al ~ <br />TAYLOR Becky G <br />~rom: Mike van Mantgem <mike@forewordedit.com> <br />Sent: Monday, September 23, 2013 9:24 AM <br />To: TAYLOR Becky G <br />Subject: In Support of Oakleigh Meadows Cohousing <br />Dear Becky Taylor, <br />As a concerned, long-time resident of Eugene, I urge you to support and approve the permit for Oakleigh Meadow <br />Cohousing. <br />Oakleigh Meadow Cohousing is a smart, green, community-based inf ill housing project. It represents the sort of housing <br />project that the City of Eugene has championed in the past, is supporting now, and says it wants in the future. <br />Oakleigh Meadow Cohousing will consist of privately owned homes plus extensive common areas. It is co-designed by its <br />residents who have chosen to live in a close-knit neighborhood that features a healthy blend of privacy and community. <br />Oakleigh Meadow Cohousing addresses affordability by enabling residents to significantly downsize their homes due to <br />the extensive common facilities available to them. Cohousing is inherently more sustainable than traditional single-family <br />housing options. Cohousing lowers each family's footprint and enables and encourages sharing and cooperative <br />behavior. Preservation of existing green spaces, food gardens, construction practices that exceed LEED standards, <br />shared vehicles, and other amenities ensure that this project is green today and will be for the long term. <br />Research shows that cohousing brings many direct benefits not only to its residents, but to the broader <br />-ieighborhood. Cohousing properties do more than hold their value in all economic conditions. Cohousing also generates <br />ignificant social capital because its residents learn and practice cooperative decision-making processes, develop <br />supportive relationships, and are more civically engaged. Cohousing is a powerful response to important issues our city <br />faces, such as loneliness, isolation, and corrosion of neighborhood trust. <br />Locally, there are successful cohousing communities in Corvallis and Portland. Many hundreds of others have been built <br />across Canada, the US, and Europe. <br />Cohousing is right for the City of Eugene. I would gladly welcome a cohousing development in my neighborhood. Again, I <br />urge you to support and approve the permit for Oakleigh Meadow Coho using. <br />Sincerely, <br />Mike van Mantgem <br />1188 Tyler St. <br />Eugene, OR 97402 <br />541.206.9918 <br />1 <br />.1229 <br />