CDS Covenant - DRAFT 2011-04-24

[FernLeissa]

Hi Bethan,

There was a requirement that all members must be citizens (i.e. must have bought some land individually) before joining a group (NL 5-9 Group Land Ownership Act). I am not clear that that is the case any longer. Note that section 1 of NL 5-9, which does not appear to have been replaced by the amendment NL 7-7, refers specifically to “Plots of land in Neufreistadt....”

NL 5-9 was amended by NL 7-7 in October 2007. The amendment as I mentioned, makes no reference to section 1 of NL 5-9, where the requirement that you must first be a citizen before joining a group appears. Instead NL 7-7 starts with section 2:

NL 7-7 Amendment to NL 5-9 Group Land Ownership Act
Amendment to NL5-9 Group Land Ownership Act

Replace 2 with the following and renumber:

Residents of SL receive citizenship in the CDS by owning land in one of the territories administered by the CDS, and by agreeing to comply with the laws and covenants of the community. The citizen, who shall be a RL person presenting themself as a single SL avatar, may hold land either through individual ownership (in which their name is displayed on the "About Land" page of their parcel), or through membership in a group (in which the group name is displayed as "owner" on the "About Land" page of their parcel). The group shall own, compliant with the covenants regarding maximum ownership by any single citizen, at least 128 sq meters of land for each individual whose citizenship is qualified by that land……

So I don't know if we can claim that you must first own land (=be a citizen) or not, before joining a group. The law seems very unclear to me here.

Fern

[Guillaume Mistwalker]

Zone I (Inner City)
Zone I is for both commercial and residential use. Buildings must be strictly must be consistent with a Medieval Germanic style as expressed in an urban environment. All structures must be placed immediately adjacent to a street or connect to it via a path. All plots must have buildings. All buildings must have functioning doors. A person may not hold more than 2 lots or more than 1024m2 in zone I. Plots in zone C are named IXXX.

Hello, Fern!

I've just recently moved into NFS and I have gotten rid of my house (because they have too many prims!). While there are some, myself included, who dislike the undecorated parcels of land that have been used for either commercial or recreation, as some have put down just a beehive on their plot and called it a day as it were, I believe that there are some who would believe their plot of land was better used as a garden. I would be one of those people, and my garden has been given alot of positive feedback. I believe it would be more fair if we had this as concerning Zone I in NFS:

Zone I (Inner City)
Zone I is for both commercial and residential use. Buildings must be strictly must be consistent with a Medieval Germanic style as expressed in an urban environment. All structures must be placed immediately adjacent to a street or connect to it via a path. All plots must have structures on the parcel, that are used for residence, commerce or recreation, that cover the parcel. All buildings must have functioning doors. A person may not hold more than 2 lots or more than 1024m2 in zone I. Plots in zone C are named IXXX.

Bolding, Italics and colouring is my own. Please feel free to comment back, reply or change the wording to fit the rest of the Covenant!

-- Guillaume.

[FernLeissa]

Hi Guiallume,

It might simpler to just remove the entire sentence you have hightlighted. That way it is understood that a plot is not required to have a building, but if it does it should be placed immediately adjacent....etc.

I think if we allow inner city plots w/out buildings that we should accept anything on that plot consistent with Medieval Germany. That could be a small park, or a bee hive, or duck pond. As long as there is not a 21st century ATM machine (or whatever) in the middle of the plot I would think we could consider it "consistent."

So then...

Zone I (Inner City)
Zone I is for both commercial and residential use. Buildings must be strictly must be consistent with a Medieval Germanic style as expressed in an urban environment. All structures must be placed immediately adjacent to a street or connect to it via a path. All buildings must have functioning doors. A person may not hold more than 2 lots or more than 1024m2 in zone I. Plots in zone C are named IXXX.

Fern

[Sudane Erato]

When the builders (Ulrika and Kendra) first created NFS they were concerned to insist that a building be placed on every parcel. If it wasn't, the city would soon lose the "small winding streets" character. Needless to say, that rule has been bypassed over the years.

But I do think we should consider that intent, as it had real merit. The identification of the "within the walls" area of NFS will change drastically if everyone has simply a garden. It loses a lot of the quality of what makes NFS what it is.

Sudane.............................

[Rosie Gray]

When the builders (Ulrika and Kendra) first created NFS they were concerned to insist that a building be placed on every parcel. If it wasn't, the city would soon lose the "small winding streets" character. Needless to say, that rule has been bypassed over the years.

But I do think we should consider that intent, as it had real merit. The identification of the "within the walls" area of NFS will change drastically if everyone has simply a garden. It loses a lot of the quality of what makes NFS what it is.

Sudane.............................

I agree with the idea behind this too, as NFS is meant to be a walled city and it's one of the things I like best about it - but I can understand that some of the lots are so low prim that it's difficult to have a building and anything inside of it too.

Here's a thought for something in-between - thinking along the lines of what other types of buildings would be in a small medieval walled city besides houses and shops. How about small workshop, shed for maintenance, rubble heap/scrap yard/pile of building supplies?

Of course anything put down should be as realistic as possible, which means NO FULL BRIGHT (among other things) on buildings or plants etc.

I'd like to point out that there are some completely empty buildings still in NFS, not for sale, and especially there is one right on the platz. Perhaps the owners would consider donating the space to a non-profit if they aren't going to use these spaces? Empty buildings are very sad in NFS.

Rosie

[Guillaume Mistwalker]

It might simpler to just remove the entire sentence you have hightlighted. That way it is understood that a plot is not required to have a building, but if it does it should be placed immediately adjacent....etc.

As you are the author, I feel you would know better than I how to write it. The version you have added seems fine to me!

When the builders (Ulrika and Kendra) first created NFS they were concerned to insist that a building be placed on every parcel. If it wasn't, the city would soon lose the "small winding streets" character. Needless to say, that rule has been bypassed over the years.

But I do think we should consider that intent, as it had real merit. The identification of the "within the walls" area of NFS will change drastically if everyone has simply a garden. It loses a lot of the quality of what makes NFS what it is.

Whilst I do not intend to disrespect our founders or their work, things have changed since then. I do not think that many people would get rid of their homes, too, because it would make the area look barren and I think they would know that. Furthermore, people want a place to live or sell their wares -- a garden isn't the best place for that. Not only do we have the attractive limit on it, but we also have that utility limit. I am, of course, willing to add a wall to my garden, in order to make it a building, just as Delia has done with her Catfahrt parcel. However, I don't see the need, when I intended it to be open to the public and serving to all. I concede to the majority, of course, if people rather have a structure there.