Greetings and salutations!
First time
poster, parcel owner, eventual builder, and new to the concept of permaculture/natural building, so my apologies if this
thread isn't quite in the right place; I'm still learning!
This post/inquiry is directly aimed towards individuals who have experience building an earthbag/alternative-material home in Coconino County, Arizona, where I've recently purchased a plot of
land in an Agricultural Residential zone. Currently, the property is being surveyed by a professional surveyor, and within the next two weeks I
should be aware of property boundaries.
That being said, my partner and I are seeking to create an earthbag home by hand, complete with a
composting toilet rather than a wastewater system (so no plumbing/septic required). We're also interested in using a similar method to create a
water cistern for collection purposes, and incorporating
solar for electrical needs. In addition, we'd like to own a few chickens and grow several of our own plants, so that we essentially have a
sustainable homestead that we can enjoy for years to come.
I am aware that Coconino County offers the Innovative Materials and Systems Pilot Program (PP) which potentially eliminates a need for the
ungodly amount of permits generally required for building an alternative-material home. My land fits in every keyhole, except one: the PP states that the AR land in question, when applying for the PP, must be 2.5 acres or more. Unfortunately, the land I've acquired is about 1.16 acres, just shy of half the requirement.
So the question is this: is there any way that the county could be persuaded to allow for a lesser acreage to apply for the PP, provided certain terms are met?
I
have gone ahead and e-mailed the sustainability team for the county and am waiting to hear back, so hopefully they'll be able to offer an inkling as to the why's and how's, but no less, this seemed like the perfect place to try and get some answers, if there are any to be had, and I thank you!