Sometimes the Best Things Begin with a Detour
If you’ve noticed we’ve been a little quieter lately, you’re not imagining it.
The last several weeks have been full of long conversations, difficult decisions, and a lot of behind-the-scenes work. While we stepped back from posting regularly, we certainly weren’t standing still. We were also helping relocate individuals who we determined were not a safe fit for the community. Protecting our residents, volunteers, and mission has to come first, even when those decisions are difficult.
The biggest milestone?
Our zoning application has officially been submitted.
That single step represents months of planning, research, engineering, conversations, and countless hours of work. It’s one of the most significant milestones SkyStone Vale has reached, and we’re incredibly excited about what comes next.
At the same time, we experienced internal changes that forced us to pause and reevaluate our path forward.
At first, it felt disappointing.
Then something unexpected happened.
Instead of focusing on what we might lose, I started sharing a new idea with members of our community.
The response was overwhelming.
People didn’t just like the idea.
They loved it.
The more we talked about it, the more it became clear that this challenge may actually be opening the door to something even better.
Building for the Future
Many people have asked why SkyStone Vale was created as an LLC rather than a traditional land trust.
The answer has always been about longevity.
As laws, regulations, and public policy continue to evolve, we’ve wanted a governance structure that can adapt while protecting the long-term vision of community stewardship. Our goal has never been ownership for ownership’s sake. It has always been creating something that will outlive any one person.
That vision hasn’t changed.
If anything, it’s become even clearer.
A New Opportunity
One of our current co-owners has decided it’s time to step away from the project.
We could look at that as a setback.
Instead, we’re choosing to see it as an invitation.
What if this is our opportunity to make SkyStone Vale even more community-led?
Rather than simply replacing one co-owner with another, we’re exploring a model where that ownership interest is held by the community itself through a member-managed LLC.
Imagine the same cooperative spirit we’re building in our neighborhoods reflected in the organization that helps steward the land.
Not controlled by one person.
Not dependent on one voice.
Built together.
A Cooperative Stewardship Model
Here’s the vision we’re developing.
Rather than transferring the ownership interest to another individual, we’re exploring transferring it to a member-managed LLC made up of community co-owners.
Our goal is to welcome 16 founding co-owners, each joining through a participation agreement and becoming a member of the steward LLC. Together, those members would collectively hold and govern the ownership interest currently being transitioned.
Every member would have the rights, responsibilities, and governance role established in the Operating Agreement. Decisions regarding the stewardship of that ownership interest—including management, reserves, future growth, and any distributions authorized by the LLC—would be made collectively by the co-owners under the governance process adopted by the membership.
This shifts stewardship away from a single individual and places it into the hands of a community committed to the long-term success of SkyStone Vale.
In other words, the people helping build the future are also the people helping govern it.
A Vision We Planned for From the Beginning
One thing I want our community to know is this:
This wasn’t a last-minute idea.
It has always been one of our contingency plans.
From the very beginning, I’ve talked about building protections into our communities—not because I expected things to go wrong, but because resilient systems are designed to adapt when life changes.
Every organization, every community, and every person will eventually face unexpected challenges.
That’s part of intentional community building.
The question isn’t whether change will happen.
The question is whether we’ve built something resilient enough to keep moving forward.
This cooperative stewardship model has always been one of those built-in protections.
Now, instead of remaining a fallback plan, it has the opportunity to become an even stronger foundation.
It adds another layer of resilience—not just for SkyStone Vale, but for every community we hope to build in the future.
I’ve often described our vision as a network rather than a single place.
Not one organization carrying everything.
Not one property holding all the responsibility.
A web.
A web of communities.
A web of organizations.
A web where each community strengthens the others.
If one community faces hardship, the others continue to stand.
If one discovers a better solution, everyone benefits.
If one needs support, there is an entire network ready to help.
That is resilience.
That is what we’ve been designing from the beginning.
Why This Matters
Everything we’ve done with Unity Harbour and SkyStone Vale has been centered around one simple belief:
Community is stronger than any individual.
Communities thrive when people share responsibility, celebrate each other’s successes, and work together toward something larger than themselves.
This next step feels like the natural evolution of that philosophy.
Instead of simply talking about cooperative living, we’re building cooperative stewardship into the very foundation of SkyStone Vale.
The land supports the community.
The community stewards the land.
The network strengthens every community within it.
That’s exciting.
It’s resilient.
And it feels more aligned with our mission than ever before.
Looking Ahead
We’re continuing to work through the legal structure, governance documents, and operating details to ensure everything is built thoughtfully and responsibly.
This isn’t just about creating a place to live.
It’s about creating a model where people don’t simply move into a community—they become co-owners in protecting it, growing it, and stewarding it for generations to come.
Sometimes the path forward isn’t the one we originally expected.
Sometimes life asks us to let go of Plan A so we can discover something even stronger.
Thank you for walking this journey with us, for believing in this vision, and for reminding us that even difficult moments can become the beginning of something extraordinary.
This community has always been about building something bigger than ourselves.
A resilient web of communities.
A resilient web of people.
A future that doesn’t depend on one person, but on all of us.
I truly believe the best chapters of SkyStone Vale are still ahead.
Join the Next Chapter
We’re currently looking for 16 founding co-owners who want to help steward the next chapter of SkyStone Vale.
If cooperative ownership, shared governance, and building resilient communities resonate with you, we’d love to start a conversation.
Reach out to unityharbour@gmail.com or talktocarmenb@gmail.com to learn more about becoming a founding co-owner.