Land criteria
From EcoReality
This is historical information that was used to help us evaluate numerous properties, and to cause us to agree to settle on 2152-2172 Fulford Ganges Road.
Please list below what things you are interested in for ecovillage property -- please prioritize your list.
The goal is to rack-n-stack these, to come up with overall criteria in priority order that we can use for judging a potential land purchase.
The next step after combining these into one consensus list, would be to assign a weighting to each item, based on priority, so that individual criteria could be independently evaluated on a simple scale of 1-10, then multiplied by the weighting factor, then summed to come up with a total numerical score. (model)
Contents |
[edit]
Carol
- 95 south facing slope for homesites
- 95 potential for wind, (passive) solar, mico-hydro
- 90 market for selling artwork
- 90 market for teaching
- 90 nearby potential bookkeeping clients
- 85 larger acreage
- 85 places we can go to get away from each other
- 85 someplace for a labyrinth or sacred place
- 80 at least 5-10 acres wooded
- 75 access to a larger community as a whole
[edit]
James
- 95 island
- 90 with bc ambulance service
- 90 under a 10 minute drive to ambulance station (so I can be on call at home)
- 90 Potential for solar, wind power and micro-hydro
- 90 Either zoned for 10-20 dwellings or potential to be rezoned (eg: the 160 acre land is only zoned for 5 residences but it may be possible with that much land to increase the density)
- 90 South facing- for garden, farm and building sites
- 85 Wooded area on property
- 85 On the transit route for people wishing to travel by bus
- 85 Affordable - Land we can buy without incurring outside debt
- 85 Existing deer fencing
- 80 Year round stream and lake/pond
- 80 Set off of a main road far enough that traffic noise is not always audible and visable
- 75 Differing ecosystems and terrain type (some slope, forest, pasture
- 75 Cycling distance to "town" or to services and supplies
- 75 In an area with like-minded neighbours
- 75 On a school bus route for children going to school
- 75 At least 2 existing single family dwellings (or bigger) so the existing members can move immediately without having to build
- 75 Serviced- Electricity, phone, high speed internet
- 75 At least 100 acres (160 acres or 1/4 section seems like it would be ideal)
- 70 Existing vegetable gardens
- 65 Cycling distance to ferry terminal
- 65 Existing workshop or barn building for storing farm items, a workshop and other storage
- 65 Park and/or walking trails nearby
- 65 Existing orchard
- 65 Existing greenhouse
- 50 Within 10 minutes drive to swimming ocean beach and swimming lake beach
[edit]
Jan
- 95 island
- 90 good solar exposure -- southeast through southwest slope
- 90 good water resources, potable & irrigation
- 75 microhydro potential
- 70 easy access from victoria and vancouver
- 70 habitat variation some cleared for farming some young forest some old forest some riparian
- 65 deer/livestock fencing system
- 65 some terrain variation -- not all flat or all sloped
- 50 adequate resources for perhaps 30 eventual families
- 40 as much land as possible -- preferably a quarter-section 160 acres
[edit]
Shannon
- 95 good south facing slope for solar power and building sites
- 95 renewable energy potential to sustain conscious and moderated use by 10-30 families (max) (solar, wind, microhydro mainly)
- 95 arable land area (at least 5 and preferably up to 60 acres)
- 95 zoned for 4 or more dwellings/kitchens (ideally 20 densities or higher), if not then should have few identifiable barriers to proceeding with rezoning process
- 95 hydro and telephone access to property
- 90 watercourse and/or well for irrigation of crops, livestock, humans
- 90 internet access to site is feasible, high speed preferred
- 80 whole parcel is more than 30 acres
- 80 contains variable terrain/landscape features and micro-environments (habitat variation such as dry slopes, running water, low waterways or bogs, flat arable area, mixed forest plant communities, biodiversity)
- 80 housing infrastructure exists for at least two family units, potentially more if layout allows for cohousing that meets needs of all current members, and potential member house-mates
- 80 guest accommodation indoors for 1 guest per every 2 members (e.g. minimum 2 indoor guest sleeping spaces prioritized for guests, relatives)
- 75 road access to property, minimal roads on site (preferably none)
- 75 access to larger rural community by bicycle within 1 hour ride, by reliable road that is maintained (town)
- 75 indoor space for education, movement classes (e.g. permaculture/agroecology theory, yoga, photography, etc.)
- 70 soil conditions in arable area should be not severely eroded or compacted
- 70 a safe and clean-feeling energy in the living and non-living systems that exist on the site
- 70 forested/wooded area on 10% of total property, or access to this within 30 min walk that is accessible (public or neighbour permits use)
- 70 transportation available to Victoria/Vancouver within 4-5 hours
- 70 outdoor camping space (permitted under zoning bylaws) for at least 6 visitors, volunteers, students, interns, WWOOFers, etc.
- 60 island
- 60 covered, protected structures for plants and/or livestock (e.g. polyhouse, hoophouse, barn)
