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The area where we plan to build is in the small community of Badger,
southeast of Fresno. It is just over the county line in Tulare County, which is amenable to strawbale construction.
The property we have located is just east of a ridge road known, appropriately enough, as "The Hogback".
We have purchased the 10-acre site, and have located the best place to drill a well, which we plan to do this summer.
We already checked with Tulare County and have found that this property is zoned for multi-family use and that the County
is supportive of the kind of building we want to do. In fact Tulare County has built two 8,000 square feet sheriff substations
with strawbale construction. We are also discussing how to be permitted to use other alternative technologies,
such as composting toilets, grey-water systems to use the water from baths, laundry, etc. to water the gardens, and solar
power. We also want to use permaculture on the site and are attending a hands-on seminar at the end of April.
Our next step is to bring the architect back up here to see this site and help us make more specific plans. We plan
to build a community center building at the beginning of the project, which will be a 30' round building at the edge of
a deck on the upper pad, which has an amazing view. Off the deck will be a lap pool and a hot tub, as well as a bbq
area. The community building will be like a large living room with a kitchen, with a simple guest bedroom and a bathroom
downstairs. There will also be a 30' round storage building/workshop at the top of the property, which can
be used by the residents. These amenities which the community will all hold in common will make it possible for each
family to be comfortable in a somewhat smaller home. This will allow a comfortable lifestyle that is not wasteful of
resources.
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