Land Use Planning
A long time ago, before anyone invented the term tiny house, it occurred to me that it would really simplify things if we looked at cemeteries with multi-use in mind. A triple wide plot could hold a small three story building. With a little planning, the floor-plan could accommodate both the living and the dead. For example, instead of a root cellar, the space under the house could be reserve for the departed. If the family favored cremation, the capacity would easily be sufficient for a few generations.
Now that tiny house designs have been through plenty of iterations, the interior design of a simple residence sized to fit the family plot could take advantage of space saving innovations like never before. Couple that with a growing trend towards more experiences and less stuff, we find an easy step to the dual-purpose land use-Tiny home Park/Cemetery. The only thing missing is utilities which could be addressed with solar power, composting toilets and rainwater collection. With a little planning, common green spaces could benefit from grey water. For that matter, space could be reserved for community gardens plots.
The opportunities for reducing carbon footprint go on and on.Row after row of small white house filled a few acres of prime real estate. I could easily imagine living in one of these pretty little houses. Assuming zoning permitted, I might want to add an upper floor, maybe a small balcony where I could enjoy a breeze or look at the night sky. It would be quiet, no dogs barked and I imagine the neighborhood wouldn’t attract young families with rowdy kids. 
So with all that in mind, imagine my surprise to discover the San Lazarus cemetery in Antigua, Guatemala. At first glance, I thought someone had brought this vision to life.
The San Lazarus Cemetery looked like a model of for the concept I had so many years ago. It curious – what kind of permitting would be required if I bought a piece of land and wanted to promote it as a Tiny home Park/Cemetery. Just think how many agencies would need to be involved.
