually watching the family and the island like a hawk, ready to report whatever.
Now there are states that are overall much more lax on their zoning property rules-- WA just isn't one of them.
Your commune sounds like it will be awesome. Wow, a shooting range!! Sounds, like you will be living the dream. Yeah, I think that is a good policy. If people have guns they should not be used against other members of the commune I and most other gun owners here are law-abiding citizens and generally being a legal gun owner is a good sign that the people who have guns, especially conceal carry licenses, will be the most trustworthy people on your commune. It would be a good idea to do background checks, which are easy and affordable to do in this day and age on all people living on your commune. Plus, living out in the woods in rural Oregon or Washington, you definitely need protection.
Gosh, if I didn't have a software business that requires high speed internet, I would be so tempted. I'd love to hear what happens with this commune and hope if I cannot live there that I can come visit sometime. Especially, to check out your shooting range.
There are always a few challenges with a shooting range though. You may be required to have extra insurance and getting certifications and dealing with EPA. But, it is well worth it! Also, neighbors can be an issue. Guns blasting off at a range can result in neighbor complaints, so you would have to make sure you are away from houses. Livestock in the area can be another issue.
The reflection temple sounds awesome. It would be so nice to find a place where you can be at peace with nature and meditate. I am a Netzarim Jew, so building a Temple, or worship place, would be essential part of my religion. There is a lot of Buddhist ideals that I follow though and deep meditation and prayer is a big part of my life. It is one of the key elements missing in our culture today.
BTW.. I lived on the Oregon Coast for 4 years all alone in the forest. Well, I lived in a trailer right next to the beach. I had 1000s of acres of Siuslaw National Forest in my backyard. Including giant elk, bear and gazillions of hummingbirds and the occasional eagles.
If you ever are interested check out the Oregon Coast if you really want to get away from it all and be in some of the most beautiful and affordable land you can imagine. I don't know about all the laws, regulations and zoning issues, so others here probably are better information on that. I just know its a wonderful place to make this venture. Also, I have heard of many people starting communes in the area. Once again, usually hippy-based, but that doesn't mean you have to setup like that. If these people were able to pull it off, I don't know why you cannot.
A commune in Idaho or Montana would be interesting, but you have the weather. Around the lakes of Pend d'Oreille or Priest Lake would be an excellent area though for this type of setup, IMO
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I want start my own commune, but more of a survivalist/monastery-like commune setup, rather than the hippy-style. Def would not be 420 friendly. I would like to be self-sufficient, where people raise their own food, including animals, vegetables, fruit. We can have our own water source and even build an animal sanctuary, in addition to a flower and plant garden where people can go for peaceful walks. A nice area for communal meals, events, tea and coffee drinking would also be important. In eastern cultures, people always gather together for tea or coffee. That is one thing I feel is missing in Western society. My own ancestors use to gather around the fire every day and spend time together, drinking from the pot they called the "Finjan". I kind of dream of my commune to be a mixture of Zen and Pac NW survivalist. I know my dreams are really funky. I want my little sanctuary away from Western society in Western society.
