There will be 25-35 homes, as well as the shared Common House spaces.

The homes will be built to last and range in size from approximately 550 – 1200 sq.ft., with most being 900 sq.ft. or smaller well-designed spaces.  Each home will be complete unto itself, with kitchen, living and dining area.  You won’t need to purchase the floor space of a spare bedroom or huge family/living room because you have access to the well equipped, shared amenities of the Common House, particularly the guest bedrooms.

The design of the homes and the neighbourhood will allow you to choose when you prefer privacy over participation in community.

All parking spaces will be located underneath the building.  Parking spaces will be leased. Most residents walk through the neighbourhood to their homes, with access designed to accommodate those with mobility issues.

Yes, for the owners, you can expect initial monthly fees to be in the neighbourhood of $500 to $600, depending on your unit size unit and how we decide to cover costs. Fees will probably cover internet connection, maintenance of building exteriors and common property facilities, garbage & recycling, sewer, property and liability insurance, and shared vehicles (should we choose them).  The monthly maintenance fees for renters is built into their rent.

The creation of a Contingency Reserve Fund will provide for long-term maintenance. Equity members will determine the operating budget.

You start by self-selecting in, and getting to know everyone by observing how the group works together.  The next step is to participate and eventually you become one of the decision-makers yourself. 

Typically people who choose to live in community-based neighbourhoods have done a lot of work on themselves, on how to communicate effectively and solve problems and challenges.

We plan to build passive house-inspired. The goals are conservation of energy and reduction of greenhouse gases. We would like minimal energy bills, excellent natural ventilation and light, including use of low toxicity and sustainable building materials, and much more.

Our design decisions will create energy efficient and beautiful buildings in the context of ongoing affordability – homes will be built to last.  There will be embedded energy networks and a shared super-fast commercial internet connection. 

We have clarified the process whereby interested people can select their level of involvement and commitment.  See more here.

These include 3000-3500 sq.ft. (approx.) of shared Common House spaces.  Generally, there is an industrial kitchen, great room/dining room/meeting room, children’s play/daycare room, teen room, guest bedrooms, flex rooms and bathrooms.  We’re thinking to have an open area laundry room/workshop, sports equipment storage, co-working space, community garden and greenhouse. 

Again, all this will be decided by the equity members and the architect within a realistic budget!

We will get together in the Common House for many of our community activities, including meals, social events, circle/team and community meetings.

Other possibilities for the use of the Common House are:  hosting parties and games nights, guest speakers and concerts, classes in several movement practices – maybe Tai Chi, yoga or exercise classes.  

Since the Common House is an important extension of each member’s home, members may also reserve portions of it for a variety of personal events, including private parties and meetings of outside groups to which they belong, such as book clubs and community groups.

The Mountain Village members may decide to make the Common House spaces available to outside groups and individual practitioners, on a fee basis, for activities ranging from weddings, local strata meetings, massage therapists and other body workers, to cooking and writing classes.  

We will make all decisions regarding our Common House using Sociocracy (see FAQ “How will 20+ households make decisions together?)

California architect, Charles Durrett, who coined the term cohousing and brought the concept from Europe, says we should aim for five meals a week.   He says breaking bread together brings the neighbourhood together and helps people sort out their differences. The heart of the community IS the meal program, so eating meals together is the SECRET SAUCE of neighbourhood resiliency. Research shows that sharing meals also leads to a more enjoyable and longer life.   A common meal may be the only time in a busy week when there is a chance for a real conversation with our neighbours; and if we have a little extra time for some after-dinner beverage and conversation….even better.

Participating in the common meals is always voluntary.  There will be opportunities to choose to share meals several times a week in the Common House.  This means less grocery shopping, cooking and kitchen clean-up for each individual household! The meals are prepared by a team of 2-4 persons for however many eaters sign up for the meal in advance.  There is a good deal of variation in the way the cooking and cleanup responsibilities are structured.  Typically, each adult is involved in meal preparation and or cleanup once every 4-5 weeks.  

There is also variation as to how the common meals are paid for, but one only pays for the meals one eats in the Common House.  Dinner price typically range from $7-12.  All details regarding shared meals and expenses will be discussed and agreed upon before we move in.

There will also be potlucks, picnics and all sorts of other ways to chow down together as a neighbourhood or in impromptu groups.

The functional life of our neighbourhood will be carried out by designated circles, e.g. Community Life, Gardens/Grounds, Common House, Systems/Buildings, Finance/Legal, Membership Outreach, etc.  All circles are related, but each has almost full authority to make decisions within its domain.  The few decisions that do require input from the entire neighbourhood are brought to the monthly community gathering.

So that our community will “work”, we will make written agreements about the “minimums” of participation. One is accountable and responsible as one participates in accordance with personal preferences, abilities, stage of life and what one enjoys.  Typically, much of the work of the circles is conducted between meetings, usually 4-8 hours a month (if you’re a homeowner, you are likely putting in at least that many hours now!).

Residents with limiting capacities help with planning, purchasing supplies, watching kids, provide food and drink to those doing the heavy lifting, etc.   Longer weekend community workdays are successful for occasional large-scale projects. 

Ultimately, we’re looking at our strengths, weaknesses and ways to support each other in a healthy way.

Community-based neighbourhood are very popular with introverts, because there is no “effort” required to relate to others.  Any brief daily interactions happen naturally and spontaneously.

Very few of us like socializing all the time.  You have the choice of enjoying the privacy of your own home sanctuary or enjoying whatever happens to be going on in our neighbourhood.  How much you socialize is absolutely up to you.

 We plan to use the Sociocracy governance model of consent decision-making.  It is based on equivalence of voice, transparency, effectiveness and shared intention – the glue of a resilient community.  All voices are heard, which results in more information being heard, more collaboration, and collective wisdom leading to elegant, creative solutions that serve the best interests of the whole neighbourhood.  This governance model will forge relationships among future residents and build community from the get-go. 

After occupancy, residents will participate in resident-based management circles at their interest, ability and preferred level of engagement, with owners and Rent-then-Homeowners making decisions about financial matters.  

There will be a Steering or Mission Circle, which serves as our legal Board of Directors, and a General Circle, largely made up of representatives from each of the smaller circles,  The majority of the time, decision-making authority is delegated to, and the responsibility of other, smaller, double-linked circles.

YES!  Each home will be fully outfitted with K/BR/Bath.  Your home is simply complemented by the extensive community spaces right outside your door.  You will find that residents in community-based neighbourhoods have a healthy respect for the need for private time and space which your personal home sanctuary provides! 

Yes, we will be a pet-friendly neighbourhood. For many individuals, pets provide enjoyment, companionship and an enhanced quality of life. Consistent with our values of respect and cooperation, pet owners must take primary responsibility to ensure that their pets do not disturb or become a nuisance to others.

Yes, there are advantages!  You will:

  •  help shape the culture of our community

  •  establish your seniority for home selection.  The date of membership determines the order of home selection, so earlier members have the most choice

  •  contribute to decisions on how we will live as neighbours (pet policy, decisions on shared amenities, landscape design, etc.

  •  have the opportunity to receive discounts on home price if you invest in other aspects of TMV besides your own home, e.g. Construction loans, capital to help build the rental and Rent-then-Homeownership homes, etc.

Subscribe to our email list so that we can keep you informed of all developments.  Becoming a member is a self-selecting process.  Satisfy your curiosity first. Email us and ask questions.

We are looking for land in the Sea to Sky Corridor, in/around Whistler.  Realistically, once we purchase or lease our land, it could take up to 2 years before construction commences –  zoning details and site preparation will be the determining factors.

Our “sister” community-based neighbourhood – The Coastal Village – is working with a developer on a site in downtown Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast, near the water.  More information will be forthcoming this Fall 2020, with construction to commence within a year.