Community Living

[birdarchitect26]

I'm sure half of you just like to travel in your own project and get back to your home comforts. I have a wildly different agenda. I have purchased several acres of land in my area (45245) in an effort to create a so called village, or at least my own base camp while I live full time in my converted MCI bus. The land is just a stones throw from the City limits, so there are slightly less regulated hoops. I search often for similar type places. There ARE tiny house communities, although not close to Cincinnati.

My plan is to develop my land with the equipment I own and live in my MCI bus full time. I own over 6 acres of wooded land near Coney Island where I currently live. If anyone has any similar aspirations, please feel free to contact me. I encourage others to join me if your in the area! You can park a tiny house, Bus, or any other full time residence.

The post is also a place where someone can post a link where I might find ANY info on similar places, in order to collaborate. Mostly there are communities in Washington and Oregon, go figure.

Much appreciated,
Jay

[richard5933]

We had thought of getting a piece of land somewhere to park our coach for lengthy vacations, but one thing that we kept running into were restrictions on living on land without what the authorities considered 'proper' improvements. They don't always approve of simply parking a self-contained home (bus) and putting out a welcome mat.

I'd be interested in reading about how you're going about this, and if you have found a way around all the volumes of zoning reg's. Could be interesting reading.

[Lee Bradley]

Good luck but check the government rules.  Here in Washington you can not living in your RV except in approved/licensed RV sites. 

[Dave5Cs]

Most rural counties in California if you own the land in full and are paying the Property taxes as unimproved land. They don't care. But get close to a city and all bets are off.

[windtrader]

Finding a place where you can live in an RV in full time mode (i.e. power and sewer connections) is similar to the regulations one encounters with the street. It's fairly easy to find places to park an RV on the street (72 hours) but rare to find one where you can "camp overnight". Same goes with parking an RV along side your house on your property; you can store and park it but no living out of it. Of course, there are plenty of places where one can get away with it but if you get ratted out, you'll be fighting city hall.

[PP]

I've been interested in this topic for years and have yet to find a place where it's acceptable within county zoning rules in any state that I've lived in. With that said, there are many places where you can "get away with it" but if you ever have a dispute with a neighbor, you'll get the hard lesson from the county really quick. Some places have "hardship" clauses for family members to live on site but only until the hardship is past, then it's move along time or hope you've become enough of a fixture that they've forgotten you're there. Still shaky ground, literally.
Will

[Dave5Cs]

That was why I mentioned Rural as in 10 acres away from neighbors on your own property not in the city or even close. Windy you won't find this kind of place in the Bay area or anywhere near it. I am surprised they even let you drive a Bus down there without an electric motor and the kitchen a certified Vegan setup, LOL
On the outskirts of a rural county area generally works. We have a friend who does it for 6 months at a time way out near a lake and a Salmon river up north and has for years. He goes down to AZ in the winter.
I have another friend who had two rentals on 15 acres and he bought 3 30 foot travel trailers. We moved them in and concreted pier blocks under them at the corners but can be removed when needed. Put in a tapped water line so they could hook up to them and electric for them also and the county was happy to have them off the streets. Its not an RV park each is a separate rental. It all depends on the way you do it and where. HTH

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Guy's,

Build a storage building, (barn, pole barn, garage) park your bus inside and your problems are solved.

Yea, you won't have the view out your window but, your county would not know the difference of what you are doing.

Heat, A/C, and water/sewer would be a breeze. You can be fully hooked up all the time and have a shop to boot!

Nick-

[windtrader]

Hi Guy's,

Build a storage building, (barn, pole barn, garage) park your bus inside and your problems are solved.

Yea, you won't have the view out your window but, your county would not know the difference of what you are doing.

Heat, A/C, and water/sewer would be a breeze. You can be fully hooked up all the time and have a shop to boot!

Nick-

As stated, there are plenty of ways, simple or creative, to skirt the zoning ordinances; it does seem low odds to do it legally.

I am surprised they even let you drive a Bus down there without an electric motor and the kitchen a certified Vegan setup, LOL

After getting my side mirror bashed off in LA traffic, unless forced, it won't be on Bay Area roads; it's stored in Rio Vista, Sacramento county and it's all good.  LOL

[chessie4905]

"develop my land with the equipment I own" What kind o development are you talking about? These days, people are more observant with the goings on around them and tend to react quicker to out of the ordinary developments. In your area, I wonder if you could even put up a building and get away with living inside it in your whatever. What about electricity, sewage, and trash disposal? Property taxes? We aren't talking commune are we?

[Oonrahnjay]

        Gary Throneberry ("Garhawk" on the forum) lives near a big, internationally known, horseshow facility.  A person who he met from out of town bought a piece of land (I'd guess 1 1/2 to 2 acres) right on the highway about 3 miles out of town, put in a loop driveway with a level pad, water and sewer, and electric.  He'd come to town for stays of some length.  He had parking for his horse trailer and everything he needed for his RV (dunno if it was an RV, a travel trailer, a coach etc.).  I guess he had water/sewer and electric permits but I don't think anybody ever bothered him.

[sledhead]

lots of places in mid - north florida that have removed the modular homes and the power , well , septic are still there

dave

[birdarchitect26]

Thanks for all the replies on this topic. There was a few hand shakes with neighbors and someone from the zoning board to be able to allow "full-time" living in a temporary house. I have heard the horror stories with Florida and other conservative states. Thankfully Ohio is somewhere in the middle with loose legislation on the topic.

Nick,
I do plan to create a pole barn with many of the timbers from the trees I've downed and some additional supplies. The us will be parked under the canopy next to it.

I have 1-2 others with a tiny house and a skoolie conversion that plan to join / help me develop. I look forward to the challenge! Like I said, please feel free to reach out if your in the area.

J

[Dreadnought]

I think this is a bold plan. I sold my 9 acres and property up north.

I'm currently full timing in the summer and renting a place by the lake , while my bus is in storage, over the cold winters.

I do intend to perhaps do something similar in time.

I like the idea of a community- however the issue I have is that I don't really align with most of the values of many interested in such things:


I don't like the idea of tiny houses and/or minimalism- When you've come from Europe and travelled- and you have lived in places where there is no choice but to be minimalist and live in a shoebox, you take a different view to it over here. I like communities helping one another out but I'm really not into collectivism. I left all of that behind

-I like to LIVE well, and I LOVE fast powerful cars/vehicles, especially vintage cars and coaches

-I dont necessarily think money is a bad thing or achieving/doing well in your career

-But I do like travelling and meeting people and looking after my fine machinery

-I'm pretty much a pro-individualist/libertarian rather than a communal/live off the land/ghost/drop out

Despite all of this - the nomadic lifestyle really appeals to me. I don't think there are many that combine my weird values but its interesting to hear about your 'community' none the less

[birdarchitect26]

I love the idea of a bold plan.
I absolutely hate money!  
I make plenty of it, but I typically find creative ways to help less fortunate people improve their lives. I want to see people thrive

I also hate the idea of a "Career". I spend my days in the office and monitor aerospace test engineering in test cells and huge buildings. I certainly agree that being lazy is not a provable quality, but working a 9-5 is for the birds unless you absolutely love it. To each their own!

I'm 30 now and I don't care to spend my time planning for retirement. I want to travel now! Instead I invest in real estate on the side and plan to ditch the office life ASAP!

I want to see others happy not monetarily rich. I have plenty of motorcycles and off road toys, but I'd rather see my less fortunate friends tearing them up than I. Its just a hunk of metal.

I also don't agree with creating the idea of a left or right sided political affiliation. I don't particularly like our communist government, they like to take and not give!

I'm also not here to debate, I'm simply looking for talent. I want to help others. If you need someone to cut wood flooring or rebuild an old Detroit diesel, I'm here for that. The plan stands, build a community under human umbrella - not authority. I like "living of the land" and having community. I think as humans we are nomadic and social creatures. Again, opinionated.

Anyone please feel free to reach out with any ideas you may have to influence this project. I have some resources, but second opinions matter, and there are ideas I have not even considered!