A Voluntaryist Co-housing Community,
overlooking Lake Arenal in Costa Rica.
55 acres with built infrastructure. Consent-based sociocratic governance.
Eight founding partner positions available at $150,000.​​
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Most readers familiar with intentional communities have encountered grand visions and ambitious promises. Marenal offers something different: an operational property with established infrastructure and the opportunity to join a voluntaryist community founded on principles of non-aggression, property rights, individual liberty, cooperation, and sociocratic governance.
Our property is not a concept waiting to be built. Once Phase I is established, it will become a co-housing community owned and managed by its member-partners.
Phase I infrastructure is complete, and Lots are ready for construction.
Franz Xaver Meier, our founder, lives on-site full-time in his residence, which was completed in 2024. The property manager's house has been occupied by Ariana Ugalde and her family for years. The guest cottage is ready for visitors. A recently completed 3-bedroom home is ready for sale and occupancy. Our Community Social Center and pool are scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2026. Our deep well supplies water to all lots, serving up to 100 homes, and the water is treated without chemicals. Fiber optic internet is installed and operational in Phase One, with water and electricity connected to each lot. The working farm produces tilapia, raises chickens and sheep, and cultivates fruits and vegetables year-round. The main and secondary agricultural roads are graded and covered with lastre, a stone-based permeable surface. Walking trails have been selected and will be cleared soon.​​​
Franz Xaver Meier, 87, Founder - Former Vice President of Food and Beverage at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, SC. He brought several restaurant concepts to South Carolina, employing over 300 people. Recognized by Charleston as one of thirty-five visionaries who shaped the City.
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He became familiar with Ayn Rand's writing and her Objectivist philosophy in mid1960. He read Human Action by Ludwig von Mises, the founder of Austrian Economics. Franz discovered Lysander Spooner, Frederic Bastiat, Murray Rothbart, F.A. Hayek, Thomas Sowell , Gary and Randy Barnett and many other liberty minded authors. Franz is still a subscriber and reader of many libertarian and anarcho-capitalist news letters, and an avid follower of world affairs. He was fascinated by the U.S. Constitution and its writers, and is baffled today by its transformation and its current leadership.
WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT
Voluntaryism and Sociocratic Governance
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While most readers are familiar with the terms of liberty and freedom, few accept that they are actually controlled by the leaders of top down democracies. Voluntaryism and Sociocracy are bottom up systems where the individual is the sovereign and determines his life choices. Voluntaryism simply means that all participation is voluntary and free from coercion. Sociocracy simply ensures that community decisions are reached through consent, not by mere majority vote.
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If you are familiar with the work of Rothbard, von Mises, or the Austrian school of economics, you already understand why these principles matter. If you are interested in learning more about how voluntary communities can function without coercion, we invite you to explore our philosophy in depth.
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As a Co-housing community, we believe in cooperation without coercion. It is essentially an intentional community in which private home owners share and own common spaces, and members support one another.
THE FOUNDING PARTNER OPPORTUNITY
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Building Your Own Community
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The founding partners are not joining someone else's community. They are building their own. Seven founding partners are needed to complete the initial Phase One.
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Phase One consists of 11 properties, of which 8 are available; 7 empty Lots and 1 Lot with a completed home.
When the 8 properties have been sold, the Marenal Partner Association, a Costa Rica S.R.L., will be activated, and those 11 individuals shall each receive 1 quota (the equivalent of 1 share).
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Phase Two consists of 21 properties. When Phase Two is released, each purchaser of a Phase Two property shall also receive 1 quota in MPA and become a member of our Sociocracy.
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All properties are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
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As part of each lot or home purchase, each quota holder will receive 1/32 interest of the designated community parcels and the commercial parcels facing highway 143. These properties are approximately 5.85 hectares in size and have been donated by MFGK S.A. , owned by Franz X. Meier. The properties have an estimated value of approximately $1,000,000 US. They will be managed by the General Council of MPA and its sub-circlemembers.
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WHO BUILT THIS​
Franz Xaver Meier
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Franz purchased this land in 2000 after concluding that a plan "B" was necessary. He purchased a second property in 2004 and operated it as a cattle farm. He sold the cattle farm in 2022 and used the proceeds to fund Marenal's development. Everything here is paid for. We have no debt and no outside investors.
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During his forty-year hospitality career, Franz served as Vice President of Food and Beverage at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head, SC. He also owned a factory producing advanced building materials, and a commercial real estate company. He owned several restaurants and was the founder of the Charleston chapter of "La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs", a world-famous food and wine society. Charleston recognized him in 2010 as one of thirty-five visionaries who shaped the city.
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Franz is eighty-seven, lives on-site full-time, and guides Marenal's development. Succession is planned: his son Xavier will oversee operations and finances, and his daughter will advise on health, exercise, and nutrition. They will ensure that the MPA concept continues.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
Three Paths Forward
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If Marenal's combination of established infrastructure, governance authority, and philosophical foundation appeals to you, we invite you to take the next step.
For those ready to visit: All prospective founding partners must visit the property in person. Franz does not transfer lots to individuals who have not seen the property and infrastructure firsthand. During your visit, you will tour existing facilities, walk available lots, meet the on-site team, and discuss governance, philosophy, and practical operations.
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For those who want complete details: Our Property and Opportunity page provides the complete infrastructure list, lot map, team bios, MPA governance structure, commercial property details, pioneer reality assessment, and pricing information.
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For those with questions: Our FAQ section addresses many of the most common ones.
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Eight founding partner positions remain available in Phase One.
The first person to commit receives the first choice of available lots.
This is not a vision of what might be. This is an invitation to join what already exists and help build what comes next, grounded in the principles of voluntary association and consent-based governance.
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Pricing: $150,000 for Phase I ($25,000 discount from the standard $175,000). Payment structure: $65,000 plus the $10,000 escrow amount at the signing of the Purchase and Sale Agreement. $75,000, as per the PSA, on or before title transfer.
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Monthly costs: $100 maintenance fee
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Title transfer: January 2027
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Right to build: From PSA contract signing
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Contact: hello@marenal.com