Background
Founding member Ellen Coppock held the first meeting in her home in Davis, CA on March 2002. About two dozen people attended this initial meeting, which included friends from their local Unitarian Universalist Church. Among the attendees was Muir Commons Cohousing developer Virginia Thigpen, also a UU member, who became an advisor to the project. Seven of the eight original households came from this first meeting.
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Early on the group of 12 future residents (four couples and four singles) hired lawyers and architects. The community was actively guided by Virginia who helped with site acquisition and budget issues. It was Virginia who suggested the cohousing group consider the .83 acre site in a larger planned and mixed use neighborhood which Randolph and Lynne Yackzan of West Davis Associates were developing in Davis a short drive (about four miles) to downtown. The project has taken three years to be ready to begin construction.
Group’s Mission Statement
The mission of Glacier Circle Senior Community is to create and maintain a small cooperative-style housing community of seniors who share some expenses, skills and visions in mutual support and friendship. We are committed to being a welcoming community of independent outlooks and shared values.
In addition, the community has a Covenant which is read out loud before every meeting.
We, the members of Glacier Circle, covenant:
- To listen deeply and thoughtfully in our dialogs, mindful that our relationships are sacred.
- To be patient with each other, appreciating our differing gifts and welcoming creative ideas. When necessary, we will confront courageously with love.
- We agree to assume appropriate leadership roles and to participate fully in the group process.
- While we value our time together, we also respect our members’ need for privacy.
- We will remember to assume the good intent of others and to strive to treat other members as well as ourselves with loving kindness.
Membership
Members range in age from 70 to 84. Most of the members are now retired. Their professions include:
- Three women are psychotherapists
- School teacher and watercolor painter
- University professor and writer
- Physicist
- Education college professor
- Environmental health scientist.
Group Process
The community makes decisions by consensus. Members of the Glacier Circle community have known each other for a long time - in some cases for 40-50 years. Group members see each other regularly through social activities outside of the cohousing project. Some are members of a dream group, others are in a writing group while a handfull are in a women’s group together.
The community holds weekly two-hour business meetings after which people go out to dinner. To get the business work done, three positions were created: President, Secretary and Treasurer. There are no formal teams. Says founding member Ellen Coppock: “when something needs to get done Stan, our president, asks people to volunteer. The person best suited is the one who volunteers.”
The community participated in a facilitation training at the local university. This program included a personality test so members learned more about each others’ strengths and challenges.
Special Features
Common Interests. Seven of the eight members are members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis. No marketing was required.
Expanded role of the Architect. First time cohousing architect Julie Haney was brought into the project in Feb. 2003, while working for Laura Macaulay of Macaulay +Architects. Julie facilitated the site programming, Common House design and the programming for the individual homes. While working with the group Julie became aware of how people felt as they were downsizing into a smaller town home. She offered hand-holding and customization as they prepared for their last home. She met with each member individually, measured their furniture and helped them know their furniture would fit in their new house.
Location. Glacier Circle is being built within a larger planned neighborhood with both residential – single detached homes, low income and affordable – and commercial outlets. The neighborhood is within walking distance of a greenbelt area with a walking path and wild life pond. A medical building is adjacent to the property and a major hospital is four blocks away. Mass transit and shops are closeby.
Project Challenges: Two of the biggest challenges were around parking and insurance. City planners insisted that parking accommodate the turning radius for big cars as they “had pre-conceived notions about old ladies driving cadillacs,” said Julie the architect. “In reality, the group members were all driving Priuses (Hybrid gas-electric auto) and small compact cars.” The project builder, as requested by the Owners, initially could not get an affordable WRAP-Up insurance policy in CA because one of the buildings are had 5 attached units. Once the Owners agreed to go with a standard single-family insurance policy, the insurance issue was resolved.
Energy-efficient design.The eight homes range in size from 1,000 to 1,400 square feet and are placed along an east/west access and all face south for maximum solar gain. Three homes have photovoltaic panels and solar water heating with a tankless gas water heater for a backup. All of the buildings incorporate daylight fromskylights and suntubes (tubular skylights) and use fluorescent lighting for general room illumination.
Age in Place Designed. Contrary to typical cohousing design where parking is placed on the edge of the site, in Glacier Circle each household has a single car garage and a parking space in the driveway. Doors are 3 ft. wide with larger bathrooms allowing for wheelchairs and showers are wheelchair accessible. The foundations are flat foundations (no steps) and all homes but two are one-story. The two-story homes were designed with stairs that could be retrofitted with an electric stair chair and the downstairs could be adapted to be a master bedroom. Bright lighting was important: homes have skylights with blinds that are operable by electric motor, as well as ample general lighting. Extra storage space was also emphasized.
Common House Apartment. The Common House will have an affordable second floor apartment which the community plans to offer to a couple in exchange for helping with cooking and maintenance of the community. This situation may be especially helpful in the future as residents age in place.
Importance of the Garden. Many members of the community are gardeners and in some cases, knowing there would be a garden made it easier for member to leave their existing home and move to Glacier Circle. The garden will include some citrus and fruit trees, vegetables and flowering plants, and a common garden that unites the three buildings. Landscaping will use drip irrigation to conserve water and native plants were chosen with no grass.
Resident-led with Developer input. The project was conceived by the group members. However multifamily developer Virginia Thigpen had an active guiding hand all along the way.
Glacier Circle Senior Community
Glacier Circle Community, 2358 Glacier Place, Davis, CA 95616
For additional information about Elder Cohousing please
contact Neshama Abraham or call us at 303-413-8066
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