Monday august 25, at FGS conference room

present: Alan Barges, Gene Monaco, Richard + Debra Austin, Tim Brown and Georgia Pomphrey, Melinda Foster, Karen Lacey, Rebekah Woods, Danny de Vries

STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED

  • Start a dummy book that outlines which information needs to be gathered.
    This has been done by Gene. Now we need to work on the content

  • Establish a website
    FGS has now established a website with information, that can be accessed through the Sustainable Living Program Site (www.korrnet.org/FGS/ecovilla.html). Danny at FGS can be contacted for further suggestions.

  • Make a list of potential allies in the Downtown-East Knoxville areas.
    Set up a presentation to get support for the KEVP. Businesses, church leaders, local politicians, schools, etc.

  • Make a list of all potential allies regionally, nationally, and internationally.
    This project will ultimately get national press.

  • Obtain a landuse map and aerial photographs
    We will be looking for vacant sites, burned out sites, abandoned industrial sites and churches with large lawns. Mapping is critically important.

  • Start a list of potential sites.
    They don't have to be contiguous but it would help. We're ultimately looking for 4 or 5 blocks to target, which is a lot in an urban area. We won't get all 5 blocks in one shot, but if we can reasonably get 20% of a block, the rest could be absorbed over time.

  • Outline the organization of the non-profit development corporation
    This will be necessary to assemble the land for the project . Make contacts with similar corporations and get some lessons-learned info from them.

  • More clearly define the role that FGS can, should, and is willing to play in the development of this project.

    AUGUST 25TH MEETING NOTES

    After potluck and introductions the following topics were discussed:

    1. Maps.
    Unfortunately, the people that tried to go after maps (Cara Crisler and Mary Rhodes) were not present at the meeting. Melinda Foster brought a map concerning air quality point sources in Knoxville, which she will copy for next meeting. The need for a general KEVP map that could be stationed at the FGS meeting place (e.g. stick it on the wall!!) was expressed. The map could serve as an indicator of possible Ecovillage sites.

    2. Update Vestal Co-housing Project
    Rebekah Woods, architect, is enthusiastic about a potential co-housing project in Vestal. She has urged the group to look at a site that had been previously considered for development by Habitat for Humanity, but was abandoned due to neighborhood opposition to HabitatÕs typical development patterns. Nevertheless, there seems to be community support and grant money for neighborhood improvement. According to Rebekah residents are willing to make a down payment to get a project such as KEVP in there. The site costs $100.000 for 20 acre. Gene visited the site and had some reservations with regards to the general lay out of the place. A discussion evolved concerning what a potential Ecovillage site should offer. The suggestion was made to devote an entire meeting to the concept ÒEcovillageÓ by itself, to clarify the unclarity about it. Gene and Richard suggested participants to read the book ÒPattern languageÓ, by Christopher Alexander. A general suggestion was made to make a general Ecovillage bibliography.

    3. Role of FGS
    The following role seems to fit the current situation:
    1. FGS is independent of KEVP, but participates in the effort through the Sustainable Living Program
    2. The Sustainable Living Program offers facilities to the KEVP, such as meeting room, website, communications, etc.
    3. FGS can offer expertise and connections through its established role in the community
    4. FGS Board can possibly be approached with a proposal to serve as a fiscal agent for the KEVP (based on the 501c3 non-profit status that FGS has). Through this proposal the FGS will further provide KEVP with guidance, critique and support.

    4. Slide show presentation
    Gene obtained a slide show from the Ecovillage Network in Denmark and presented it to the group. The slide show was very interesting, although it did not portray any urban versions of ecovillages. The slide show can be used for further outreach and education about the Ecovillage concept, which is necessary to find allies in the environmental and political community.

    5. Action points
    1. get maps (Cara, Mary, Melinda)
    2. work on dummy book (Gene)
    3. keep on involving more people (everyone)
    4. set up contact tree (Danny)
    5. set up presentation material (?)
    6. update website (Danny)
    7. make handout with general information about the plan (Danny)
    8. make bibliography (Gene/Richard)
    9. keep on educating each other about the concept (everyone)

    6. next meeting
    Monday, September 8, at the FGS conference room. A potluck will be held at 6.30 p.m., after which the meeting starts at 7.30. Please call Danny for directions (524-4771). Richard will present a video about the Venus Project.

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