Toward zoöpolis? Innovation and contradiction in a conservation community

Abstract

The new community of Harmony, Florida stands out in the sustainable community landscape for its commitment to promoting the human–animal bond. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, this paper tracks Harmony's development from concept to community, and explores residents' perceptions and experiences of Harmony. Despite contradictions between philosophy and everyday practice, Harmony offers insights into the design of more sustainable communities built around ideals of human–animal coexistence – or “zoöpolis”.

Keywords:

• zoöpolis
• human–animal relations
• new urbanism
• sustainable communities

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the community of Harmony, Florida – its developers, planners, architects, managers, residents, and observers – and to the Harmony Institute, for providing information about and access to the community for purposes of this research. In particular we are indebted to James Lentz, Martha Lentz, and Greg Golgowski for allowing us to conduct this study and facilitating its conduct. We are also grateful to Pat Fitzgerald, David Volpes, and Ross Smith from Seminole Community College, for their insights and assistance with interviews. Valuable comments provided by Dana Cuff, Michael Dear, Greg Hise, Jennifer Mapes, David Sloane and anonymous reviewers are deeply appreciated. We also thank David Deis for his excellent cartographic work. The research was supported by a grant from the National Geographic Society. The Mesa Refuge provided one of the authors with time and space for thinking and writing about the Harmony experiment. The interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are ours alone, and all errors are also our responsibility.

Notes

1. As drawn from a survey of the websites of self‐identified green, sustainable, or conservation communities located in Florida: http://www.centerville-florida.com/home.php; http://www.privatecommunities.com/florida/land-conservation-communities.htm; http://www.pulte.com/delwebb/communities/fl/jacksonville/riverwood-at-nocatee/index.aspx; http://www.stonelakeranch.com/; http://www.laketoscana.com/index.html; http://www.therealestatehomeguide.com/visit_community.html?communityid=247; http://www.golfcoursehome.net/doc/communities/Community-HammockDunes.htm; http://www.golfcoursehome.net/doc/communities/Community-Harbourridge.htm; http://golfcoursehome.net/doc/communities/Community-Juliettefallsfl.htm; http://golfcoursehome.net/doc/communities/Community-Riverwildpossehlfl.htm; http://www.lakesofmountdora.com/; http://www.greenecocommunities.com/Florida/1.html; http://www.granadaparksarasota.com/; http://www.lakewoodranch.com/; http://www.summerglen.com/eco-friendly-community.htm; http://www.canopycreek.com/index.php; http://www.enclavedanforthcreek.com/community.html.

2. Greg Golgowski, 2003 interview.

3. Planning Group, 2000 interview; US. Census of Population, 1990, 2000; Osceola County Economic Development Department website http://www.osceola.org/index.cfm?lsFuses=department/EconomicDevelopment/25159 [Accessed 21 September 2008].

4. Jim Lentz, personal communication, 2007.

5. Specific agencies and organizations included Birchwood Acres Limited Partnership, Osceola County School District, Florida Native Plant Society, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Fannie Mae Central Florida Partnership Office, Friendship Realty, Florida Solar Energy Center, Osceola County's Board of County Commissioners, The Evans Group, Harmony Community School, Harmony Welcome Center, and Harmony Golf Preserve.

6. All interviews were audio‐taped, and a subset was videotaped by videographer Patrick Fitzgerald of Seminole Community College's Cinema‐TV Program. All tapes were transcribed. Field notes augmented interviews, and photo‐documentation helped to create a more complete picture of the community.

7. Kent Foreman, 2000 interview.

8. Jim Lentz and Vence Smith, 2000 interviews.

9. This program also has an online component – the Living in Harmony website. The site provides more extensive information on management strategies that residents can adopt for water, waste, and energy; as well as sections on local wildlife and landscaping tips. Additionally, homeowners are given move‐in packets that touch on these issues.

10. These restrictions, guidelines, and goals are separate from the set of CC&Rs that regulates property upkeep and activities and land use within the community.

11. Kent Foreman, 2003 interview.

12. All names of residents have been changed to preserve anonymity of those who participated in interviews.

13. Robins et al. (1991) have described companion animals in this role of “social facilitator”.

14. Harmony town paper issue 5, October 2005.

15. Greg Golgowski, personal communication, July 2007.

16. Jim Lentz, personal communication, May 2007.

17. In 2006 some Harmony residents created an open forum for the discussion of community issues – including the role of Starwood Capital in facilitating missing or promised amenities – at http://groups.google.com/group/HarmonyFL.