Puyallup Cohousing Land Tour
Last weekend my husband and I went to a potluck at the Puyallup Cohousing Community to hear their plan and tour the land. I was utterly delighted to learn about their dream for cohousing, stories about the people who’ve lived there, and collective effort to turn a barren raspberry farm into a loving community.
There are two separate parcels - one zoned for residential building and one for agriculture. The amazing team (shout out to Sharon!) is working by hand to restore the compacted, pesticide ridden cropland. Over two acres of full sun next to a creek that salmon once swam… it’s a paradise.
After a picnic, meeting new friends, a game, and land tour - we stayed for the business meeting to learn about logistics of the cohousing group. There are so many things to consider - traffic studies, county zoning, funding, land trust vs private ownership vs co-ownership, communication differences, conflict resolution, community agreements and enforcements, common buyers needs like co-working spaces, food forest plan, river restoration dreams, HOA dues or HOA alternatives, are we an ecovillage or cohousing project… it was impressive.
The principles, values, and needs of the group can be found at their website PuyallupCohousing.org
I suggest giving their stewardship plan a glance, even if you aren’t interested in cohousing. Projects like this make me wonder… what would it really look like if most people lived around people and land they love and respect enough to ensure it’s stewardship into the design of their home? What would an American wave of ecovillages look like? Well, something like this.
“Wouldn’t it be great if there were a community to steward this land after I’m gone?”
Mike has held title to this land for decades, rented it, and now is helping build the cohousing community.
I want to share something directly from the goals on their website. I share many of these values personally and professionally, and find them so attractive I'm invested in building more of this in the world. You can read this and learn more about the team here: https://puyallupcohousing.org/about-us/
Our Goal
Create a core group to develop cohousing on the farm.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are any of these these ideas attractive?
Stewardship – Caring for the environment and living lightly on the planet
Service – Serving each other and actively participating in support of the needs of the surrounding community
Seniors – Aging in a community that supports health, productivity, and a better social life
Families – A community that supports parents and children
Connection – Knowing and caring for your neighbors which enhances the important aspects of life -joy, health, growth, security, and compassion.
Friendship – Building connections through casual interactions and structured activities among members
Collaboration – Active listening, sharing of ideas, giving what we can, and receiving what is offered
Sharing – Develop a culture of sharing and living cheaper
Design – Designing of community BY residents FOR residents to promote interaction and relationships
Structures – Private dwellings, clustered houses, pedestrian-friendly design, common facilities
Permaculture – incorporate whole-systems thinking to the land
IF YOU DECIDE TO GET INVOLVED, WHAT SORTS OF THINGS MIGHT YOU EXPECT?
An information gathering phase
Formation of a core group, and growth of the community
Education, training and skills development in areas like consensus and conflict resolution
Planning activities on how to get cohousing built
Involvement with the local City/County planners and councils
Selection of professionals: Architects, Builders, etc.
Working out the policies and procedures that will govern the community
Watching the construction
Moving in