Draft EREC Documents

From CFI

[CA Williamson Act]

Letter to Organizations

Dear Organization,

Happy New Year!!!!

Salutations from Cloud Forest Institute. We hope that you and your organization had a successful year in 2005 and are enjoying this positive trend that 2006 appears to have. We are writing to tell you of the exciting possibility that we have encountered and invite your collaboration.

Cloud Forest Institute has long had the goal of helping to start and participate in a sustainable community in Mendocino County, Northern California. In the last eight years we have looked at land near Covelo, Round Valley, in the hills between Ukiah and Boonville and in the hills outside of Willits near Hearst. Nothing, until now, has been the perfect location or opportunity. At last we have found the ideal location and owners who are willing to assist us as we purchase the land.

This property is perfect because it has so much infrastructure in place; it has more than enough water, special tax discounts for being agricultural land in contract with the Williamson Act , it is permitable to build multiple “farm worker” dwellings, and it is in a terrific location:

The land is directly across from VanArsdale Dam and one border of the property is to the high water mark of the Eel River, immediately down river from the dam. It is also bordered on another side by Mill Creek which flows year round.

The property is 163 acres of mixed agriculture, pasture and forest (timber) land.

The property includes water rights to the Eel River, and has approximately 20 acres of flat meadow/pasture land right on the Eel.

There is approximately 20 acres of neglected but living pear orchard and three big fenced-in established gardens.

It is connected to PG&E, and has between 24 and 30 telephone links.

There is both solar and hydro power developed

There are 2 beautiful custom homes, a double wide, a solar powered yurt, a large shop that has a music studio, a newly renovated cabin, a roofed trailer attached to propane and with a phone line, and an outbuilding on the grid.

We have drafted a plan that outlines how we can create an alternative educational community of between 10 and 15 people/families and/or NGOs. We would like to invite you to collaborate in purchasing this property and furthering our common organizational goals there. The timeline to take advantage of the owners generosity is short as they want to sell it in the first half of the year. We are currently in exclusive negotiation with them but we must act promptly to enter into contract and solidify the down payment.

We would be very pleased to know if you are interested in working with us so that we may host you to visit the site, share with you the plans we’ve developed, and begin working with you to create a sustainable permaculture co-op community and education center. We will be hosting a Future Community Member Potluck Orientation at the property on Saturday march 11th at 2pm. We will walk the property or drive what we can, weather dictating.

Please RSVP your attendance and we will give you directions to the property. Feel free to include in your RSVP friends who might be interested and bring them along too. If you cannot make the date, contact us and we can make arrangements to visit the property at your convenience.

Sincerely,

Freeda Alida Burnstad Director, Cloud Forest Institute

We are soliciting the collaboration of the following organizations:

Ecology Action Network

Esalen Institute

Friends of the Eel

From the Wilderness

Institute for Solar Living

Mendocino Organic Network

New College

Paul Stamets, Fungi Perfecti

Potter Valley Community Youth Center

Salmonid Restoration Federation

Stewardship Council

The Permaculture Institute of Northern California

Trees Foundation

Trout Unlimited

Willits Economic Localization

Letter to Potential Community Members

Dear Friend,

Happy New Year!!!!

Salutations from Cloud Forest Institute. We hope that you enjoyed your Holidays and are having success with your New Years resolutions. We are writing to tell you of the exciting possibility that we have encountered and invite your collaboration.

Cloud Forest Institute has long had the goal of helping to start and participate in a sustainable community in Mendocino County, Northern California. In the last eight years we have looked at land near Covelo, Round Valley, in the hills between Ukiah and Boonville and in the hills outside of Willits near Hearst. Nothing, until now, has been the perfect location or opportunity. At last we have found the ideal location and owners who are willing to assist us as we purchase the land.

This property is perfect because it has so much infrastructure in place, it has more than enough water, special tax discounts for being agricultural land in contract with the Williamson Act , it is permitable to build multiple “farm worker” dwellings, and it is in a terrific location:

The land is directly across from VanArsdale Dam and one border of the property is to the high water mark of the Eel River, immediately down river from the dam. It is also bordered on another side by Mill Creek which flows year round.

The property is 163 acres of mixed agriculture, pasture and forest (timber) land.

The property includes water rights to the Eel River, and has approximately 20 acres of flat meadow/pasture land right on the Eel.

There is approximately 20 acres of neglected but living pear orchard and three big fenced-in established gardens.

It is connected to PG&E, and has between 24 and 30 telephone links.

There is both solar and hydro power developed

There are 2 beautiful custom homes, a double wide, a solar powered yurt, a large shop that has a music studio, a newly renovated cabin, a roofed trailer attached to propane and with a phone line, and an outbuilding on the grid.

We have drafted a plan that outlines how we can create an alternative educational community of between 10 and 15 people/families and/or NGOs. We would like to invite you to consider becoming a member of this community. There are limited spaces and by our current figures community membership and the ability to homestead would cost $220,000 with 7% annual interest. We are attempting to finance the property so that you would be able to make a down payment, move onto the property, and continue paying off your homestead at $25,000 a year paid as monthly rent and an annual balloon payment.

The timeline to take advantage of the owners generosity is short as they want to sell it in the first half of the year. We are currently in exclusive negotiation with them but we must act promptly to enter into contract and solidify the down payment. We would be very pleased to know if you are interested in working with us so that we may host you to visit the site, share with you the plans we’ve developed and begin working with you to create a sustainable permaculture co-op community and education center. We will be hosting a Future Community Member Potluck Orientation at the property on Saturday January 28th at 2pm. We will walk the property or drive what we can, weather dictating.

Please RSVP with your interest and we will give you directions to the property. Feel free to include in your RSVP friends who might be interested and bring them along too. If you cannot make it, contact us and we can make arrangements to visit the property at your convenience.

Call me if you want to talk more about this! (707)743-1828

Sincerely,

Freeda Alida Burnstad Director, Cloud Forest Institute