Relations
with Public Agencies
When
Ananda Village first got under way, word spread quickly to nearby
Grass Valley and Nevada City that "bad news" had come to Nevada
County. To be sure, among the early residents of Ananda were
a few hippies with no greater ambition than lounging at the nearby
river. But most Ananda residents wanted to become responsible
citizens and good neighbors.
In
time, the general impression changed. People found that Ananda
residents respected local laws and authorities, paid their bills
promptly, and added a positive aura of their own to the area.
In fact, a surprisingly large number of people, though not members
of Ananda, have moved to Nevada County as a direct consequence
of Ananda's being here.
1971
complaint
Kriyananda's
handling of building code violations that threatened to close
down the Meditation Retreat was an early demonstration of Ananda's
intentions. The retreat at that time was classified as a "church
camp," and came under the authority of the county health department.
In 1971, the District Attorney's office informed Kriyananda that
certain buildings at "Camp Ananda" were in violation of the building
codes, and that dire consequences would follow if the violations
were not corrected.
Kriyananda
wrote immediately to Hal Cox, our health department contact, and
explained that "most of our buildings (and all of our principal
ones) were built according to regulations." He apologized for
the handful of smaller structures that were not in compliance,
saying that we had been misinformed as to church camp requirements.
He pledged his cooperation in correcting things:
Whenever
you find us to be in violation of your codes, Hal, you may count
on our cooperation to rectify matters to the best of our ability.
I came up here four years ago with a firm intention that has
never changed, namely, of cooperating with the authorities,
and of permitting only those persons to join me at Ananda who
wanted to become responsible (and voting) citizens of Nevada
County.
Matters
were resolved amicably at a meeting at the District Attorney's
office. In a follow-up letter, the District Attorney thanked Kriyananda
for his statement at the start of the meeting, "offering full
cooperation to Nevada County and all its officials." He closed
the letter saying he looked forward to visiting "Camp Ananda":
You
assured your cooperation, and invited members of my staff to come
and see the camp. We intend to do this someday in the summer and
look forward to the experience.
1998
anonymous complaint
Having
experienced how a surfeit of rules can destroy the spirit, Kriyananda,
in founding Ananda, wanted as few rules as possible. From a spiritual
standpoint, it was important that members grow in understanding
at their own pace, and not have decisions and rules imposed from
above. Thus from Ananda's earliest days, "people are more important
than things" has meant never imposing on anyone's free will.
There
are times, however, when the needs of individual Ananda members
must be balanced against broader considerations, including the
interests of the larger community. Ananda's response to the 1998
anonymous complaint filed with the Nevada County Building Department
was an instance of this type of balancing.
Ten
allegations in the complaint were untrue. The rest dealt mainly
with remodeling done after a structure was built under a valid
permit, or conversions of residential outbuildings to office or
other uses.
It
was Ananda's policy that all new homes be constructed under a
valid permit, but there was no policy relating to private contractors
engaged by residents to modify existing homes. As a result of
the complaint, Ananda initiated an oversight process to ensure
that all remodeling by members meets code standards.
The
complaint itself was harmoniously resolved. Ananda arranged for
inspectors to visit private homes at times convenient for all,
supervised the correction of violations, and obtained the appropriate
building department permits. Robert Porta, Chief Building Inspector
wrote Tom Taylor, Ananda's property manager, to express appreciation
for Ananda's cooperation:
We
thank you for all your help and cooperation in the resolution
of the complaint. It was very pleasant to know you and work
with you.
Porta's
assistant, Donna Burley later commented on the "positive experience":
It
was a very positive experience working with Tom Taylor. Everything
worked out well and the complaint was resolved to everyone's
satisfaction.
Planned
development
To
fulfill its promise to neighbors that it would build a guest retreat
at Ananda Village, Ananda needed county approval of its Master
Plan. Without Master Plan approval no new construction was possible.
Ananda was also experiencing an acute need for housing for the
many residents living in small trailers, yurts, and teepees-a
situation that became worse after the 1976 Ananda fire.
Ananda
submitted the first Master Plan in 1974. Thereafter, over a four-year
period, the community ran into an almost impenetrable wall of
red tape, including unexplained delays and repeated requests that
the plan be revised. To the officials in charge, an intentional
spiritual community was a new concept. Ananda didn't fit traditional
planning categories. And, in some minds, the "bad news" perception
undoubtedly lingered. Not until 1978 was the Master Plan finally
approved.
When
the Master Plan was under consideration during the late 1970s,
a visitor to the fire-ravaged community would have seen little
to presage the beauty and innovativeness of Ananda's later development.
By the 1990s, both Ananda and the political climate had changed.
When the county supervisors voted 5-0 in 1993 to allow Ananda
to update its development plan, it was a community visit that
persuaded two supervisors:
I've
been to Ananda. I've looked at what they've done.It seems to
me that this group is doing exactly what we ask all groups to
do. They are self-contained. They are providing industry within
a community. They are not impacting the infrastructure or the
roads.. I think they should be commended. Robert Drake,
Supervisor
When
Supervisor Melody Lane .originally asked me to go to Ananda,
my answer was "No. I'm not going to Ananda." And she did convince
me and another person in the county to go out to Ananda on a
tour. And what I saw was absolutely 180 degrees the opposite
of what I thought I would see. It is a good community. They
are very innovative. They have taken the time and the energy
to try things that have addressed alternative housing, alternative
lifestyles that are not anything like I ever imagined it would
look like, or feel like, as I was walking around there.. I am
very impressed with Ananda. Karen Knecht, Supervisor
Today,
Ananda is seen as a positive influence in the county and an important
support for the local economy. To commemorate Ananda's twentieth
anniversary, the county supervisors adopted a resolution designating
the week of June 26, 1988 as "Ananda Village Week." In the words
of the resolution:
The
Ananda community has been a positive supporter of Nevada County
and its growth,
The
Ananda community and its residents have always supported local
businesses, contributing millions of dollars to the Nevada County
economy over the last 20 years.
The
Ananda community has created one of the most respected, successful,
crime-free, drug-free, "new age" intentional communities in
the world.
The
Ananda community and its residents have always supported the
richness of the local arts by performing at hospitals, fairs,
and other theaters and music events.
Next:
Honoring Financial Obligations
