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Forming Formed: 2007
Belfast Area Ecovillage
Belfast, Maine,
United States
(Midcoast Maine)
 Belfast Area Ecovillage is a group of individuals and families who came together in early 2007 to discuss the idea of creating a cohousing community. Belfast is a city of 7,000 people located in Midcoast Maine between Camden and Bar Harbor. The city features an active waterfront, lively arts community, and is the center of business, services, and government for the surrounding county. Traditional housing in the Belfast area falls into 2 main categories: in-town residential neighborhoods and rural, large-lot homesteads.
Members of Belfast Area Ecovillage envision a community that combines the best elements of both types: located in a rural area with tightly clustered housing and shared infrastructure, but working to preserve neighboring open land for its beauty, recreation, and farming, all while fostering a close-knit, cooperative, and intentionally ecological way of life.
Who are we? We are 13 Equity Member households and growing fast. We are business owners, educators, naturalists, gardeners, an architect, a fine homebuilder, farmers, doctors, non-profit directors, a Suzuki violin teacher, an IT professional, and children ages 2 to 20. Most of us live and work in the area (though a few of us are from Europe and other states). We recently purchased 30 acres for our community, part of a larger 180 acre farm we plan to help preserve, all located just two miles from Belfast's downtown and harbor. We are within 1.5 miles from elementary and middle schools, Cornerspring Montessori Elementary School, the University of Maine Hutchinson Center, YMCA, grocery and other retail stores, and Belfast's Municipal Airport.
Belfast Area Ecovillage is creating an environmentally-sustainable, affordable cohousing community that includes land reserved for agriculture and open space, and is an innovative housing development model for rural Maine. If all goes as planned, we hope to be full (30 households) by December 2008 and move in during the month of December 2009.
We are currently open to Exploring and Equity Members, and are also forming a Farm Advisory Committee to explore coop models for multiple independent farmers on the larger farm parcel. Our vision is that within a few short years we will have a sustainable, harmonious, functional co-housing community where residents love to live and others are waiting in line to join.
 
Website: http://mainecohousing.org
Contact:
Sanna McKim
163 Moosehead Trail
Waldo, Maine 04915 United States

Email This Community!
Former/Other Names: Belfast Area Cohousing
Last Updated:7/22/2008
 
Visitors Accepted
Visitor Process: Call Sanna at 207-722-3079 or email sanna@mainecohousing.org
Population
Adult Members:
19
(Meet weekly, will live together in 2009)
Child Members:
11
(Will in 2009)
Non-member Residents:
0
Open to new adults:
Yes
Open to new children:
Yes
Gender Balance:
50% M 50% F
Open to which gender(s):
All genders welcome
Age Focus:
No Focus
Age Restrictions:
No
Government
Decision Making:
By consensus
Leadership Core Group:
Yes
Labor and Money
Financial Style:
Members have independent finances
Labor Contribution:
Expected
(TBD, but likely a couple hours/month)
Join Fee:
Yes
(see web site for more info)
Regular Fees:
Yes
(For building the homes, and then maintaining community property)
Land and Buildings
Rural
Area:
30 acres (12.1 hectares)
(30 acres within a total 180 agricultural property)
Land Owned By:
The community
Number of Residences:
30
(At this writing, 13, but 30 in the next year.)
Cohousing:
Yes
Food, etc.
Share Community Meals:
2-5 times/week
(Our goal)
Dietary Choice or Restrictions:
Diet is up to each individual
Dietary Practice:
Omnivorous
Social Factors
Educational Style(s):
Home schooling
:: Private school off the property
:: Public schooled
Cohousing Details
Cohousing Status:
Own Site
(Building in 2009)
Number of Units:
Projected 30 units
 
 
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Become an Editor Current editor(s): Belfast, SannaMcKim
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