The 300-some residents of Caspar, an unincorporated village in northern California, have drawn up detailed plans for a model sustainable community that would run largely on solar power and include an electric-vehicle charging station, lots of open space, and affordable housing. They have proposed strict land-use regulations prohibiting new buildings that would negatively affect native species or block views or sunshine. The Casparados, as they call themselves, need about $6 million to buy a prime parcel of nearby land to make their dream come true; the well-organized group may be able to raise about $1 million on its own.
