Hi all,
Needing advice on how to go about starting an intentional community in NEW ZEALAND.
My partner and I, as well as under 10 family and friends wish to start one together.
We wish to buy a large amount of land in the Wellington Region, and have a communal gardens, and social spaces (kitchen, dining, classroom, etc.) but then have separate dwellings for sleep etc.
I am really struggling around subdivision laws. Is it necessary to subdivide? How do we co-own the land and separately own the private spaces. Subdivision is expensive and we intend to share most if not all resources.
Where do I start?
DECIDE if you are going to be a: Community Land Trust, a group of sole proprietors, a Land COOP, or a LLC… Each has benefits and drawbacks. We’re working on this issue as a groundational platform to solving the concept of “Vested Interest.” HAVE: Solid bylaws, a land use covenant and masterplan. Let me tell you, I think that ‘subdivision’ DIVIDES the people and is definitely not the path towards protecting the land and creating community health. It’s just an easy pathway for legal framework from which the dominant paradigm has operated for a long time. In your agreements have an EXIT plan with teeth. If someone wants to sell out, leave, or breaks agreements and laws…there must be an easy pathway to let people leave. I do not know the legal framework of your countries land ownership policies but I do know that a good land use lawyer should help…you might be able to find one with other ‘ecovillages’ that are in your area or country. Best of luck!