It happened at
7:30 on a Saturday morning, July 30th. The group of members who are participating in the village design process gathered early under the signature oak tree hoping to evade the fierce July heat. Our architects, Suzy, Paul, and Frank (www.frankharmon.com) had already set the stage with easels, awnings, and site plans arranged in a gentle curve beneath our signatur
e Oak tree.
Joe Cole, facilitator, invited us to take a moment of silence to receive and inhabit the space before engaging in the work of the day. We commenced by reviewing values and priorities identified at our last meeting; values that remind us what we are creating and why.
Suzy and Paul presented four possible layouts for how the village might take shape. Starting with our current county-approved plan, we thoughtfully considered a number of dimensions with each variation, such as how it might best work with the land and 
harness natural gifts like sun, wind, farmland, and viewscapes; how we can meet needs for both privacy and interaction with others; any costs that could be reduced to help ensure access and long-term sustainability for our members; and what shifts can be accommodated within the parameters already established through our re-zoning process.
Next we talked about the Common House and viewed layouts from the other communities we have vis
ited. What appealed to us and what would we want to do differently? And how can this all-important structural hub reflect and enable what we most need to do and become as a community?
We ended with a hearty round of gratitude to the archit
ects, the Architecture Liaison Group, and our facilitator for all of the effort that went into planning and pulling off this meeting on the land with such engagement and grace. We also sent appreciation to the clouds which had shielded us from the sun’s hot rays all morning!
Many of us stayed around to enjoy conversations, stroll down the trails, and pluck the ample tomatoes, basil, and pole beans in the garden. It was a beautiful and productive day all around!
