Interim Development Council

Background:

The Development Council was approved on an interim basis in the Resident's Assembly of 26 th of May, 2000, after a community process which started in September 1999. In this whole process a new structure for Planning and Development for Auroville was imagined which will be more transparent and responsive.
This proposal wishes to outline clearly the ways in which the development council functions and suggest some policies that this group would facilitate. Policies will be created when needed and it should be understood that they are constantly evolving.

The Development Council is a decision-making body working in collaboration with the planning group and the monitoring group.

Functions:

• To identify the needs and propose policies regarding development within Auroville.

• To receive and review, study and approve (or reject) proposals for all development projects in consultation with the planning group and the monitoring group.

• To collaborate with the planning group and suggest priorities.

• To work on the development fund by contacting sources of funding and collaborate on future funding opportunities.

• To work together with the groups representing environmental, financial, social and other concerns of the larger community and the bio-region.

• To implement the Master Plan.

Membership:

Aurovilians with experience in various fields of development will voluntarily constitute the group. It will also contain representatives of other working groups of the community for better communication and collaboration. The members should show a clear commitment to work within the group process for at least two years.

We would like to describe the characteristics of the other two groups that work on Development in Auroville. They are:

Monitoring Group

This group helps the Development Council by providing advice on matters pertaining to building applications and follows up on current projects.

Planning Group

This group studies, evaluates and makes recommendations on the macro level of development in the community, and presents alternatives for consideration to the Development Council.

There are four Zone Groups:

• The Industrial Zone

• International Zone

• Cultural Zone and

• Residential Zone.

Each Zone Group will assist the Development Council by providing advice on matters of development pertaining to their zone. Members of these groups should send a representative who will attend Development Council meetings regularly. Other groups, such as the Green Group and the Beach Group, should also send representatives as needed to work on projects pertaining to their particular concerns. The Planning Group will be assisted in each Zone by a "working station", consisting of the architects presently working in each Zone and their staff.

The work of the Zone Groups is to:

• Prepare plans for their zone.

• Monitor projects.

• Provide advice at the level of infrastructure upon consultation with the appropriate services.

• Check the environmental impact of the project.

Aurofuture:

Aurofuture provides the Development Council with a technical office, offering a support structure and is a link to important sources of funding for projects from outside.

The main sections are:

• Survey

• Mapping

• Graphics

• International city networking

• Planning assistance to the Planning Group

In all its work, Aurofuture will be under the guidance of the Development Council.

Relation between the Three Groups (Planning, Development Council and Monitoring):

The three groups should be perfectly synchronized, at the same time allowing each group a sufficient amount of autonomy to work effectively in their field.

Policies:

Certain policies regarding development within Auroville have already been formulated and are being followed. Other policies are being created as needed. For example:

1. No stewardship of the land will be proposed in the areas of development within the city limit as defined on land by the present master plan.

2. The main zones, namely Residential, Industrial, International and Cultural and the greenbelt are the areas where development will be concentrated.

3. Zone groups will assist the Development Council in the decision-making process by reviewing project proposals in their zone and making recommendations to the Development Council.

4. Final approval for a project rests with the Development Council, issued after consultation with the zone groups and the community-at-large through a well-publicized feedback process.

We would also like to add that our small beginning as a working group has not been without its successes. We have managed to create an open, welcoming atmosphere to those who come with projects, questions, or complaints.

• The Residential Zone and the Industrial Zone groups have been re-formed with members from different parts of the community, giving a wider scope to their work.

• The Cultural Zone group has come together several times because of the work for CIRHU, and those with projects have gotten to know each other a bit.

• The International Zone Group is now an active, well attended group whose work has really taken off with lots of participation from many new members.

• We have attended meetings with the Green Group in a sincere effort to understand each other and find a common ground for our work.

• We have hosted a seminar on Water, and we would like to host more on development topics important to the community.