Homes within reach
A mix of small cottages, duplexes and apartments designed around lower construction cost and long-term affordability—not maximum square footage.
SemiahmooEcovillageStart a conversation
Concept-stage opportunity · Blaine, Washington
Affordable homes.
Protected land.
A new rural model.
A proposal to transform a remarkable 105-acre property into a permanently affordable, conservation-minded village—built around modest homes, shared resources, and a genuine sense of belonging.
THE OPPORTUNITY8610 White RoadBlaine, WA 98230
Borderline Lake and surrounding acreage
105.83acres
$6.0Mcurrent asking price
R5Alisted zoning
2,350 ftexisting private lake
The investment thesis
A place where housing
affordability and land
stewardship reinforce
each other.
Whatcom County needs attainable homes. It also needs development models that preserve the landscape people love. Semiahmoo Ecovillage begins with the idea that these goals do not have to compete.
By clustering a limited number of right-sized homes and sharing roads, parking, utilities and community amenities, the project could concentrate its footprint while leaving most of the property open, productive or restored.
The final program depends entirely on land-use, environmental, utility and financial feasibility.
A durable model
Three commitments shape the idea.
Land held in trust
A community land trust or limited-equity cooperative could separate land value from home value and preserve affordability across generations.
More life, less footprint
Shared gardens, workshop, common house, parking and utilities could give residents more—while building less and conserving substantial open space.
Illustrative conceptThree residential layers, delivered in phasesSubject to zoning, engineering, environmental review, infrastructure capacity and community process.
Aspirational master plan
An addition to the place—
not a replacement for it.
The concept preserves the property’s older lakeside homes, boathouses, docks, mature trees and established access. New construction occupies selected clearings and is concentrated away from most of the shoreline.
Lake Commons
A compact, terraced apartment and condominium complex overlooking the lake, potentially delivered as two connected buildings.
Woodland homes
Ten to twenty small, efficient two-story homes arranged along pedestrian paths and shared gardens.
Tiny-home hamlets
Small, intentional groups of serviced tiny-home sites placed in existing clearings—not indiscriminately scattered across the land.
Lake Commons
One village center.
Two complementary buildings.
The preliminary model places two neighboring four-story buildings around a shared courtyard. Keeping ownership roles distinct could make financing, construction and long-term stewardship substantially clearer.
A
FOR-SALE HOMES
Condominium building
Approximately 36–40 residences. Completed sales could repay development capital and help fund the wider village.
B
LONG-TERM HOMES
Rental building
Approximately 36–40 apartments, including permanently affordable homes held by a mission-aligned owner.
EARLY ARCHITECTURAL DIRECTIONBuilt for the lake.
Built for the lake.
Detailed for the Northwest.
These studies explore a durable Pacific Northwest character: conventional rain-shedding roofs, fiber-cement siding, warm wood accents, sheltered entries and generous balconies facing the water.
Conceptual architectural imagery only—not construction documents, an approved design, a representation of building rights, or an indication that any contractor has been retained.
CONCEPT ELEVATIONSThe architecture,
The architecture,
reduced to its essentials.
Two-dimensional studies clarify the four-story scale, rooflines, balconies and relationship between the buildings.
Presentation studies only. No dimensions are implied; measured plans require a licensed architect, survey and engineering.
72–80total residences
120–160potential residents
60–100 ftlandscaped separation
ILLUSTRATIVE CONDOMINIUM PRICINGDifferent homes.
Different homes.
One clear entry point.
Current planning assumes a range of unit types, with the $25,000 founding commitment sized near a five-percent deposit on a typical residence.
ResidencePrice5% deposit
Compact one-bedroom$325K–$375K$16K–$19K
Larger one-bedroom$375K–$425K$19K–$21K
Two-bedroom$425K–$500K$21K–$25K
Three-bedroom / lake$500K–$600K$25K–$30K
What presales can—and cannot—do
Forty purchasers committing $25,000 would demonstrate approximately $1 million in demand, while 40 completed sales averaging $450,000 would represent roughly $18 million in eventual revenue. Washington generally requires condominium reservation and earnest-money deposits to be protected in escrow. Presales can support a construction-loan case; they should not be presented as unrestricted money for land acquisition or early development.
Washington deposit requirementsORDER-OF-MAGNITUDE DEVELOPMENT MODEL
$40M–$61M
Potential total for both buildings, shared infrastructure, professional costs, contingency, financing and the currently listed land price.
- Buildings
- $22M–$34M
- Site + utilities
- $5M–$9M
- Soft costs + contingency
- $7M–$12M
- Listed property price
- $6M
Planning referencesBlaine housing market Regional construction benchmark Every amount is preliminary and must be replaced by professional design, contractor pricing, appraisals, legal review and a complete development pro forma.
Village Main Street
Not the cheapest building.
A building worth sharing.
Lake Commons concentrates resources into architecture people can love for generations: durable materials, quiet homes, generous windows, sheltered balconies and a beautiful shared center. The short term is more expensive, labor-intensive and permit-intensive. The long-term return is a quality of place that forty isolated households could rarely create separately.
Build collectively at a quality individuals could rarely afford separately.THE PUBLIC GROUND FLOOR
Care, bread and daily life beneath the homes.
The ground floor can give the village a daily heartbeat while helping the building earn commercial income. The bakery creates informal connection; health and therapy spaces place practical care within walking distance.
Exam rooms, consultations and basic community health services.
Several acoustically private offices with a discreet waiting area.
Physical therapy, massage, yoga and small-group wellness programs.
Bread, coffee, prepared food and an everyday place to gather.
Village produce, eggs, preserves and essential household goods.
Meetings, support groups, classes, celebrations and shared meals.
DESIGNING PROXIMITYCommunity should be available—
Community should be available—
never compulsory.
Every resident needs a private retreat, a choice of shared spaces and a secure route home that never passes through public commercial activity.
Main Street
Separate exterior entrances for the clinic, bakery, market and scheduled services.
Village commons
Courtyard, community room, gardens, workshop, laundry and resident programming.
Home
Controlled lobby, elevators, mail, storage, residential corridors, private units and balconies.
HUMAN INFRASTRUCTUREArchitecture can invite community.
Architecture can invite community.
It cannot replace governance.
Forty households will bring children, elders, relationships, conflict, different incomes and different needs for privacy. The village must remain safe and functional even when residents disagree.
A real private home
- Exceptional acoustic separation
- Private kitchens and balconies
- Secure individual access
- No obligation to socialize
Rules that survive conflict
- Professional property management
- Resident agreements and quiet hours
- Guest, pet and shared-resource policies
- Mediation for ordinary disputes
Protection without surveillance culture
- Well-lit paths and visible play areas
- Controlled entries and secure elevators
- Separate public and residential circulation
- Confidential reporting and firm conduct standards
ILLUSTRATIVE GROUND FLOOR9,000–15,000 sq ft
Commercial, care, community and supporting circulation.
POTENTIAL MONTHLY RENT$16.5K–$24.75K
Conceptual planning range—not a local lease quote or underwriting assumption.
THE TRADEOFFMore complexity
Mixed occupancies, accessibility, fire separation, ventilation, parking, loading and professional management.
Concept-stage program only. Medical, food-service, childcare, commercial tenancy, access and safety requirements require licensed design, legal, operational and regulatory review.
A longer view of the land
From separation
to stewardship.
The land around Blaine did not begin as a collection of isolated private parcels. The Semiahmoo, Lummi and Nooksack peoples have lived in relationship with this region’s lands and waters for thousands of years—through distinct communities, cultures and systems of responsibility that continue today.
Colonization, imposed borders and private land division profoundly changed those relationships. Modern rural zoning came much later and should not be treated as the cause of that history.
Living landscapes
Communities organized life through relationships among family, village, food, water, seasonal movement and shared responsibility.
Survey and separation
Colonial governments imposed borders, individual title and surveyed parcels upon existing Indigenous homelands.
Protection through distance
Whatcom County’s Rural District seeks to preserve low-density rural character, privacy, open space and low-intensity uses.
Protection through sharing
Could compact homes and shared infrastructure conserve more land while making rural life attainable to more people?
The law separates households to protect the land.
The village asks whether sharing can protect more of it.
WHAT R5A IS TRYING TO PROTECT
- Low-density rural character
- Open space, quiet and privacy
- Room for farming, forestry and low-intensity uses
- A distinction between rural and urban development
THE MATERIAL TENSION
- Five-acre living often requires significant household wealth
- Forty homes can occupy 200 acres at the zoned density
- Roads, wells, septic systems, vehicles and equipment are duplicated
- Physical separation does not automatically create stewardship
THE ECOVILLAGE RESPONSE
- Concentrate housing rather than consume the whole landscape
- Share infrastructure while preserving household privacy
- Hold substantial land for food, habitat and common use
- Measure conservation by outcomes—not separation alone
ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS NOT ENDORSEMENT
A relationship must be earned.
This project does not claim Indigenous teachings, speak for local Nations or imply tribal support. Its responsibility is to learn the history accurately, avoid borrowing cultural identity for branding, seek direct guidance where appropriate and remain open to relationships based on consent and reciprocity.
The village is not a return to the past. It is a contemporary proposal for lawful ownership, individual choice, household privacy and shared stewardship.
Learn from the sourceSemiahmoo First Nation Lummi Nation Nooksack Indian Tribe Local Semiahmoo history Whatcom Rural District purpose
Historical framing for reflection—not a legal history, tribal consultation or representation of any Nation’s views. Any future public land acknowledgment, partnership or use of Indigenous language or imagery should be developed through direct relationship and permission.
Equivalent housing capacity
One tower.
Or forty homesteads.
Tower One is essentially a small town organized vertically: forty homes, shared circulation, utilities, laundry, gathering space, farm support, tools, parking and transportation. The relevant comparison is not a tower versus one rural house. It is one tower versus forty five-acre homesteads providing the same approximate housing capacity.
The tower is not automatically cheaper. It reduces land use and duplication while carrying a commercial-building premium.developed or allocated acres
illustrative total
under the stated assumptions
gallons with scheduled shuttles
MeasureTower One40 homesteadsTower effect
Housing capacity40 homes / ~80 people40 homes / ~80 peopleEquivalent population
Residential floor area48,000 gross sq ft48,000 sq ftSame modeled total
Foundation footprint12,000 sq ft48,000 sq ft36,000 sq ft avoided
Roof area13,800 sq ft55,200 sq ft41,400 sq ft avoided
Exterior wall area24,000 sq ft112,000 sq ft88,000 sq ft avoided
Road network0.5 mile4 miles3.5 miles avoided
Private drives500 linear ft10,000 linear ft9,500 linear ft avoided
Laundry machines16 commercial80 residential64 fewer machines
Water / wastewater systems1 community system each40 wells + 40 septic78 fewer systems
Gazebo / BBQ places1 substantial commons40 private setups$850K modeled saving
Farm, garden + toolsShared barns and equipmentDuplicated household sets$1.03M modeled saving
Parking + mobilityShared parking + 2 shuttles40 garages / carports$900K modeled saving
WHERE THE MONEY MOVESThe building costs more.
The building costs more.
Duplication costs less.
LONG-RANGE RESILIENCE CONTEXT
Build capacity before pressure becomes crisis.
The Colorado River supplies more than 40 million people, and federal planners describe a future of persistent drought and increasing climate variability. Washington already plans for continued population growth. These facts make climate-related migration a reasonable scenario to prepare for—but they do not prove how many people will move to Whatcom County or when.
The responsible claim is resilience: compact housing, protected land, shared transportation and local food capacity can help the region absorb future population pressure with less duplicated infrastructure.
Preliminary planning model—not a contractor bid, appraisal or development budget. Assumes 40 residences; 900 sq ft average net tower units; 75% net-to-gross efficiency; 48,000 gross tower sq ft; $425 per gross sq ft tower construction; 1,200 sq ft homestead houses at $300 per sq ft; and excludes land purchase. Actual results depend on design, soils, utilities, entitlement, fire and accessibility requirements, financing, escalation and resident behavior. Forty homesteads would not necessarily duplicate every amenity or piece of equipment.
Village water cycle
One shared system.
Designed like a utility.
If municipal sewer is unavailable, the preferred concept is one modular, professionally operated Large On-site Sewage System serving both Twin Towers. It would collect, equalize, biologically treat and pressure-dose wastewater into protected soil dispersal areas—with monitoring, backup power and room for a full reserve field.
This is not a large septic tank. It is community-scale wastewater infrastructure.minimum planning flow at 360 gallons per dwelling; bedrooms may increase it
regulated LOSS scale
three times full-buildout daily flow if conventional septic tanks are used
conservative allowance covering the 24-hour Phase 1 requirement
CONCEPTUAL 2-D UTILITY PLAN · NOT TO SCALEKeep treatment accessible.
Keep treatment accessible.
Keep dispersal inland.
The exact location cannot be selected until survey, soil logs, seasonal groundwater and critical-area mapping are complete.
SIZING LOGIC
The field is smaller than the land envelope.
Washington regulates both the physical absorption area and the larger acreage needed to safely receive effluent over time.
- Hydraulic absorption area
- 21,600–36,000 sq ft At 1.0–0.6 gpd per sq ft, before constructed and reserve capacity.
- Constructed + reserve footprint
- 43,200–72,000 sq ft Approximately 1.0–1.65 acres using the basic 150% constructed + 50% reserve rule.
- Minimum land envelope
- ~14–24 acres At 1,575–900 gpd per acre for full buildout, depending on the controlling soil type.
- Lake setback
- 100 ft minimum From ordinary high water to drainfield and reserve area; project conditions may require more.
- Vertical separation
- 3 ft typical minimum To seasonal high water or restrictive layer; limited reductions require advanced treatment and proof.
ORDER-OF-MAGNITUDE ALLOWANCE$2.5M–$4.5M
Full-buildout LOSS planning range before detailed site investigation. The existing comparison model uses $2.5 million.
Qualified operator, sampling, reporting, electricity, pumping, service contracts and renewal reserves.
Commission one modular train with Tower One, then add the second while protecting the complete buildout field and reserve area from day one.
Test pits, seasonal groundwater monitoring and a hydrogeologic review should happen before fixing tower placement.
Conceptual feasibility study only—not engineering, a permit application or a representation that the site can support a LOSS. Commercial clinic, bakery and community uses may increase flow or waste strength beyond the residential calculation. Final sizing, treatment level, nitrogen/phosphorus requirements and jurisdiction must be determined by Washington-licensed professionals and the responsible agencies.
The central question
The zoning risk is not hidden.
It is Phase One.
The listing identifies the property as R5A. The ecovillage vision should not move toward acquisition until a credible entitlement and infrastructure path has been tested with Whatcom County and qualified professionals.
Whatcom County Planning & Development- 01Confirm the baseline
Title, zoning, legal lots, development rights, easements and existing improvements.
- 02Test the concept early
County pre-application meeting, land-use counsel and a professional planning memo.
- 03Prove serviceability
Water, wastewater, fire access, roads, power, stormwater, wetlands and habitat constraints.
- 04Choose a lawful pathway
Evaluate existing rights, clustering, conservation tools and any applicable affordable-housing process.
- 05Earn the go / no-go
Secure site control only with protective contingencies and a feasible, financeable route.
A staged capital strategy
Fund the unknowns
before funding the land.
Early capital should create evidence: site control, a zoning opinion, infrastructure answers, an environmental screen, a concept plan and an investable development model. That protects both the mission and the investor.
Illustrative catalytic raise
Enough to organize the sponsor, pursue optioned site control and commission the work needed for a disciplined decision.
- Land-use and title diligence
- Environmental and civil reconnaissance
- Concept plan and infrastructure strategy
- Financial model and ownership structure
Site control + feasibility
Negotiate an option or extended closing with clear diligence exits.
Acquisition
Build a blended stack around the current $6M asking price: aligned equity, seller financing, public resources, conservation capital and philanthropy.
Infrastructure + homes
Deliver the village in financeable phases, matching infrastructure investment to validated demand.
All figures and structures are preliminary planning assumptions, not an offer, forecast or promise of returns.
The next 120 days
Turn a meaningful idea
into a decision-ready opportunity.
1–30
Sponsor team, land-use counsel, owner conversation and draft site-control terms.
31–60
County pre-application, constraints map and high-level utility/fire/access findings.
61–90
Test-fit concept, preliminary costs, ownership structure and affordability model.
91–120
Go / no-go memo, phase-one business plan and aligned capital conversations.
The person carrying the idea forward
Alex Fahad
Alex is the founder and project organizer of Semiahmoo Ecovillage and the owner of New Moon Construction, formerly New Moon Handyman. He brings an engineering education, a background in homesteading and more than twelve years of experience as a local business owner in Whatcom County.
His construction work focuses on durable outdoor structures, sustainable systems, practical land solutions, utility installations and tiny-home site preparation. That experience informs the project’s emphasis on buildability, shared infrastructure and long-term respect for the land.
Alex’s role is to hold the vision, organize the early work and bring the right people together. A project of this scale must be carried by a qualified team of land-use, architectural, engineering, environmental, housing, finance and community-governance professionals.
An invitation to help prove it
Interested in building the
case for a better model?
We are looking for values-aligned people with experience in land use, housing, community development, conservation and patient capital.