About Clearwater Commons

Living at Clearwater Commons

Clearwater Commons is an intentional, ecovillage of 16 homes in Bothell. In June 2006, a group of families purchased the 7.4 acre site on North Creek intending to build a low-impact, residential community. The site includes protected wetlands and woods, shared infrastructure, and salmon-supporting riparian habitat. The inspiration for this community grew from founding members’ involvement in The Clearwater School, located across the street.

The physical design of the community represents our underlying commitment to community and low-impact development. Pedestrian walkways, community gardens, benches, shared woodshop, art studio, and play spaces reflect our desire to interact with neighbors through the natural course of our days. We allow community meetings, gatherings, and events to evolve through our regular interactions, rather than prescribe the type and frequency of personal interaction.

Guiding Principles

We share an intention of living in ways that sustain a balance between individual and community needs and the needs of plants and animals we share the land with. We trust each resident to make decisions that are aligned with our aim of sustainability and that balance individual autonomy and community needs.

We take on a responsibility to care for our land—restoring and enhancing our natural environment of North Creek, wetlands, native growth habitat, and wildlife. We contribute to maintaining shared infrastructure that supports our daily lives and protects wildlife residents.

• We encourage everyone to participate in ongoing work, including restoring our wetland and wooded areas, tending our organic food garden, maintaining landscaped areas, removing invasive plant species, and picking up litter.
• We take care of shared buildings, maintain pathways and parking areas, and other shared infrastructure.
• We keep our community dues low by internally taking on the community’s administrative work and much of the necessary physical maintenance.

We value relationships between individuals, families, and our environment, and encourage ways of living that promote and sustain these relationships. We support diversity in family constellations and individual lifestyles.

• We appreciate a balance of privacy and interaction.
• Relationships and belonging develop organically from many and varied opportunities for interaction.
• Opportunities for connection include celebrations and other regular or seasonal social gatherings; offering and receiving support; fun work parties; spontaneous campfires, potlucks, and conversations; and formal and informal meetings.
• Living here includes knowing and being known by our neighbors.

We value communication and discussion and take the time needed to voice, understand, and learn from diverse perspectives in order to reach decisions that meet the needs of residents.

• We encourage every resident’s participation in making community decisions, celebrate those who take on specific community roles, and support anyone who identifies community needs and helps address them.
• Common interactions include coordinating parking and shared resources, offering secondhand items, requesting help with a home task, pet care when we are away, and asking for cooking ingredients, tools, or recommendations.

We hope that our efforts at Clearwater Commons will serve as an example that will influence the greater community and encourage more sustainable and ecological building practices and ways of living.

Email us to start a conversation to learn more and arrange a tour with a resident.