For government officials, land owners and hosts
If you are a government official - elected or appointed, if you have land, or if you are a person passionate about the idea of hosting a VillageTown in your region, the Village Forum wants to hear from you.
Governement Officials: Half of the job in real estate development is securing local government permission to build. If you are a local goverment official prepared to step forward and say "consider it done", the Village Forum wants to hear from you. By that, of course, we do not mean rolling over the political sensitivities in regards to land use and local community acceptance. We mean cutting the red tape, securing the buy in of the decision-makers and key influencers that the idea of a VillageTown is a good idea for your jurisdiction. For us, efficiency is essential. The Village Forum in cooperation with the designated Village Organizing Company seeks to represent the purchasing power of 4,000 families and individuals who will buy the homes and workplaces that make a VillageTown. With that many people involved, making a life-changing decision that represents the bulk of their assets and liabilities in most cases, we need to progress without delay.
Land Owners: If you have land, contact the VillageForum, but do be aware that often the right land shows up later in the process. The ideal size for a 10,000 population VillageTown is 500 acres (200 hectares) of which the urban core covers about 150 acres (60 ha) surrounded by a 300 acre (120 ha) greenbelt and a 50 acre (20 ha) industrial park/motorpool near the access highway. For the first projects, the urban and industrial land should be relatively flat, to enable rapid build with fewer logistical challenges. The land should not be prime farmland, but it is desireable to be surrounded by farms who are ameniable to feeding 10,000 mouths every day for as long as the VillageTown stands. It is desireable that the first projects be in an area with outdoor attractions, a place of natural beauty, and to have close access to rail transport (even if currently dormant). Reasonable proximity to an urban center, but outside the expensive suburban development ring is important to assure market demand.
Host: If you love the idea, love where you live now, and want to see a VillageTown in your territory, that is just the sort of passion that can help make it happen. Contact the VillageForum. Make the call that becomes the first step in history.
