The only remaining active Shaker community in the world has teamed up with 10 other conservation and preservation groups to curb sprawl and preserve their heritage.
The Shakers today must contend with a modern problem confronting all farmers in southern Maine: suburban sprawl driving up land values and property taxes.
Sprawl means much of the Shaker land is taxed for its potential to sprout subdivisions, not crops. So the four remaining members of the last active Shaker community in the world are struggling to pay high taxes - more than $27,000 last year - in addition to their expenses for daily living and other costs. Those include maintaining the society's library and museum and the upkeep of 19 historic but fragile buildings in their village - the newest of which was built in 1910.
"We may be simple, but our lives are not," said Brother Arnold Hadd.
Thanks to Mike Lydon
FULL STORY: Sprawl stops here
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
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North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
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Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
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Private Donations Propel Early Restoration of Palisades Playground
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From Blight to Benefit: Early Results From California’s Equitable Cleanup Program
The Equitable Community Revitalization Grant (ECRG) program is reshaping brownfield redevelopment by prioritizing projects in low-income and environmental justice communities, emphasizing equity, transparency, and community benefits.
Planting Relief: Tackling Las Vegas Heat One Tree at a Time
Nevada Plants, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit, is combating the city’s extreme urban heat by giving away trees to residents in underserved neighborhoods, promoting shade, sustainability, and community health.
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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