The Shire

#20 22280 124 Ave., Maple Ridge, British Columbia

Affordable Community Environment (ACE) Society

This document is the ACE Concept document, and goals and objectives are subject to change based on continued research into local and provincial regulations.

MISSION

To build a resilient, inclusive community of people, small homes, and shared amenities in order to connect with each other and our environment.

VISION

Multiple communities living by “Affordable Community Environment” values.

VALUES

ACES believes in:

1. Positive visioning – creation of tangible, clearly expressed and practical visions of the community beyond its present-day dependence on fossil fuels.
2. Being inclusive for all ages and economic status and include land ownership and rental capabilities.
3. Building community resilience – utilizing a wide range of amenities and complete community design principles.
4. Building financial resilience – less consumption, and smaller lifestyle footprints.
5. Fostering inner mindset transition – recognizing the challenges we face are not just caused by mistaken technology, but as direct results of our loss of connection to each other and our environment.
6. Applying subsidiarity – empowering the community at the lowest possible level so that change happens at the most appropriate, practical level.
7. We oppose all forms of discrimination, and support the UN Declaration of Human Rights (General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948)

POSITIONING STATEMENT

There is a growing movement to live a simpler lifestyle with less debt, less consumption and a lower environmental footprint. Only a creative community’s response holds the potential to adequately tackle this urgent need for positive change.

Our current community design creates many cultural and financial problems. People need to travel greater distances to work and play, resulting in less community, adding to the desire for more consumption to replace the need for connection.

The carbon crisis and over consumption are the greatest threats our species have yet faced; no other crisis calls out as urgently for collective action to transform our lifestyles and communities.

We face the unique challenges and opportunities this crisis presents by stimulating and sustaining positive, proactive processes that engage and empower the entire community.

ACES will be a catalyst for that change by:

1. building a live, work, play (complete) community based on Cohousing principles (designed to encourage community interaction).
2. making it more affordable than the current community design.
3. reducing its carbon footprint and impact on the natural environment from current community design.

ACES
Core Group Goals

Leadership

ACES was launched on December 10, 2017 by a dedicated group of individuals who comprise the core group. The core group will work collectively to complete the societies vision and mission statement.

Goals:

1. Establish the core group. Refer to the section of this document labelled Leadership
2. Identify our key allies and build crucial networks;
3. Raise awareness in the general public.
4. Attract and engage professionals to help with issues that are outside our skill sets.
5. Form Sub Groups to tackle the issues and tasks.
6. Create development company to carry out project (The Shire).
7. Provide information and guidance on founding other ACE Values Communities.

COMMUNITY GOALS:

• Build resilience

• Connect with our environment

• Encourage community interaction.

• Reduced energy consumption and carbon footprint.

• Create “Live More With Less” atmosphere.

• Reduce dependence on personal transportation.

• Address affordability issues.

• Utilize community based governance structure.

• Be an example for other communities.

This model would tick most boxes around creating a community that addresses many of the issues we face in our society using current community practices.

COMMUNITY STRUCTURE:
(The Shire Project)

Residential

• Small lots (2,000 sq ft or less)
• Micro Home (400 to 800 sq ft foundation) -1 story with loft – mezzanine, porch
  • Green building principles and green energy services (low environmental footprint).
• Tiny Homes (100 to 400 sq ft) on purchased lot or rental pad).
  • Anchored, skirted and porches

Agricultural

• Community garden and/or agricultural component based on permaculture practices
• Orchard (fruit and nut)

Commercial / Light Industrial

• Retail space (craft / grocery store, yoga, etc)
• Tiny home construction
• Tiny House Hotel (tourism and education)

Shared amenities

Such as:

• Community Kitchen
• Gathering / meeting spaces
• Children’s play areas (indoor and outdoor)
• Laundry
• Exercise
• Gardens
• Pond / Water feature
• Deck / Patio
• Pet support / Dog run
• Home business support
• Large community Workshop and Craft area
• Library / shared books
• Storage
• Guest cottage / tiny home
• Teaching / learning facilities
• access to public transportation/car share
• electric vehicle charging stations

• Bare land strata or some other form of strata. Society to purchase and develop the land, including shared amenities, then sell the lots to private individuals who would then build their home on the lot (within the design parameters of the community and city bylaws). (private ownership of the lot and home placed upon it, with community ownership of all common land and amenities under a strata).
• “Comprehensive Development Zoning” as possible vehicle for dealing with lack of current zoning around complete community concept (including tiny homes).
• Possible financial structure of project (shares, equity membership, associate membership, etc)