Eugene Ecovillage Institute seeks to create an Ecovillage friendly Zoning and Building Code
Contact – Mark Koenig This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
What is an Ecovillage?
A walkable-size part of a town with common social contracts, residential housing, resident businesses and substantial food production. Great effort is expended to minimize transport and energy use, while providing a safe and joyful community. See principals.
Who is Eugene Ecovillage Institute?
The Eugene Ecovillage Institute is a grass roots coalition of interested residents dedicated to enacting change through the political process.
Where is the focus?
City of Eugene and Lane County, Oregon
Has any City Zoning and Permits regulations ever been modified before?
UK, Canada and Northern Europe are currently modifying zoning & permitting to allow Ecovillages. Initiatives are active in Portland, Anguin, Ca, and a continually growing list. Most precar America was villages and virtually all of our 15,000-year civilization was villages.
When is the work starting and for how long?
Work started April 10th, 2008 and we hope to have made substantial progress by November 10th, 2008.
Why are we doing this?
Zoning predates current scientific understanding of our multi-dimensional ecology. Zoning predates the climate crisis, peak oil, over-population and our understanding of species extinction. New models evolve with necessity, but can be accelerated when driven by impassioned citizens using persistent political action. A comprehensive restructuring is an environmental necessity. Species extinction does not exclude ours.
Building regulation has a legitimate health & safety agenda, but prescriptive micromanagement has evolved to legislate dependence on the building & trade industry and their selling us “stuff”. Performance based building regulation is a much more rational, long-term, ecological model.
Are there longer-range goals?
The Eugene Ecovillage Institute will begin providing education, consulting services and construction design expertise to emerging villagers. Success could mean an 80% decrease in all transport, 80% decrease in fossil energy consumed, and a profound increase in community well-being. Is that worth working for?
General Design Principals
Governing Ecovillage Projects
Build homes that are small, affordable, non-toxic, net-zero energy, last a few centuries and provide a secure and artful nest.
Create Jobs onsite, primarily for residents that give life purpose through work and income.
Create food onsite, primarily organic veggies, with eggs, dairy, and meat as an optional small part of a homestead economy.
Energy to power our lives will come first from modest expectations, then from our solar budget in a myriad of forms.
Transport by walking, biking and trolley/train. Occasional bus and onsite car rental service.
Social Contracts that evolve the definition of sustainable through experiment & practice. Freely share successes.
Resources reused and recycled onsite. Mainstream "waste" processed into resources.
Contact – Mark Koenig This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
What is an Ecovillage?
A walkable-size part of a town with common social contracts, residential housing, resident businesses and substantial food production. Great effort is expended to minimize transport and energy use, while providing a safe and joyful community. See principals.
Who is Eugene Ecovillage Institute?
The Eugene Ecovillage Institute is a grass roots coalition of interested residents dedicated to enacting change through the political process.
Where is the focus?
City of Eugene and Lane County, Oregon
Has any City Zoning and Permits regulations ever been modified before?
UK, Canada and Northern Europe are currently modifying zoning & permitting to allow Ecovillages. Initiatives are active in Portland, Anguin, Ca, and a continually growing list. Most precar America was villages and virtually all of our 15,000-year civilization was villages.
When is the work starting and for how long?
Work started April 10th, 2008 and we hope to have made substantial progress by November 10th, 2008.
Why are we doing this?
Zoning predates current scientific understanding of our multi-dimensional ecology. Zoning predates the climate crisis, peak oil, over-population and our understanding of species extinction. New models evolve with necessity, but can be accelerated when driven by impassioned citizens using persistent political action. A comprehensive restructuring is an environmental necessity. Species extinction does not exclude ours.
Building regulation has a legitimate health & safety agenda, but prescriptive micromanagement has evolved to legislate dependence on the building & trade industry and their selling us “stuff”. Performance based building regulation is a much more rational, long-term, ecological model.
Are there longer-range goals?
The Eugene Ecovillage Institute will begin providing education, consulting services and construction design expertise to emerging villagers. Success could mean an 80% decrease in all transport, 80% decrease in fossil energy consumed, and a profound increase in community well-being. Is that worth working for?
General Design Principals
Governing Ecovillage Projects
Build homes that are small, affordable, non-toxic, net-zero energy, last a few centuries and provide a secure and artful nest.
Create Jobs onsite, primarily for residents that give life purpose through work and income.
Create food onsite, primarily organic veggies, with eggs, dairy, and meat as an optional small part of a homestead economy.
Energy to power our lives will come first from modest expectations, then from our solar budget in a myriad of forms.
Transport by walking, biking and trolley/train. Occasional bus and onsite car rental service.
Social Contracts that evolve the definition of sustainable through experiment & practice. Freely share successes.
Resources reused and recycled onsite. Mainstream "waste" processed into resources.