1.)
You say this is a vegetarian eco-community -- What are its vegetarian
rules?
A.)
No meat or other slaughtered foods are permitted on the property.
Eggs, milk and other dairy products are permitted. Anything that runs
away, swims away or flies away may not be consumed at The
Woodlands at DeerHaven Hills. All residents
must follow this "no slaughtered food" rule, even if one or more residents
of a unit are not normally vegetarian. In fact, we only seek Purchasers
wherein all family members normally eat vegetarian, whether
on the property or off.
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2.)
What is an eco-community?
A.)
It is an intentional "theme" community whose resident members each
have at least two qualities in common: A love and concern for the
environment, and a respect for life, health and well-being. In this
case, that love, concern and respect are expressed by each resident's
commitment to maintain a completely vegetarian diet on this property.
And when
you invest here, you'll be gaining more than a wonderful lifestyle
for yourself and your loved ones. You'll be "retiring" the rest of
this magnificent property from future real estate development, too.
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3.)
Whom should I expect as my neighbors?
A.)
We believe they should be great! These should be very special people
-- people like you. Most vegetarians we've known over our decades
of environmental work and teaching natural foods cooking classes have
been the best of humanity. Nearly all of them have been reasonable,
clean-living, ethical people -- health conscious souls who are committed
to the environment and helping to make the world a better place to
live.
Plus, vegetarians
aren't just vegetarians. Such ethical, high-minded people are
normally interested in a wide variety of noble subjects. We foresee
this eco-community becoming a center for learning and discussion about
such subjects as natural healing ... expansion of consciousness ...
discovering new skills ... vegetarian cooking classes ... increasing
one's appreciation of art ... spiritual cinema ... a teahouse where
people can meet, talk and even share meals and pot-luck get-togethers
on special occasions ... hold regular yoga classes, and more ...
In short,
we expect they'll be just the sort of neighbors we'd all want. And
since the Developers will be living there, too, those are the kind
of people we're working hard to attract for all of our sakes.
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4.)
If the property is so large, how will I get around?
A.)
We suggest by electric golf cart. You may buy one on your own or we
can arrange for a local dealer to deliver one to you, new or used.
He can also provide any maintenance needed for it. But normal cars
and trucks are only permitted on a small part of the property, so
as not to damage or disturb our natural environment. Electric golf
carts are already used here -- they have proven themselves to be both
fun and practical. However, ATV's or other noisome vehicles are not
permitted on most parts of the property -- only electric golf carts
or our tractor (which is just used for maintenance).
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5.)
What if guests come to visit me?
A.)
Guests are permitted and welcome, but whether they stay in your dwelling
unit or rent the guest cabin, they must also honor our eco-community's
"vegetarian only" and other rules. Parking for guests must be assigned
and may not take up a resident's parking space(s). Guests are encouraged
to rent our guest cabin both for community income as well as to not
disturb any neighboring residents. Guests are not allowed to become
"permanent" without being screened by the Board of Governors. Reasonable
limits on guest stays are expected. The final decision will rest with
the Board of Governors.
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6.)
Are pets permitted to live there?
A.)
Yes. Pets can be an important part of a person's life at any age.
But realizing this is a townhouse community, this right must not be
abused. Normal, friendly pets will generally be permitted in the dwelling
units and on the rest of the property under certain conditions, as
determined by the Board of Governors. In any event, cats must remain
indoors or wear collar bells to alert native songbirds to their presence.
They must remain house cats and not be allowed to become feral.
All dogs
must stay inside or be walked on leads to prevent harassment of residents
or wildlife. Dogs which bark unreasonably must be medically or mechanically
muffled. Other pets may be permitted by approval of the Board of Governors.
Dangerous pets are never permitted. Further, if a Purchaser is accepted
with one or more pets, that number may not be increased or materially
changed without the express approval of the Board of Governors.
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7.)
Can I operate a home-based business in the eco-community?
A.)
Yes, as long as the operator's neighboring residents do not complain
about noise or such from the business operation. All home-based businesses
must be approved by the Board of Governors prior to the time of purchasing
your new townhome or before starting-up if the business is begun after
purchase. But this board will not withhold its approval unreasonably.
However,
only legal, service-based or similar businesses may operate from a
dwelling here. That business may not include frequently ringing telephones.
Or if ringing regularly, the telephone must be muted so as not to
disturb neighbors. Employees or independent contractors may work in
your dwelling occasionally but may not be working there on a regular
basis. And parking rules must be honored. It is expected that any
business operation that proves to be a regular nuisance for nearby
residents will change its practices or be expected to relocate.
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8.)
What about clubhouse facilities?
A.)
The previous owner's large (3300 square foot) house accompanies the
purchase of this 95 acre parcel. It will become the eco-community's
clubhouse. It has a large great-room that should comfortably seat
all the expected residents for classes, workshops, lectures, meetings
and such. Three smaller former bedrooms will be ideal for card and
game rooms. The kitchen is spacious (good for holding cooking classes
or preparing group meals). The walk-in basement has one room ideally
suited as the community's office. Much of this lower area is finished
in cedar harvested from this very property and is an ideal place for
a lending library, arts projects classroom and such. The house was
built in the 1960's, has brick facing and has recently had a new roof
installed.
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9.)
What sort of wildlife is found at DeerHaven Hills?
A.)
On our property there are many varieties of birds, a large number
of deer and wild turkeys, as well as other smaller and more common
types of creatures. Our property has been an informal but well-posted
wildlife-preserve since we purchased it in the mid-1990's. Currently,
DeerHaven Hills Farm is one of a number of local "preservation farms,"
meaning that the owners intend to keep this area in large parcels
of green space for as long as possible.
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10.)
Are there opportunities for work or service in the eco-community?
A.)
Possibly. Volunteer or limited income-producing opportunities should
arise within this eco-community as a natural course. Some things come
immediately to mind, such as growing and selling produce to your neighbors
from the property's large, organic garden ... assisting older or elderly
residents in any number of ways ... doing part-time maintenance work
around the grounds ... helping other residents finish the insides
of their units ... teaching your skills, in the form of classes or
workshops, to your appreciative neighbors ... becoming the part-time
manager of this community.
... Deciding
whether or not they would be paid jobs -- and if so, how much -- is
a duty of the Board of Governors. But there is always work to be done
of some sort or another to keep even a small community clean and functional.
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11.)
Will this be the only residential building on the property, or is
this just the "first stage" of development?
A.)
It is intended that this -- the building containing all the adjoining
townhomes -- will be the only one built on these 95 acres. It is intended
to be a single building of 22 units, but the architects may decide
it needs to be broken into two or more structures. However, the whole
point of the project is to have as few dwellings on the land as possible
while still making each townhome shell affordable.
Today,
in 2007, the average price of a house in the United States is said
to be about $260,000 (source: CNBC). It has been our goal to find
the right balance for this eco-community so that its price would closely
match the national home price average while still giving good value
to those people who desire the outstanding lifestyle we will offer
here. At the same time, this price gives the seller -- the "founding
family" -- a reasonable amount for their land.
Adding
more townhome dwellings to the building might make the selling price
lower, but would put additional stress on both the land and the residents.
Fewer dwellings would limit potential buyers to only the most upscale.
So we have tried to strike a happy medium by using the national average
as a good compromise. It is true that, when finished inside, the homes
would be more expensive. But we believe that the estate-like magnificence
of this property will justify the price ... and more, in time to come.
The founding
family presently owns 100 acres of land, which includes their own
home as well as the house, barns and accoutrements described above.
That family will be selling 95 of those acres and all that the land
encompasses to the eco-community while keeping, and living in, their
own home on five of the acres that now surround it.