[Council] Fordyce St. Co-housing Project

[Javna at aol.com]

To the Council:
Enclosed is a copy of a letter I sent to the Daily Tidings last week, 
regarding the co-housing project on Fordyce St. I'm sending it to you because I don't 
know if the letter will be printed, and want to share my thoughts on the 
matter.
   Thanks for taking the time to read it. 
   Sincerely, 
     John Javna

To the Editor: 
I have to admit that I don't agree with the city's policy of encouraging 
infill. A small, rural town ought to feel expansive, not increasingly 
claustrophobic.
    But as long as infill is the official policy, Ashland should be 
experimenting with ways to make density more palatable. That's why I was surprised to 
read, some months ago, that the Planning Commission turned down the application 
for a co-housing project on Fordyce St. On Tuesday, the City Council will 
hear an appeal, and I encourage Council members to overturn the original 
decision.
    Co-housing, for those who've never heard the term, is a mini-community of 
people who share land and some common buildings on it, but live in their own 
homes on the property.
    A well-planned, well-designed  co-housing project is ideal for Ashland. 
It maximizes density without creating an urban feel; it preserves open space 
and view corridors for the neighborhood; it attracts low- and moderate-income 
families who have a strong sense of community.
      The Fordyce project seems to fit these criteria perfectly. According to 
descriptions I've seen, it will consist of 13 low-cost townhomes (ranging 
from 500 to 1600 feet in size), built along a pedestrian walkway and a plaza 
There's a community building with a kitchen and childcare space; a community 
garden; a parking area that's sheltered from neighbors by outbuildings and open 
spaces. All the homes will have private yards and solar access. And the 
designers have made a special effort to protect view corridors
      According to news reports, the project was rejected primarily because 
neighbors objected to the planning commission. I believe people should have a 
say in the development of their neighborhoods--after all, it's their lives that 
are being impacted by changes. But in this case, it seems the objections 
raised were more about development in general than specifically about the Fordyce 
Co-Housing Project. Understandably, people would rather not have any 
development in their backyards. But that's not too realistic in Ashland these 
days.                              
      Some neighbors also accused the developers of greed--trying to make 
more money with the co-housing project. I looked into that, and was surprised to 
discover that the developers actually make less money than they would with a 
traditional housing development. For them, this is a labor of love and an 
effort to live up to principle
    The land on Fordyce will inevitably be developed; the question is: How? 
Why not invest in Ashland's future with a new approach to housing that will 
open doors to families and encourage community cohesiveness? Support the Fordyce 
co-housing project and we will all benefit.
Sincerely,
John Javna

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