5915 replies to this topic

[rjag]

Sounds like a good opportunity for you to learn about environmental sustainability. I'll start the GoFundMe.

 

Environmental sustainability starts with using all the tools available so as to not have to travel in the first place....everything beyond that is hypocritical virtue signalling

[Citified.ca]

Victoria's plans to infuse 'gentle-density' into residential neighbourhoods through a simplified and fast-tracked garden suite policy has failed to generate interest. Only 22 applications have been approved under the program despite nearly 7,000 properties being eligible for garden suites. Calling the program effective, if re-elected Mayor Lisa Helps plans to expand the garden suite initiative to permit 'family-sized' units applicable to 5,600 properties.

 

Victoria's garden suite housing strategy yields 22 approvals among 7,000 eligible properties

https://victoria.cit...ble-properties/

 

The City of Victoria’s streamlined and less onerous garden suite approvals process has yielded less than two dozen successful applications since its introduction in 2017, according to Mayor of Victoria Lisa Helps.

As part of a re-election platform outlined on the mayor’s website, Helps identifies 22 standalone garden suites as having received the green light from city hall within the last year while pointing out that only 18 such approvals were handed down in the previous decade-plus. Just under 20 are currently awaiting approval. [Full article]

[shoeflack]

Still doesnt answer Nparker's question about flying and virtual attendance. 

 

Btw wtf does 'ugh' mean? Does it give your position added gravitas? Or is it simply meant to demean and belittle the person you are responding to?

 

You should seriously think about the impact of your choice of words. This is a forum for debate and while I appreciate your providing the link to show an attempt at responding to Nparker, it loses all credibility when you open with 'ugh' 

 

The "ugh" is a vocalization of my frustration with Nparker's ongoing "all-or-nothing" approach to various topics on the forum. As in, because the Mayor touts environmental stewardship, the thought of her jumping on a plane to fly somewhere is somehow unimaginable. That anyone who supports environmental initiatives must live their life 100% in an eco-friendly manner.

 

Guess what? People are allowed to support environmental causes while still consuming fossil fuels. People are allowed to gather in person to discuss environmental issues, getting there via plane, and not be considered hypocrites. Is this really the path you want to go down, that if we're not living all-or-nothing lives behind what we support, we're hypocrites? Sorry, that's not a reality of living. There are things that each and every one of us do that are inherently hypocritical, and that's ok.

Edited by shoeflack, 17 September 2018 - 10:21 AM.

[spanky123]

 

 

The City of Victoria’s streamlined and less onerous garden suite approvals process has yielded less than two dozen successful applications since its introduction in 2017, according to Mayor of Victoria Lisa Helps.

As part of a re-election platform outlined on the mayor’s website, Helps identifies 22 garden suites as having received the green light from city hall within the last year while pointing out that only 18 such approvals were handed down in the previous decade-plus. The City of Victoria’s figures, however, identify 29 approvals and 18 completed garden suites between 2004 and 2016. [Full article]

 

Of those 22 how many were completed?

Edited by spanky123, 17 September 2018 - 10:20 AM.

[Rob Randall]

^Thank you. The whining was getting tiresome.

 

Where was Stephen Andrew at the all-candidates meeting?

[Mike K.]

Of those 22 how many were completed?

 

Far fewer than 22. The City's short-term rental regulations have killed the desire for most would-be property owners, and BC Housing's owner-builder program was the final nail in the coffin.

 

But note that the mayor's platform says only 18 were approved between 2004 and 2016. 18 were actually built, 29 approved. Those figures come straight from the City.

[rjag]

^Thank you. The whining was getting tiresome.

 

 

 

you're most welcome

[Mike K.]

 

[rjag]

so is that a lie or a misrepresentation of the facts or...?

[Mike K.]

Look at the way the Times Colonist's Bill Cleverly has presented the situation:

 

"Victoria’s streamlined approval process has translated into a garden suite mini-building boom," but never mentions in the article how many of the 22 were built, or are under construction.

 

- https://www.timescol...boom-1.23359640

[Mike K.]

so is that a lie or a misrepresentation of the facts or...?

 

It's a factual error, for sure.

[johnk]

"......because the Mayor touts environmental stewardship, the thought of her jumping on a plane to fly somewhere is somehow unimaginable. That anyone who supports environmental initiatives must live their life 100% in an eco-friendly manner." 

The plane is flying whether Helps is on it or not. Her presence neither increases or decreases any pollution.

[rmpeers]

My only concern is what value the CoV taxpayers are getting for the trip. Will it provide otherwise-elusive info that will help the mayor do a better job on municipal issues?

And I get that there's a budget for such things already in place. I am just genuinely curious to understand the value, so I don't accidentally think it's a junket of dubious value.

[Nparker]

The plane is flying whether Helps is on it or not. Her presence neither increases or decreases any pollution.

That is true, and it barely even increases her hypocrisy, which is already pretty significant.

[Casual Kev]

Are gardens suites analogous to laneway houses in Vancouver? If so, that's surprisingly slack uptake in spite of relaxed rules.

[Jackerbie]

Are gardens suites analogous to laneway houses in Vancouver? If so, that's surprisingly slack uptake in spite of relaxed rules.

 

They're similar, but the key difference is the permitting process. Victoria requires a DP, right? From what I understand, Vancouver only requires a building permit for laneway houses, which is why they've been able to issue about 3,300 permits since the bylaw was changed in 2009. 

[nerka]

And I want to be clear here. It’s important we don’t play the wiggle room political speak.

As councillor is look at the plan as is. I support expansion. Of the infrastructure.

I see a huge opportunity to continue with a plan that does not advance an “Us” and “Them” situation.

I also should disclose I’m not a cyclist. Just for transparency. However, I’m also not a runner, yet I sit on the board of RunSport, the society the owns and produces the TC10k. My job is oversight and guarding the public trust.

As a councillor I will perform the same duty.

There must be a solution that makes everyone happy. Or at least somewhat happy.

Thanks for weighing in on bike lanes Stephen.

 

Everything you are saying sounds reasonable although I do question whether there are solutions that will "make everybody happy". There is a constituency that would like to see more bike lanes and there is a constituency that opposes any actual use of any road surface for bike lanes. That is a hard circle to square.

 

Absolutely review things and figure out the lessons learned from the work so far to guide future expansion.

[Stephen Andrew]

^Thank you. The whining was getting tiresome.

Where was Stephen Andrew at the all-candidates meeting?

Out of town. I will be at others. Also I will have two online town halls - video and audio

Rob, you know this better than anyone, it’s tough running especially when you have a full time job and other commitments. Had I forseen or even considered running months ago I could have cleared some prior commitments.

However, I’m making myself available on social media, email and phone and I attended one on one meetings when time permits.

If anyone has questions please reach out. I’m happy to answer any and all issues.

[Nparker]

Out of town. I will be at others. Also I will have two online town halls - video and audio...

It would have been great to have you at the NPNA session Stephen if for no other reason than to counter Ben Isitt's assertion that NewCouncil are "conservatives". I am sure you would have made mincemeat of that remark.

[rmpeers]

Thanks for weighing in on bike lanes Stephen.

Everything you are saying sounds reasonable although I do question whether there are solutions that will "make everybody happy". There is a constituency that would like to see more bike lanes and there is a constituency that opposes any actual use of any road surface for bike lanes. That is a hard circle to square.

Absolutely review things and figure out the lessons learned from the work so far to guide future expansion.

I don't think there needs to be an all-or-nothing, us-vs-them approach to discussing bike lanes. Most people I've talked to aren't opposed to bike lanes, but just dislike how our current local govt implemented them. If they had been done better and within budget, a lot more people would be fine with them