FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A Fayetteville woman wants to continue running what she calls a "hippie commune" in the middle of town, but she’s facing legal issues because her home is not zoned for that. Now, she’s asking the city planning commission for a conditional use permit.
“I never thought to imagine that I would end up running a hippie commune in the middle of town. That was definitely not the plan,” said Sophia Joan.
Sophia Joan's home sits on west Hatfield street in Fayetteville and it's surrounded by neighbors. It's there Joan operates the organization "OHSIIC" which stands for "opportunity housing space, intentionally inclusive community." She says residents give up privacy, but by living together they go towards something greater.
“I was supposed to just quietly rent out two rooms while I finished graduate school and then go back overseas, but then as I got here and met my community and my family, I really realized what a need there was and that’s kind of what it ended up becoming,” she said.
That was in March and since then Joan has received multiple zoning violations for overoccupancy and using the home as a cultural and recreational facility. She’s asking the Fayetteville Planning Commission for a conditional use permit, so she can continue operating and holding events.
“We’ve had flow art shows, we’ve had a clown from France come by. We’ve had the most talented individuals I’ve ever met are able to bring their unique talents to OSIC by meeting other people it’s absolutely come this incredible experience,” she said.
The land where OHSIIC is located is zoned single-family residential, which means only three people who are unrelated can live there. City of Fayetteville Senior Planner, Ryan Umberger says since Joan received the last violation, she signed an affidavit that there are now only three people living in the home. Umberger says his office is recommending the planning commission deny this conditional use permit.
“Perhaps the most appropriate thing would either to relocate to a zoning district where that would be allowed or to basically reduce the scale to a way that’s compatible with the neighboring properties,” he said.
Joan wants to find a way to continue running OHSIIC legally because she doesn’t plan on stopping. She knows her neighbors are very angry with her and that she owes them an apology.
“I have been a bad neighbor. I have caused issues and I need to recognize that and move forward because it’s not fair for their sacred home space to be interfered with my crazy stuff that’s gone on in my home. So, I need to figure out a way to respectfully move forward and be a good neighbor,” she said.
The Fayetteville Planning Commission voted to deny the conditional use permit at their meeting on Monday, July 11.
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