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rk-at-Home Villa es <br />By Robert A. Graham <br />Changes in the workplace, including increased acceptance oftelecommuting and the <br />aging of the workforce —as large numbers of baby boomers continue to work beyond <br />the retirement age —have opened an opportunity to rethink housing development to <br />meet evolving work demands and lifestyles. <br />One possible solution is a "work -at-home" <br />village that provides a comfortable and con- <br />venient environment for working retirees and <br />other professionals who choose to work out of <br />their homes as an alternative to commuting to <br />conventional commercial office space. <br />This work -at-home village concept is <br />physically and perhaps emotionally different <br />from common types of live/work districts and <br />ad hoc home occupations in residential dis- <br />tricts. The work -at-home village is specifically <br />designed to accommodate both residential and <br />commercial activity with the basic appearance <br />of a residential subdivision. Part of the village's <br />environment and amenities would include the <br />normal amenities that are an important part <br />of working in an office and are part of shar- <br />ing creativity. While some routine face-to-face <br />contact has been replaced by social media <br />websites and virtual meeting platforms, gather- <br />ing together is an important part of community <br />life. Consequently, the work -at-home village <br />would include a gathering place in the form of <br />a village center with some limited retail and <br />personal services and meeting space. <br />The work -at-home village is a compact <br />subdivision within a larger community and <br />the concept can apply to a greenfield site or <br />an in -town redevelopment such as a former <br />industrial site. The village would not be divided <br />by arterial streets and could be compared in <br />concept to a golf course subdivision. <br />The purposes of this article are to explain <br />the key components of the work -at-home vil- <br />lage, to discuss the challenges and barriers that <br />traditional zoning and subdivision regulations <br />pose to developing these villages, and to out- <br />line the approach cities and counties can use <br />to enable work -at-home development through <br />their local subdivision and zoning regulations. <br />THE NEED <br />Retirees who desire to continue in the work- <br />force or turn a hobby into an income source <br />may seek forms of housing and community life <br />that are not currently provided in the market- <br />® Work -at-home village concept sketch: 6o acres, lit units. <br />All graphics by Robert A. Graham <br />ZONINGPRACTICE 1.14 <br />AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION I page 2 <br />