58 replies to this topic

[yodsaker]

The only problem is, he was assuming we were all ignorant of what a 12,000 sq.ft. house looks like but I have seen countless houses of similar dimensions inside and out. I'll bet others here have seen some really big houses too. Just because he hasn't doesn't mean we are all ignorant.

The thing I will never understand is why is it anybody's business how big someone else's house is or how big the size of their lot is? It seems to me that the only person that this should concern is the homeowners themselves. People like Nils Jensen just make me shake my head too. I'll tell you what Nils, if you're so concerned with green features, build them all into your house.

No wonder, Phil. It was a terrible sentence.
What I meant was back in the day I think there may have been fewer restrictions on building in Uplands and people built what they wanted.
People built huge piles like Riffington in the '10s and '20s and banal, crappy bungys in the '50s.
Now Uplands is sacred and there are hoops to jump through.
I favour zoning otherwise we get Houston at best and Lagos at worst. But people living 2 miles away should not be able to decide.
If you can see it and can be affected by it then your voice should be heard. Unfortunately we cannot legislate taste.

[Phil McAvity]

No wonder, Phil. It was a terrible sentence.
What I meant was back in the day I think there may have been fewer restrictions on building in Uplands and people built what they wanted.
People built huge piles like Riffington in the '10s and '20s and banal, crappy bungys in the '50s.
Now Uplands is sacred and there are hoops to jump through.
I favour zoning otherwise we get Houston at best and Lagos at worst. But people living 2 miles away should not be able to decide.
If you can see it and can be affected by it then your voice should be heard. Unfortunately we cannot legislate taste.

Why should a person's voice be heard simply because they can see someone's house? If you don't like someone's house, don't look at it! Have you ever seen that old car around town that has all the toys on it? I happen to think that is one of the neatest looking things i've ever seen but if government starts legislating people's cars the way they do people's houses, cars like that will be illegal. If you think my scenario is ridiculous, think again. Government is our sacred cow. Canadians have a deep love for it which is why so many go apeshit when government's try to scale themselves back even slightly. The problem of course is that because everyone can see these houses they know better than the owner about what should be built, except they aren't paying for it and that's why I believe that the owner should be the sole arbiter of such things. The hubris of many people (like Nils Jensen) is really something. I suppose there is some merit in the neighbourhood property value argument but not enough to warrant a municipal dictatorship. So you would seriously like to see the government legislate taste? Please tell me you're kidding. I don't think the Uplands is any more sacred than anywhere else, the thing that's changed from the past is the size and scope of government. Back then people had a lot more freedom to build whatever house they wanted without a bunch of civic fascists telling them they're wrong and it's not allowed. Also, you really think Riffington is a "huge pile"?!?!? Architecture, like art, is so subjective because I think Riffington is one of the one of the nicest houses i've ever seen!

Holden, your smugness is really quite limitless, isn't it?

[yodsaker]

I like Rifington, too. "Pile" is not necessarily pejorative when applied to architecture. Chatsworth in England is often referred to in that way and it is one of the finest houses in the western world.

[Phil McAvity]

ahhh so maybe I misunderstood. I've always understood "pile" to be a more polite and concise way of saying "pile of ****".

[Kikadee]

The Oxford English Dictionary helps us out here. I especially like the quote from 1573. Pile is also another word for hemerrhoid, so I don't know, maybe Phil and yodsaker are both right

2. a. A large building or edifice, esp. a stately home.
1573 G. GASCOIGNE Disc. Aduentures Master F. I. in Hundreth Sundrie Flowres 254 One of the most dreadful dastards in the world..had builded for his securitie a pile on the hyghest and most inaccessible mount of all his Territories.

1663 A. COWLEY Ode on Queen's repairing Somerset House in Verses Several Occasions, Two of the best and stateliest Piles which e're Man's liberal Piety of old did rear.

1709 E. WARD Secret Hist. of Clubs 216, I came within sight of the magnificent Pile.

1785 J. BOSWELL Jrnl. Tour Hebrides 21 Sept. 1773, 285 There is a very large unfinished pile, four stories high.

1823 SCOTT Peveril III. vii. 164 This antiquated and almost ruinous pile occupied a part of the site of the public offices in the Strand, commonly called Somerset-House.

1955 B. PYM Less than Angels xviii. 199 Isn't the house romantic-looking... A noble pile, the term really seems to be justified.

1992 Private Eye 13 Mar. 9/2 Kilmahew House, a Scottish baronial pile of the 1870s designed by the elder John Burnet.

[Phil McAvity]

so Yod, you never explained which way you mean't it-pejoratively or flatteringly?

[Caramia]

Kikadee those quotes were awesome! Especially the two earliest!

[Holden West]

I examined the site at Bing.com and it looks like only two, maybe three houses would be affected in any way. Lowe's design looks relatively low-profile. I think a traditional old-fashioned "pile" would be taller and narrower, blocking more views while being possibly even less dense.

In other words, recalling the Panorama waterslide: neighbours--be careful what you wish for.

[yodsaker]

so Yod, you never explained which way you mean't it-pejoratively or flatteringly?

Neutral actually as I don't mind the larger, older Uplands 'piles'. They are well-sited and built with honest materials.
Preparation H Manor, anyone?

[Kikadee]

Kikadee those quotes were awesome! Especially the two earliest!

Yeah, 1573 sort of put me in mind of Bear Mountain

[Bingo]

I thought it was interesting that Alan Lowe is its architect. Been wondering what he's up to these days.

Alan can always get some advice from his successor, on how to pull the wool over, to meet an agenda.

[martini]

^

[Barra]

Jeez!!! Is that all he can think about. This guy is up there with Richard Stanwick!!! Bunch of Puritans!

It's 3/4 of an acre, thats a good size lot and can hold a lot of house no problem. And anyway what difference does it make if each bedroom has an ensuite and a living room. They should only be concerned with the exterior and ensuring it is appropriate for the area.

I wonder what Nils would say if I was to design my dream home with a 6 car garage?

I saw an ad for one of these in the TC this weekend. It is in Metchosin.

Not to excuse them, but I think one of the things that concerns the OB Council is that each bedroom has its own bathroom, making the layout like that of a small hotel, which would require a different zoning. But it sounds like the family plans to live there, and I can sure see the advantages of everyone having their own bathroom, esp. if there are teenagers!

[sebberry]

If the owner wants and is prepared to pay for bathrooms in each bedroom, why should OB council (or any council for that matter) have any say in that?

Some family friends built a house in Central Saanich where each bedroom had its own bathroom and it was quite a nice touch, especially if you have guests or entertain regularly.

[Bingo]

Every bathroom should have an a big screen TV, a massage table, cooking facilities and an attached bedroom, for when you get bored.

[rjag]

Like I said in an earlier post, they should not concern themselves with the interior, none of their business. They should only be concerned with the exterior, how it 'presents' on the lot and on the street. Just because the next door house is a Tudor does not mean that this house cant be modern. Its the uniqueness of each house that makes a neighborhood interesting. Just drive through Gordonhead and look at all the split level '70's crap and then drive up Bear Mountain and its all the same Home Depot specials. Uplands is a special place and deserves special housing, but stfu when it comes to size or interior, none of their business

Kind of stupid though, they could ask for a particular colour for the outside and it gets done, the owner occuppies and then paints it purple and they cant say a thing.

I wonder if any elected official reads this forum?

[Caramia]

From Oak Bay? I don't think they do, or if they do, they don't respond. Victoria's elected officials certainly read the site, but as far as I know they are the only one of the 13 municipalities. And even that is quite new.

[piltdownman]

Not to excuse them, but I think one of the things that concerns the OB Council is that each bedroom has its own bathroom, making the layout like that of a small hotel, which would require a different zoning. But it sounds like the family plans to live there, and I can sure see the advantages of everyone having their own bathroom, esp. if there are teenagers!

This is a possible problem. My parents have a house on Pender Island, where one one of their neighbors built a new house with 6 bedrooms, each with not only its own bathroom, but a private deck with small hot tub. When it was finished they opened it up as an upscale bead and breakfast. Hardly fair when they end up competing with commercially zoned property ... who have a much higher tax and insurance rate ... whilst only zoned rural residential.

I'm not saying that is whats happening here, but I can understand the concern. And yes I know there are likely bylaws about how many rooms a bed and breakfast can have, but often the enforcement just is too hard to prove, or the fine to law to deter.

[Phil McAvity]

^I don't understand that at all.

Is it a B'n'B or not?