81 replies to this topic

[Rob Randall]

I hope to see you all at the All Candidates Meetings. The next one is at 6 pm at the Solstice Cafe on Pandora and is hosted by the UVicSS.

Check my blog for updates.

[Ms. B. Havin]

I'm voting for Rob this election. He's one of the most balanced, fair-minded people I have ever had the fortune to stumble upon in politics. I really like that due to his significant online presence both on VV and his blog I can read not just his thoughts on issues but also how he arrived at them.

Same here, I'm voting for Rob, too. I don't want a stagnant city, and that means voting for someone who has balanced views about change and development in the city.

[mat]

Rob,

I moved my original post to here as being more appropriate - it was a question regarding you as running for election.

It was an interesting discussion regarding cities--what makes them lively; what makes Victoria different from other cities like Portland or San Francisco. I maintained that density causes vibrancy; another panelist disagreed saying it was a cultural attitude. We all seemed to agree that technology plays a big role by linking scattered interests together in a way that would be impossible in the real world.

You are very active online, and certainly respond not only on VV. Do you see that role changing if you are elected as councillor, and do you have ideas about engaging citizens more through web and mobile technology.

It would be a shame to have you here for the campaign, then to drop off out of time, legal or political constraints (although all would be understandable)

[Ms. B. Havin]

It would be a shame to have you here for the campaign, then to drop off out of time, legal or political constraints (although all would be understandable)

I can't speak for Rob, but that shouldn't have to happen. Google "politicians who blog," and you'll get plenty of results. One of the best is an older post (2004) by Loic Le Meur, 10 reasons why should a politician blog. (Read this entry, it's quite good.)

Since then those reasons have only gotten stronger, particularly as it's no longer seen as strange, eccentric, or marginal to engage online. I wish more of them would blog/ maintain online conversations. I hate the fact that some of them are soooo distant and convey the sense that they're too good to engage with us. Just my 2-cents.

[Rob Randall]

I will continue to blog and contribute to forums as I believe they are one of the most efficient and direct means for the public to converse with politicians.

I know that traditional venues like New Year's Levees, "Open Door" sessions and All Candidates Meetings are often dominated by a minority of individuals venting the same arguments ad nauseum. There's little room for intelligent dialogue any more.

[Bernard]

This is Rob's facebook group

[Rob Randall]

I thought I might post a few of the surveys I've done. I'm so tired of filling them out my brain is fried. Here is the one I did from VictoriaVotes.ca

Robert Randall
Posted 10/30/2008 - 21:11 by ccednet_staff

Municipality:
Victoria
Running For:
Councillor
Website:
Robert Randall Blog

Affordable Housing

If elected, what steps will you take to ensure the City develop an affordable housing strategy with clear performance targets?:

The City has a Social Planning and Housing Division but it lacks the resources to make the fundamental shifts needed. An independent Coalition similar to the Mayor's Task Force on Homelessness would provide accountability, goals and milestones for citizens to monitor and contribute to. This can be set up quickly.

Will you support a minimum percentage of affordable units or property tax exemptions for affordable housing?:

Yes. As Chair of the DRA we have had some success in getting affordable housing in new developments but there are many barriers and challenges that made it difficult. Encouraging leveraged funding will make limited funding go further. Tax exemptions will pay off in the long run.

How will you get funding from upper levels of government to address affordable housing and homelessness in Victoria?:

Complaining won't accomplish much. The money is there for projects but much of it is intended for large projects unsuitable for our neighbourhoods. Other funding promises are tied to yearly budgetary spending requirements which prevents adequate leveraging by non-profits. As a city of under 100,000, Victoria is shut out of many programs for larger Canadian cities. These barriers and more must be overcome with increased cooperation across municipal and governmental boundaries and more a more flexible approach to allocating funds. My work with the region's various housing providers convinces me this is possible.

Land Use and Development

Do you support formally adopting Smart Growth and New Urbanism principles? If yes, which ones specifically?:

Absolutely. I have spoken twice before the Urban Development Institute on urban issues related to smart growth. I've worked to ensure Downtown development met smart growth principles, including ensuring new mixed use projects had a sustainable and varied range of tenants and features. We worked with architects to design buildings with less interface for automobiles and more for pedestrian and retail use. I advocated the concentration of new construction away from traditional communities and closer to existing density and areas of future rapid transit capability.

How will you go about ensuring the City lives up to its commitment to use triple bottomline in all land use decisions?:

We can tie TBL committments to zoning and Development Permit applications. A wide range of industry input will ensure cooperation.

What will you do to build the capacity of the City of Victoria to facilitate community‐based processes and engage citizens?:

Traditional City Hall open house sessions and Community Association activities try but fail to reach all citizens. Taking info sessions into the neighbourhoods and using web-based technology will open new windows of communication with residents, particularly the young, renters and newcomers.

Sustainable EconomyWhat steps will you take to ensure the City is carbon neutral by 2012?:

It requires more than merely turning out lights and buying smaller cars for City staff. Every aspect the City is involved with must be examined in terms of its carbon footprint, with measurable goals, rewards, milestones and consequences for compliance, overseen by an unbiased outside agency.

If elected, how will you support community economic development?:

With the coming economic downturn, we are facing a crisis. We cannot simply manage the recession, we must be proactive and protect our economic interests by creating a regional Economic Development Team within City Hall that ensures economic health and diversity by going after commercial interests and giving them a solid economic argument for setting up shop in the Capital City. Nanaimo is ahead of us in this regard--we can't afford to play catch-up.

Do you support a triple bottom line approach to purchasing policies and looking at ways to purchase from social enterprises?:
Yes.

[mat]

Rob: Welcome to the new paradigm in civic politics - you can certainly complete the surveys, and post them back to the polling organizations, and let them publish as they wish. You can also, as done in your post, place your answers in a public forum, and for that you deserve congrats.

[Bernard]

What amazes me about all these surveys is how badly they are publicized. Very few seem to get out to the public or even out to the interest group.

The surveys also seem to do very little to illuminate much about any of the candidates.

What will you do to build the capacity of the City of Victoria to facilitate community‐based processes and engage citizens?:

A question like this will only get meaningless and irrelevant answers that will all sound the same. No one has figured out how to get people to care about their local government - why ask this sort of question at all?

What amazes me is that none of the surveys seem to ask the most relevant of questions:
1) Why you should anyone vote for you and not all the other people that are running?
2) What makes you think you are better qualified to be on council than the other people running?

The surveys would make sense if they were the basis of a group releasing a list of people they endorse, but so far no one has done that. The VLC endorses but goes through a different process.

The amount of information someone has to read through to figure out anything the candidates with the surveys is too much. Take a look at the Cridge Park Rescue survey. You have to scroll down page after page to find out anything. Actually you find out nothing because everyone that answered the survey had the same answer.

[Rob Randall]

I think only Chris Coleman and Charlayne and probably Geoff Young had the guts to say something original regarding Cridge Park in the surveys.

Meanwhile, I'm up before dawn to try and finish two more surveys that are due before noon today and there are still several more to go.

The highest priority are the media and prominent organizations with broad-based interests. The lowest priority are those sent by individuals angry about a single issue who will tear you a new one if you don't agree with them.

[Ms. B. Havin]

What amazes me is that none of the surveys seem to ask the most relevant of questions:
1) Why you should anyone vote for you and not all the other people that are running?
2) What makes you think you are better qualified to be on council than the other people running?

Bang on, Bernard.

I wonder if it has something to do with the supposed Canadian penchant for self-effacement? You know, if you had to "brag" about yourself and tell everyone why you're head and shoulders superior to all the other candidates, you'd probably be vilified as un-Canadian, if not outright American.

[Rob Randall]

I was interviewed in the current issue of Focus Magazine for an article titled `What`s your dream City`.

[Rob Randall]

Another question and answer, this time from Hillside-Quadra Neighbourhood Action Group. Several more surveys to go:

1. Vacant former school playing field

The former Blanshard School playing field, now in the hands of developers, sits vacant and unused, 3.5 acres at the heart of our community and adjacent to Quadra Village. The departing Council did not approve a proposed townhouse development and in today’s market realities it is unlikely to bedeveloped for some years. A maintenance liability for the developer leaseholder, it fills with needles, trash, homeless and petty criminal activity while the Community cries out for space for community gardens and informal (not organized team sports) recreation space.
What will you do to facilitate a win-win interim solution that addresses the problems of the site, benefits the developer/lease holder during the wait for better economic conditions, and provides the community with much-needed temporary access and use of the land?

As Chair of the Downtown Residents' Association I have experience with this topic as Downtown also has problems with large lots lying fallow. Every time I try to organize a community garden on a dormant plot of land Downtown the development proposal seems to spring to life. Maybe that's a good omen, but in any case the thing we can do right now is get that garden in. Developers see it as a win as long as their concerns about liability and servicing costs are addressed. Residents love them as long as they all know that this is likely a temporary set up. This provides "eyes-on-the-street" to somewhat alleviate social disorder.

2. Summit Park Management

Summit Park is the jewel of our neighbourhood, continually high on every neighbourhood list of priorities. Managed in the past more through benign neglect than strategic direction, Parks staff and community members have been making best efforts to steward the park, one of the largest remaining Garry oak meadow habitats in the region and the world. The Park is being abused by homeless and other unsympathetic users. Adjacent land developments are being proposed that do little to preserve or enhance the unique values of the Park, while much of the functional “park” land is actually held for future use by the CRD and the City without protection or a specificmanagement plan.
What will you do to engage the CRD, involve the Community and implement a focused and consistent management plan for Summit Park and adjacent lands?

Summit Park is indeed a hidden jewel in Victoria's parks portfolio; I love visiting it. First I need to know what the CRD's long-long term plans are. Will the reservoir one day be obsolete like the Candlestick in Rock Bay (which is now completely encircled by development, shut off from the public)? Like the Blanshard School situation, eyes-on-the-street work here too. Get more park users up there to alleviate the social problems. Let's support the Mayor's Task Force and Ted Hughes' Coalition to End Homelessness so that less people will see the park as a refuge. Organize a "take back the park" group with local residents who can partner with City parks staff to beautify and most importantly, maintain the area. This will take teamwork and dedication as even the Capital City's high-profile parks are suffering from budget cutbacks. Partnering with developers might be an avenue to explore. If development is destined to occur we would be foolish not to explore every option to enhance the park's interface with residential development. How about a density transfer agreement that would actually add land to the park? Let's get all the stakeholders in for a day-long charette and see what arises.

3. Quadra Village Economic Development

Quadra Village is the commercial heart of our neighbourhood. While plucky businesses have been moving into the Village and making a success of it, we have a long way to go to achieve the vision in our neighbourhood plan of 1995. City Council approved Quadra Village Development Guidelines in 1996, but even in the recent development boom no developer was encouraged enough to develop according to the Guidelines. Commercial property managers continue to promote marginal, low Community benefit businesses as tenants and many commercial spaces remain empty. Safety and security remain ongoing concerns in the face of substance abuse and fear of crime.
What will you do to help Quadra Village develop to its potential according to the visions of the City, the Community and the business owners?
Part of the problem may be that few non-HQ residents, whether developer or Councillor are familiar with the building guidelines. I've been watching the evolution of Quadra Village for decades now. I lived over on Cook St. during the late 80s so the Village was my "downtown" and I'm pleased to see the current renaissance. You are right--much more needs to be done. Like my present home on Fort Street's Antique Row, sometimes all it takes is a single development to set off a turnaround. In 2000 it was the redevelopment of the Mosaic condominium. Quadra Village could benefit from a similar spark. A landmark low-rise residential building displaying architectural excellence that enhances the Village's eclectic nature would breathe life into the make up of the street. The Downtown Residents' Association has had great success educating developers and architects about Harris Green and what kind of architecture fits its unique character. Similarly, the HQ NAG can use its Land Use Committee to further encourage creative development. There's not much that can be done with disinterested commercial landlords except continue to let them know that a revitalized streetscape is good for the bottom line. The DVBA's "Clean Team" employs street people to scrub buildings and sidewalks. A spotless commercial strip pays dividends as Downtown businesses have learned. QV merchants can copy this. We must be proactive--we can't wait for a developer to come in and fix things for us.

4. Downtown Problems Spilling over into Neighbourhoods

Victoria’s Downtown has serious problems with a declining economic base, public disorder related to entertainment establishments, homelessness and substance abuse with related crime and social problems. We wish to see those problems addressed, it is our Downtown too, but past efforts have often only served to displace undesirable activities into neighbourhoods that do not have the policing and social services to address the intensity of these issues. Our easy walking distance to Downtown is one of our assets, but makes us particularly vulnerable to “move along” policies for social and crime problems.
What will you do to address the problems of Downtown while protecting adjacent neighbourhoods from displacement and spillover of Downtown problems?

Through my work on the DRA, Downtown Advisory Committee and other organizations, I've been tracking the unfortunate trend of displacement on our neighbourhoods. This is not the way to solve homelessness. Several new programs that I heartily support are either underway or in the planning stages. The Con-Air program ships career criminals back to jurisdictions that have outstanding warrants against them. The proposed Community Court system gets those chronically causing social disorder a choice to turn their lives around or go immediately to jail. New treatment options for the addicted and those suffering from mental illness are coming online as fast as they can be staffed. These programs and more will help but must be balanced against exisiting Charter rights. I'm working with the Downtown service providers on implementing these solutions and more and I'm optimistic they will result in a visible reduction in social disorder in Hillside-Quadra.

cont.

[Rob Randall]

cont.

5. Citizen-Centred City Services

City Hall operates in silos and even citizens with inside knowledge have great difficulty tracking files and issues. Departments focus on their own interests and processes, often to the detriment of applicants and the Community. The City web site is huge but mostly unhelpful to citizens. City public consultation processes seem more often designed to “validate” the priorities of staff in a token effort rather than to truly listen to the citizens and incorporate their needs and suggestions into City initiatives. Other cities have made great use of citizen-centred processes and information technology to focus on better meeting the needs of the citizens.
What will you do to implement a citizen-centred culture and services at City Hall, including real public consultation instead of tokenism, “one-stop shopping” for applicants, single point of contact and advocacy with time tracking for each file/application, and proper use of modern technology to allow citizens to look up properties, applications and files to see what is going on, get involved and contribute appropriately?

Saanich and Nanaimo are way ahead of us on this. The lucrative development boom we assumed would pay for a streamlined, state-of-the-art planning process and web presence has come and gone. The relationship among City staff, Council, developers and Community Associations is all to often one of mistrust and suspicion. This can lead to disastrous consequences. In Cook St. Village, an acrimonious proposal ended a multi-year approval process with fewer community amenities than it originally came with. This is unacceptable. As Chair of the Downtown Residents' Association I've been successful in negotiating better deals for Downtown by engaging with developers and finding common goals and clearly articulating our needs as residents. I've also been involved in the revamping of the CALUC process with my counterparts from Victoria's other neighbourhoods. A few days after the November 15 election, The City of Victoria will be releasing the Cuff Report on the state of City Hall operations and I strongly suspect there will be compelling data that supports a fundamental shift in the way the City does Planning and community management.

6. Rising Taxes – Where is the “Development Dividend”?

Victoria has just gone through one of the most active development periods in its history, with massive redevelopment and large scale construction, especially in the Downtown. While this should have added to the tax base and provided multiple opportunities for the public to benefit, in fact our taxes are still going up and it seems every request for services is met with handwringing about shortage of resources and “no money”.
What will you do to ensure that development is a financial boon and not a burden on the taxpayers of Victoria?

The current boom pales in comparison to the massive building boom of 1965-75 where thousands of higher-end units were built. Ironically, much of this construction is now considered part of Victoria's affordable market rental housing stock. Nonetheless, the pressure on our aging infrastructure continues to increase. Residential taxes are predicted to rise, especially if the anticipated drop in business taxes comes to pass. New construction built during the recent boom is just now coming on line and the financial rewards are yet to be fully realized. The coming economic crisis will intensify the need to get the most from each new development. Development Cost Charges and a revamped amenity contribution plan are two ways to get the most out of future development. I am committed to ensuring that all Victorians, current and future, benefit from property redevelopment.

Robert Randall,

Candidate for City Council.

[Ms. B. Havin]

^ That's an interesting survey/ set of questions. Thanks for putting it online Rob -- good responses from you, too.

(PS: I meant "putting it online here, on the forum," which lets us see it. I don't think I'd find half these things if they weren't posted here.)

[Rob Randall]

Here's the old Monday article announcing my candidacy:

Downtown advocate throws in

Downtown Resident Association president Robert Randall is one of the latest Victoria city council contenders.

“Victoria is at a real critical time in its development and there didn’t seem to be a lot of people stepping up to seize that challenge,” he says of his decision to throw his hat in the ring.

The artist and graphic designer has been the president of the DRA since 2006 and has been regularly attending council meetings as part of his work with the DRA—something he says many of the other nominees haven’t really done.

“I don’t think we’ve seen a lot of people who are putting their names forward actually at these meetings and getting involved with the issues and getting right down in the trenches. Not just talking about it abstractly, but really dealing with these things and getting to know what is going on,” he says. “A council term is only three years and if you haven’t attended a meeting or aren’t too up on some of the nitty gritty details, we just don’t have the time—especially with at least three rookie councillors—to have a six-month boot camp while people learn the terminology.”

Randall says his main focal points if elected would be social issues, such as enacting recommendations made by the Mayor’s Task Force on Breaking the Cycle of Mental Illness, Addictions and Homelessness and getting a community court system in place, as well as working towards creating more market rental housing. He also stresses that his focus is not just on downtown issues.

“I’m not just the downtown candidate. I was born and raised in Victoria and I’ve lived in neighbourhoods in Victoria and my family has lived in Victoria for many years,” he says. “I’m really committed to ensuring that Victoria’s neighbourhoods remain family friendly.”

[Rob Randall]

From today's paper:

Where do candidates stand on economy?

Times Colonist
Published: Sunday, November 02, 2008

The upcoming municipal election has the candidates reeling with responses to a plethora of concerns from homelessness to dog parks.

In this economic climate, which can be complex and confusing, it is critical that candidates clearly articulate their stands on economic development in the capital region.

Victoria's Values-based Business Network, whose mandate is to develop and promote a responsible, sustainable and thriving business culture in the capital region, extends to all candidates these challenges that can be addressed at the upcoming public forums and through the local press:

• What is your vision of economic development for this region?
• What are your proposed strategies to foster this development?

While the VBN supports a triple-bottom-line approach to business (social responsibility, environmental consciousness and economic viability), it is essential for our potential governing officials to define a clear plan for sustainable economic development and growth.

We urge mayoral and council candidates to respond to these challenges in the public forums, and in the local press.

Sally Glover and Ian Baker
Co-Chairs, Values-based
Business Network
Victoria

I love this question because it hasn't been asked of us by any group. The Quadra-Hillside CA alluded to the economy in a planning context but no-one seems aware of the potential economic crisis that awaits us.

Last week I met with candidates Rob Reid and Barry Hobbis where we discussed this issue because we felt it was being ignored (no offense to the dog park advocates) and that to weather the storm Victoria had to be proactive. This is why we are now advocating the creation of a City department devoted to aggressively attracting new business to the Capital City. Nanaimo has had great success doing this and it's shameful we are playing second fiddle.

Democamp 02 happened last week but I didn't see any media play on it. This is the future of high-tech in Victoria but there are some still stuck in the 20th Century who think attracting high tech means pleading with IBM to set up a head office in a giant industrial park.

Diversifying the economy is a vital task, and it doesn't mean merely adding a few cafes in with the T-shirt shops on Government St.

[Rob Randall]

Urban Development Institute Questionnaire:

□ What is your overall blueprint for a sustainable Victoria? What specific and immediate initiatives would you propose as part of the sustainability framework for the city, and how will that impact development interests?

A clear vision for environmental goals and urban density targets. Developers today are receiving mixed signals on the latter. Concentrating density in areas where it’s best suited meets environmental targets and protects established residential neighbourhoods. I have spoken twice before the Urban Development Institute on urban issues related to smart growth. I've worked to ensure Downtown development met smart growth principles, including ensuring new mixed use projects had a sustainable and varied range of tenants and features. We worked with architects to design buildings with less interface for automobiles and more for pedestrian and retail use. I advocated the concentration of new construction away from traditional communities and closer to existing density and areas of future rapid transit capability.


□ Independent of provincial and federal housing programs and funding, can you envision any ‘made in Victoria’ affordable housing solutions in social, market rental and market purchase housing? What are they, and what city and private sector roles would you champion?

Lobbying the Federal and Provincial governments for handouts isn’t the be all and end all solution. Several “made-in-Victoria” solutions are in the works. As Chair of the Downtown Residents’ Association I hear from many in the housing field who are ready to implement plans. Groups such as the Victoria Real Estate Board and the Urban Development Institute have shown leadership in providing a place for the private sector to partner with non-profits to provide housing.

□ Do you support the preferred Downtown Plan option for the future development of downtown? What, in terms as specific as possible, do you hope to accomplish in making this option a reality? What is your view of the current health of the downtown economy?

The current state of the local economy is good but service providers Downtown are not optimistic and many are telling me they are bracing for the toughest economic times in recent memory. Downtown is currently in the midst of a rebirth of sorts, with residential population levels finally reaching 1970 levels. This is good for year-round economic health. The Provincial government is poised to commit to a large amount of new LEED-certified office space. Yet there is much to do to ensure economic health during the coming downturn. We must keep business tax rates as low as possible to minimize the damaging effects of the downturn. Leadership at City Hall will ensure developers know full well what can be built and what can’t. When I discussed the new Cross-town plan at a UDI luncheon earlier this year I made it clear that I thought this was the best way to balance density, transit and neighbourhood preservation for all Victorians. I support the creation of an Economic Development Board to pro-actively attract business to the Capital City.

□ Do you have a blueprint for a new central library, art gallery and other facilities designed to enrich downtown as the cultural capital of the region? What is that blueprint, what’s the timing, and what is your strategy for obtaining consensus amongst the region’s stakeholders for the capital funding for such new facilities, or for a go-it-alone option?

These facilities are badly overdue. The GVPL has been in temporary quarters since I was a young boy. Silver Threads has been in temporary quarters for nearly five years with no end in sight. I’m committed to a new GVPL and a satellite location for the AGGV. Getting consensus is important yet the other municipalities will want input into how their money is spent in the core. We can’t let this bog down the process. Victoria was as close as it’s ever been to achieving the long-awaited goal of a new gallery but the process quickly became bogged down in a debate over height and density. The City can do better by clarifying the rules on building form and where it’s best suited to go and sticking to it. Neighbourhoods and developers demand clarity.

□ How would you alter the development approval process and related policies to improve the working relationship and sense of collaboration between industry, community and the city?

The UDI and my fellow CALUC chairs have been involved in the process of revamping the procedures of applying for rezonings and variances. Getting all the stakeholders at the table and hammering out a consensus was tough but successful. Let’s keep this door open. Mutual education is helping as well. The UDI’s “Development 101” brought neighbourhood groups, developers and the general public together to learn about the challenges they face. I hope this was the first of many such events and that the City gets involved too. But rezonings are still taking up to two years and more. This is unacceptable. Neighbourhood plans must be strengthened and supportable and residents and proponents must not receive mixed signals about the potential for future development.

□ It’s conceivable the city will be less able to count on revenue contributions from new development during the next mayoral term. If faced with reduced development revenue, what is your strategy for funding infrastructure upgrades and public space improvements?

If this is indeed the case, all other options including tax holidays, leveraged grants and density transfer schemes must be investigated. Infrastructure upgrades, art and environmental features and public space improvements should not be extras that are passed over in tough economic times. They are a vital part of the make-up of a modern city.

□ What, in your view, are the major deficiencies in city operation or culture? What is your plan for improvement?

A sense of malaise seems evident at City Hall. The development process remains antagonistic at times with frequent conflict among those in Planning, Council, development, the various Community Associations and residents. As one DRA member asked when seeing yet another development flounder through a multi-year ordeal, “Who’s driving the planning bus?” All stakeholders would benefit from strengthened community plans and a commitment to adhering to smart growth principles. As a Community Association Chair, I understand the concerns of residents. I will support the Mayor and other Council members in setting priorities when it comes to development.

[Sue Woods]

Diversifying the economy is a vital task, and it doesn't mean merely adding a few cafes in with the T-shirt shops on Government St.

I totally agree Rob. And good survey answers as well! A treat to read such a comprehensive vision for Victoria going forward. Cheers, Sue

[Phil McAvity]

Rob, do you have any plans on decreasing the "gestation" time it takes to move new ideas through city council?