DEPARTURE / PROPERTY RETURN AGREEMENT

DEPARTURE / PROPERTY RETURN AGREEMENT for Ozarks Church of Nature & Magical Food Forest

This agreement applies when an overnight stay, work-trade arrangement, camping arrangement, trial period, or longer-term stay ends.

The goal is simple:

Leave respectfully, remove what belongs to you, return what belongs to the property, and leave the site in good condition.

A peaceful ending is still part of community.

  1. DEPARTURE DATE

Agreed Departure Date:

If the departure date changes, the participant agrees to communicate that change as early as reasonably possible.  Any extension must be agreed upon rather than assumed.

  1. PERSONAL PROPERTY

The departing participant is responsible for removing all personal property by the agreed departure date unless another written arrangement has been made.

This includes:

  • Clothing
  • Furniture
  • Tools
  • Appliances
  • Food
  • Storage containers
  • Camping equipment
  • Personal supplies
  • Decorations
  • Outdoor equipment
  • Building materials
  • Vehicles
  • Trailers
  • Boats
  • Animal supplies
  • Other personal belongings

Items left behind are not automatically considered donated.  If something is intentionally being donated to the sanctuary, that should be clearly agreed upon before departure.

  1. VEHICLES AND TRAILERS

All personally owned vehicles, RVs, campers, trailers, boats, equipment, or other mobile property must leave with the participant unless a separate written storage agreement has been made.  Abandoned or non-operational vehicles create significant burdens and may require towing or disposal.  Participants are responsible for arranging removal of their own vehicles and equipment.

  1. ANIMALS

All animals brought onto the property must leave with the person responsible for them unless the sanctuary has explicitly agreed in writing to accept responsibility for that animal.

Permission to stay on the property does not make the sanctuary responsible for rehoming, feeding, boarding, transporting, or adopting a departing participant’s animals.

  1. TRASH AND WASTE

The participant must remove their own trash and personal waste unless another arrangement has been specifically made.

This includes:

  • Household trash
  • Food waste not approved for composting
  • Cigarette butts
  • Packaging
  • Broken personal items
  • Pet waste
  • Construction debris
  • Unwanted furniture
  • Vehicle parts
  • Scrap material
  • Other discarded belongings

The site should not be left with piles of unwanted property for others to sort through or dispose of.

  1. SITE CLEANUP

The participant agrees to leave their campsite, living area, parking area, and any regularly used shared spaces reasonably clean.

This may include:

  • Removing trash
  • Gathering loose materials
  • Cleaning up pet waste
  • Removing temporary fencing
  • Removing personal storage
  • Returning borrowed items
  • Closing or securing gates
  • Cleaning shared areas used by the participant
  • Restoring temporary changes when appropriate

Normal wear from responsible use of the land is understood.  The goal is not perfection.  The goal is not disrespecting the land by leaving a mess for somebody else.

  1. TEMPORARY STRUCTURES

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, temporary structures belonging to the participant should be removed at departure.

This may include:

  • Tents
  • Portable sheds
  • Temporary fencing
  • Kennels
  • Platforms
  • Canopies
  • Temporary decks
  • Outdoor kitchens
  • Storage shelters
  • Other removable improvements

If the sanctuary wishes to keep a structure, both sides should agree before departure.

  1. PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS

No participant should assume that constructing or improving something on the property creates ownership of the underlying land.  Likewise, ownership of buildings, materials, fixtures, or improvements should not be assumed.

Before significant construction or improvement begins, the parties should clearly establish in writing:

  • Who owns the materials
  • Who paid for them
  • Whether the improvement is temporary or permanent
  • Whether it remains with the property
  • Whether it may be removed
  • What happens if the arrangement ends

If no separate written agreement exists, the parties agree to discuss ownership and removal reasonably and in accordance with applicable law.

  1. SANCTUARY PROPERTY

Before leaving, the participant agrees to return any property belonging to the sanctuary or hosts.

This may include:

  • Tools
  • Equipment
  • Keys
  • Gate openers
  • Extension cords
  • Hoses
  • Containers
  • Kitchen items
  • Books
  • Animal supplies
  • Building supplies
  • Borrowed personal property
  • Other equipment

If something has been damaged, lost, or cannot be returned, the participant agrees to communicate honestly about it and replace, if necessary.

  1. KEYS, ACCESS CODES, AND PROPERTY ACCESS

At the end of the arrangement, all keys, access devices, gate codes, security information, or similar access credentials must be returned or discontinued as appropriate.  Ending a stay also ends routine permission to enter private residential or restricted areas unless another invitation is given.  Future visits should be arranged normally rather than assumed.

  1. MAIL AND ADDRESS CHANGES

If permission had previously been granted to use the property address, the departing participant is responsible for promptly changing their address after departure unless another written arrangement has been made.

This may include:

  • Mail
  • Banking
  • Driver’s license
  • Vehicle registration
  • Government records
  • Benefits
  • Business records
  • Court records
  • Voter registration
  • Tax records
  • Other official accounts

The sanctuary is not responsible for indefinitely receiving, storing, forwarding, or managing another person’s mail after departure.

  1. SHARED PROJECTS

Before leaving, the participant agrees to communicate about unfinished shared projects.

Whenever possible, this should include:

  • What remains unfinished
  • Where materials or tools are located
  • Anything requiring immediate attention
  • Relevant instructions or information
  • Any safety issue created by unfinished work

Nobody is required to complete an entire project simply because they are leaving.  The goal is to avoid leaving behind confusing or unsafe half-finished work without communication.

  1. DIGITAL AND BUSINESS PROPERTY

If the participant had authorized access to sanctuary business systems, websites, social media, files, accounts, customer information, passwords, financial information, or other private materials, that access ends when the arrangement ends unless otherwise agreed.

The participant agrees not to:

  • Retain confidential information for improper use
  • Represent themselves as speaking for the sanctuary after departure
  • Continue accessing private systems without permission
  • Use sanctuary customer or business information for unrelated purposes

Any sanctuary passwords or access codes known to the participant may be changed after departure as a normal security practice.

  1. OUTSTANDING FINANCIAL MATTERS

Any legitimate outstanding financial matters should be discussed and documented.

Examples may include:

  • Previously agreed paid work
  • Reimbursement for approved purchases
  • Shared utility costs
  • Actual property damage
  • Borrowed money
  • Materials purchased under a separate agreement

Neither side should invent new charges after the arrangement ends.  Whenever possible, outstanding financial matters should be resolved based upon written agreements, receipts, or other clear documentation.

  1. PEACEFUL DEPARTURE

Ending an arrangement does not require hostility.  Participants agree not to damage property, threaten residents, remove property that does not belong to them, interfere with animals, deliberately disrupt sanctuary operations, or retaliate because a stay or work-trade arrangement has ended.  Hosts agree to handle departures respectfully and according to applicable law.

Whenever circumstances safely allow, communication and reasonable transition time are preferred.  Immediate safety concerns may require a different response.

  1. LEGAL RIGHTS

Nothing in this agreement is intended to eliminate rights or responsibilities that cannot legally be waived.  If applicable law requires a particular notice, procedure, timeline, or process for ending an arrangement or handling property, applicable law controls.

  1. FINAL WALK-THROUGH

When practical, the participant and sanctuary representative may walk through the living area together before departure.

Items to review:

[ ] Personal property removed

[ ] Animals removed

[ ] Vehicles / trailers removed

[ ] Trash removed

[ ] Site reasonably clean

[ ] Sanctuary tools / equipment returned

[ ] Keys / access devices returned

[ ] Unfinished projects discussed

[ ] Mail / address matters discussed

[ ] Financial matters discussed

[ ] Temporary structures addressed

[ ] Other:

  1. FORWARDING CONTACT INFORMATION

Optional Forwarding Address:

Phone:

Email:

  1. NOTES OR SPECIAL DEPARTURE AGREEMENTS
  1. ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I understand the expectations concerning departure from the Ozarks Church of Nature & Magical Food Forest.

I agree to remove my personal property, animals, vehicles, trash, and belongings according to the arrangements above.

I agree to return sanctuary property in my possession.

I agree to communicate about unfinished projects, damage, financial matters, structures, or other unresolved issues.

I understand that leaving the property does not automatically transfer my belongings to the sanctuary unless that has been specifically agreed upon.

I understand that any legal requirements applicable to the actual arrangement remain in effect.

Participant Printed Name:

Participant Signature:

Date:

Sanctuary Representative:

Signature:

Date:

FINAL DEPARTURE CONFIRMATION

Actual Departure Date:

[ ] Site returned in acceptable condition

[ ] Issues remain to be resolved

Notes:

Participant Initials:

Sanctuary Representative Initials:

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