From: rickm@kepler.kpc.com (Rick Meneely)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Western Land Purchase
Date: 22 Jan 93 23:50:45 GMT
Organization: Kubota Pacific Computer


 (Jennifer Geard) writes:
|> >Unto the Gentles of the Rialto does Pagan le Chaunster send Greetings!
|> >
|> >I noticed a reference to the West Kingdom land fund in a recent posting.  
|> >Could someone please tell me what sort of land they're looking at buying and 
|> >what they plan to do with it?  Will there be a castle-building project?  What 
|> >sort of facilities?  Something to host a War?  A forge?  A mead-hall for 
|> >coronations and the like?
|>

Hal Ravn (Wilson Heydt) replies:

 [deleted]

|> All of the sorts of improvements you are suggesting would cost *large*
|> amounts of money--probably more than the land itself.

Disclaimer: I am not a trustee on the Western land fund, just an interested
member.  I do not know the current long term plan (if any) of improving the
site after we buy one, but here are my personal opinions.

According to a 'Land Search' information flyer I picked up at XII'th night:

"Any piece of land that is under serious consideration will be rigorously
investigated before any decision regarding purchase is made.  Items of concern
that will be looked at include (but are not limited to):
	1.  Road Access			11.  Remoteness of 20th Century
	2.  Location			12.  Site Hazards
	3.  Terrain Type		13.  Flora Type Supported
	4.  Drinking Water Access	14.  Ground Drainage
	5.  Power Access		15.  Temperature Range
	6.  Phone Access		16.  Weather Conditions
	7.  Area for Parking		17.  County Ordinances
	8.  Proximity to Town(s)	18.  Year Round Usage
	9.  Proximity to Hospital(s)	19.  Natural Fauna
       10.  Land Zoning			20.  Open Water on the Land"

This I believe is an excellent list of items that must be considered and
I would urge any group thinking on purchasing land to incorporate them into
there own requiremnts.  I do not know what the zoning laws are for the site now
in consideration by the Western Land fund, but item #10 says that they have
at least looked into them.


Improvements can be implemented over time, and costs defrayed by using the
skills of our membership and leverage off of our own efforts as we proceed.
Assuming that zoning laws allow us to build to our hearts content I would
suggest the following scenerio:

*	Immediately any funds left from the purchase can be put to
	make the land usable as a site.  Additionally volunteers can be
	utilitized to do such things as clearing spaces, etc.

*	Now that we do not need to raise site fees for 'rent', we can use
	site fees to go to directly improving the site.  Creating a larger
	and more constant inflow of funds.

*	Create a research and site planning board (this is not a separate
	organization, just group) with responsibility to oversee the planning
	and development of the site.  It can create 'Research and planning'
	subcommitees to divide up responsibility for different areas.
	For example: a mundane facilities subcommitee; a town/merchant area
	subcommitee; a Great Hall subcommitee; a battle site subcommitee; 
	and yes, a Castle subcommitee.

	Now don't everyone shriek at the word '(sub)commitee'.  There are
	a number of very successful Volunteer organizations that have
	developed models that work - even when members have every different
	goals and are geographically separated.  Examples are such efforts as
	either CFI (Cad FrameWork Initiative) or the Athena Project (X11).
	Their products may be different but they faced similar logistics.

	The goals of this board and subcommitees would be to develop a
	medieval environment based on research and modern requirements.
	These goals do not have to be concurrent but can instead be
	stepped (hence the 'leverage' I spoke of above).  For example...

*	Create a medieval merchant area with permanent shops.  Structures
	could even be small two story structures with sleeping quarters
	above.  These shops could be rented out at events to merchants.
	The funds could go into the next planned project (such as a Great 
        Viking hall).

	Much of the labor can come from us; the members, with additional funds
	for necessary professionals from the site fund.  We can even credit
	hours of volunteer work against costs of usage.  For example for each
	hour of volunteer work 'Lord Smity' does, he gets $X off the cost
	of renting a shop for the weekend.  Not only to we get a better
	site/environment but we give direct incentive for people to volunteer,
	especially those that may have lots of time but not much money.


Sorry for the log windedness,  if this turns to be of only interest to
Westerners then we can move it to sca-west.

Comments? Suggestions? (besides 'Anatar you're crazy, go seek professional help')

					- Anatar

-- 
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| Rick Meneely  rickm@kpc.com      |        Kubota Pacific Computer Inc.    |
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