Rochester RFP

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802.496.3128 | 66 Dean’s Mountain, Moretown, VT 05660 | [email protected] | www.wholesystemsdesign.com W S D Whole Human Habitats , LLC Rochester Vermont Farmland/Homestead/School Opportunity Available Property Description and Opportunity (see page two for more details) e site with available land is com- posed of 175 acres in Rochester, Ver- mont. Some of this land and infra- structure is available for lease starting in winter of 2013. It is possible that some of this land will eventually be available for sale to those working on the land over time as renters or in a trade arrangement. is land is suitable for multiple projects. e application outlined in this docu- ment will initiate a process wherein the applicant and landowner will work to arrive at lease. Our aim is to encourage multiple uses of this diverse property through providing aordable access to very high quality hill land and existing infrastructure, economic, and technical resources to make projects a reality. It is a secondary goal to facilitate land ownership through this process and eventually work together to be part of a healthy and resilient neighborhood of skilled, independent landowners. Your proposed project 1. What would you endeavor to do on this land? a. What are the primary goals of your project(s), both short term and long?

description

Rochester Vermont Farmland/Homestead/School Opportunity Available

Transcript of Rochester RFP

Page 1: Rochester RFP

802.496.3128 | 66 Dean’s Mountain, Moretown, VT 05660 | [email protected] | www.wholesystemsdesign.com

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, LLC

Rochester Vermont Farmland/Homestead/School Opportunity Available

Property Description and Opportunity(see page two for more details)!e site with available land is com-posed of 175 acres in Rochester, Ver-mont. Some of this land and infra-structure is available for lease starting in winter of 2013. It is possible that some of this land will eventually be available for sale to those working on the land over time as renters or in a trade arrangement. !is land is suitable for multiple projects. !e application outlined in this docu-ment will initiate a process wherein the applicant and landowner will work to arrive at lease. Our aim is to encourage multiple uses of this diverse property through providing a"ordable access to very high quality hill land and existing infrastructure, economic, and technical resources to make projects a reality. It is a secondary goal to facilitate land ownership through this process and eventually work together to be part of a healthy and resilient neighborhood of skilled, independent landowners.

Your proposed project1. What would you endeavor to do on this land? a. What are the primary goals of your project(s), both short term and long?

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b. Do you envision the need to buy land for this or would renting be more optimal?

c. What is the existing market for your project and where is it located?

d. What is the market size and need? e. How is this market or need being met currently both lo-

cally and regionally or nationally or globally? f. What are your largest costs and liabilities for this project? g. What do you think the future need or market for this proj-

ect is and why? h. How would you access this market or meet this need? i. What land and/or infrastructure needs do you have for this

project?

Your background1. Who are you? Name(s), DOB, housing needed, single or family?2. What is your history of working in this #eld or on this particular type of project? a. What are your quali#cations for executing your plan? b. What have been limiting factors to achieve your goals? c. What opportunities have you utilized and how is central Vermont the best location for this project? d. What do you need to make this project succeed? e. Please provide references for your ability to work on this type of project

*Existing Land & Infrastructure!e site contains 175 acres of low-sloping hillfarm land, on the border of Rochester and Hancock Vermont, about 15-20 minutes south of Warren, and about 20-25 minutes between Middlebury and Bethel. !e property lays about 10 minutes above the route 100 corridor in the North Hollow area of Rochester-Hancock-Granville. !e viewshed and soundscape of the site are very protected with a large knoll bu"ering any possible road noise from 100 and a south and east-erly view of the North#eld/Brain-tree Mountains stretching about 15 miles with no houses in sight. !e site is very quiet, yet acces-sible. Open land comprises about 35 acres including about 25-35 of agricultural qual-ity soils, with a dozen acres of wet meadow, old #eld, and open water. !e open water is composed of two large ponds, the largest of which is

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about 1.5 acres. Both ponds were full throughout the very dry summer of 2012 and are spring fed with the larger pond accessing a major mountain tributary to the White River. !is creek runs through the southeast corner of the site and is very signi#cant - draining perhaps a thousand acres of the North#eld/Braintree Mountains to the east. !e small stream is perennial and large enough to dip into during the dry summer months. !e 140 or so acres of forest are composed of largely spruce-#r stands, with approximately 25 acres of hardwoods. !e site contains about 250’ of elevation change and comprises a small knoll. !e land sits on a low-angle bench of land at the toe of the main Brain-tree Mountain ridge but a few hundred feet above the valley $oor. Much of the site abuts large tracts of roadless land and to the west about one mile begins the contiguous lands of the Green Mountain National Forest and Breadloaf Wilderness composed of tens of thousands of acres of state and federally protected wild land. Road access is high quality with easy access to much of the site via very quiet town dirt roads. !e property contains multiple buildable lots, two separate deeded parcels and no restrictive easements.

Currently there is a large house in good condition on the property with 6-9 bedrooms (3,500+ SF), 3 bathrooms, 3 greenhouse/sunroom spaces with water and brick $oors, a very large basement with root cellar capabilities, wood heat, kitchen, mudroom, large gathering space with large #replace hearth, decks with views, #re escape, standing-seam roof, cedar siding, and generator hook-up. !e house was built to serve as a community residence by its former owner and contains at least a dozen separate sleeping spaces (each bedroom having its own loft). !e house could be modi#ed to be comfortable for a large family or two but is geared towards large group use currently. Two or three units could be made out of the house very easily.

Near the house is a near new condition, large freestanding yoga/martial arts studio with changing rooms and bath-room, lighting, hardwood $oors, full windows on three sides, clearstory (tons of daylight), large deck platform, and heat. !e building would be suitable for classes of up to approximately 35-40+ people. !ere are also numerous outbuildings on the site including a few barn/sheds suitable for animals and storage along with a nice two story cabin which is grid connected and can be heated, in the woods about 150 yards from the house. We look forward to meeting interested groups. Once we hear from a number of people we will announce a site-walk.

Sincerely,

Whole Systems Design, LLC