|
|
|
|
Welcome Home! Avalon Springs is an experiential learning environment, anchored by a healing hot springs retreat center and staff ecovillage - a living mystery school for an emerging sustainable human culture. As a land-based holistic retreat center and ecovillage in Northern California, Avalon Springs aligns the most advanced green technologies, systems and philosophies to become a living template for an abundant, sustainable economic, social and environmental future.
What's New: April 2009 - Public Hearing for Avalon Springs' Permit is set for May 14! It's Spring at Avalon, and time for re-birth and new beginnings! We are rejoicing for the long-awaited public hearing on our Major Use Permit Application is set for May 14 in Lakeport! This means we are in the final stages before receiving permission to begin building the project! We've been quiet on the land during this process, as we need to have our approval from the County before hosting much activity on the land. Stay tuned, though. And join the email list (by entering your email in the box above) because we expect to host some work parties and appropriate events as soon as the permitting is complete (hopefully early July). Thanks for your patience and your understanding while we do this very important work with the County. We are so excited about what this year brings!
Jan 2009 - With help from Kirsty Shelton, or planning consultant, the Core Council is completing the final stages of the Major Use Permit process. Lake County Planning Department staff have been super helpful and supportive of Avalon Springs' development. The County is especially supportive of projects like ours which revitalize the historic use of recreations lands. The fact that this land has been used before as a hot springs resort (since the mid-1800s) makes Avalon Springs a project quite supportive of the County's goals. Lake County has also been growing in support for becoming an ecologically friendly environment. Recently, Lake County passed an ordinance banning GMO (Genetically Modified) crops - big deal for a county that is the growing edge of the Napa/Sonoma wine country. We are delighted to be here in Lake County, where the future seems bright and even government bureaucracies are collaborative and creative. Thank you Lake County!
Nov 2009 - Newly Discovered Water!
This new well means we have an abundance of clean fresh water, which we will be able to use without much treatment, for drinking, irrigation and landscaping, aquaculture, ponds, and all other clean fresh water needs! We celebrate the fact that we now have more water than we will need even with full buildout! Thank you to the expert dowsers who found the water, to Weeks Drilling who went beyond the call of duty in persisting in their job, even though this well process was unusually protracted and difficult because of a huge cavern that we drilled through! Thank you to the Avalon Team and to all of our Investors and Supporters who kept the faith that we would find the abundant water source we wanted to resource the development project.
Why Avalon Springs? Avalon Springs is creating the change we want to see in the world. (Here's why we decided to co-create Avalon). Our 318 acres of rolling hilltop land near Calistoga in Northern California has panoramic views of wooded hills and vineyards. Ten natural springs grace the property, including bubbling hot springs for bathing and cool drinkable springwater with various therapeutic mineral components including Lithium and Magnesium.
Project Status After two years of extensive due diligence and after living on the land for over a year, we completed the purchase of our land in 2007. Our extraordinary design team has completed a comprehensive permaculture based Master Plan for the entire land reflecting our vision and goals for the long term. The Master Plan weaves together elements of spiritual intention, ecology, sustainable business, and extraordinary beauty Our architects and planners have filed a complete Major Use Permit Application with the county government and we expect to secure all permissions by 2008. We are hoping to begin major construction work by late 2008 and to open the retreat center to the public in 2009. We are looking for more Founding Member investment partners who are aligned with this vision and wish to help birth Avalon. Please enjoy your visit to our internet home. We ask you to hold this project in your heart, tell your friends as you feel inspired, and send us your prayers and support. Avalon Springs has taken on a life of her own. We invite you to join us in the co-creation of this dream. |
|||||||||||||
Major Use Permit is Coming Soon
Avalon's brand new well produces well over 35 gallons per minute, and the water is clean and delicious!
The site was a hot springs retreat center in the past,
operating as "Howard Hot Springs" until 1974. The existing lodge,
sixty-five small cottages, and large bathing facilities are being rebuilt with the help of an expert team of green architects and builders
to create an experiential
learning environment, ecovillage and intentional
retreat that models sustainable practices and consciousness, including
extensive permaculture gardens and an intentional design that invites
residents and visitors to live consciously in each moment.