150 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Not always a requirement, but it can be, for sure.

I have seen municipalities make transportation-related decisions without modelling. I can’t say/we can’t say for sure if modelling was done here, but if it was, I would imagine council would be referring the benefits of the district’s plan.

[ChrisA]

I'm not sure Saanich voters were aware of this when votes were happening. This sort of thing might be staff suggested...

Every one of our current councillors was quite clear before the election: if elected, they would wage war on cars in every way possible.

Let's hope their irresponsible, stupid, destructive plan for McKenzie has finally got people's attention, and maybe the next set of councillors will consist of competent mid-level managers rather than extremist activists.

[Ismo07]

Every one of our current councillors was quite clear before the election: if elected, they would wage war on cars in every way possible.

Let's hope their irresponsible, stupid, destructive plan for McKenzie has finally got people's attention, and maybe the next set of councillors will consist of competent mid-level managers rather than extremist activists.

 

Oh my if that's true, then I suppose got what the people wanted....

[lanforod]

'every way possible' is a bit of a stretch for all of them, but some were certainly more vocal on it. It's the 15 minute city thing, really.

[Barrister]

So we are going to have a Cosco and a Walmarts and two or three grocery stores all within fifteen minutes of everywhere. Wow that is great. Where can I park the unicorn that I rode in on.

[lanforod]

Pretty sure in their fantasy super stores like that don’t exist.

[Blair M.]

The "forced 15 minute city" is a ridiculous concept developed by planners and politicians bent on promoting "edgy" ways of forced modification of the city/municipality they work for, and thus the completely undesired, but forced modification of the behaviour of the residents who live there.

 

The "forced" aspect aside for a moment, the singular fatal flaw is that the forced 15 minute concept is predicated on shopping and services (even though they may not exist where you live), but more importantly, it ignores the fact that people have to work for a living.

Workers have to physically get to their place of employment, and that location usually isn't within walking distance of their homes. It's also not always on a convenient bus route, if it's on any sort of bus route at all.

 

So vast numbers of people drive to and from their place of work, because they are obliged to either for the reasons noted above, or in order to also manage a schedule which involves getting kids to day-care and/or school, meaning they can't leave for work on mass transit at 6:00am in the morning, nor can they afford to arrive home on mass transit at 6:00pm at night (most daycares won't take drop-offs until 7:30am, and require pick-up by 5:00pm at the latest).

 

The clock that tends to govern our lives is based on the needs of our families, ours and our spouses employment, and our ability to purchase or rent our accommodations in specific locations that match our income. 

Any Saanich employee, be they a bureaucrat or a politician, who continues to support the McKenzie/Quadra proposal as it was originally issued by Saanich requires a sudden kick to the curb.

Edited by Blair M., 12 November 2024 - 06:20 PM.

[Barrister]

Actually firing both the politicians and also all the senior bureaucrats seems like the only good solution. Talking to them achieve nothing. 

[Victoria Watcher]

Paris and Victoria is tough comparison

 

Re: “Saanich street plan is equitable and efficient,” commentary, Nov. 21.

The commentary espousing Paris’ pro-transit and cycling lane infrastructure forgot to thank Emperor Napoleon for bulldozing many residential areas 200 years ago to create many of Paris’ grand boulevards and thoroughfares which created room for today’s buses and bicycles.

Plus metro Paris has 13 million residents, about 40 times our regional population. Just making the comparison.

 

Chris Foord

Oak Bay

 

 

 

Showing us the way — right off a cliff

 

Re: “Saanich street plan in equitable and efficient,” commentary, Nov. 21.

All of us who reside in Victoria and ­Saanich must be so grateful to have someone like Todd Litman, along with many councillors from Victoria and Saanich, showing us the way to deal with traffic on our streets.

We are now slowly learning that driving a car has had its place in the sun. These erudite people are, of course, smarter than most of us.

We now must follow their pathway right off and over the cliff.

 

Bob Beckwith

Victoria

 

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...o-santa-9854085

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 November 2024 - 02:58 AM.

[Mike K.]

This is costing us so much in lost productivity, leading to a higher cost of living, lost opportunities, more expensive services, unnecessary delays and falling competitiveness.

[Victoria Watcher]

https://www.timescol...-winter-9872971

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Quadra-McKenzie plan, in particular, raised concern, as some of the material used at open houses and in presentations to show long-term possibilities left the impression with some residents that their homes would be replaced by new roads or multi-family projects.

 

Coun. Susan Brice said that was regrettable and should not happen this time around.

 

Brice said the process is not meant to be prescriptive or to force change on anyone’s private property.

 

“Just because it comes up a certain colour on a municipal map doesn’t mean that somebody’s going to come in and turn it into a three- or four-storey development,” she said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So if I understand that map, nothing on it will be limited to single-family homes or at least that form.  At a very minimum you can build townhomes.  "Mid-rise" is 6-11 storeys.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 December 2024 - 01:37 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Stark and di Castri were horrified to learn that areas labelled as "urban hubs" were designated to welcome 18-storey buildings. The news came as a "shock," adding there was "no consultation" before the draft's release.

“We started getting quite anxious when we realized how much Saanich was going to change,” said Stark.

“This is a plan that we believe would be a disaster for the entire Saanich municipality,” added di Castri, a retired realtor.

With concerns and opposition to the project flooding into Saanich council in recent months, Mayor Dean Murdock reiterated the importance of creating a plan that manages growth in the area while balancing residents' well-being.


https://www.vicnews....ourhood-7745666

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 January 2025 - 08:53 AM.

[lanforod]

I suspect they both have a house on Quadra.

 

I don't know what folks like this want - no change ever is not realistic. Saanich needs to grow - both SFH and higher densitiy. Higher density makes the most sense to go along major roads, including McKenzie and Quadra, Shelbourne, and where it makes sense in the Pat Bay and Douglas corridor (build that like Brentwood or Metrotown areas).

 

Just because the zoning and high level plans are done doesn't mean its going to change quickly. The alarm bells of change they are ringing won't likely be seen in Stark's lifetime and maybe not in di Castri's either.

[Victoria Watcher]

di Castri made many millions in her real estate career, surprised she's slumming in Quadra McKenzie.

[Victoria Watcher]

Just because the zoning and high level plans are done doesn't mean its going to change quickly. The alarm bells of change they are ringing won't likely be seen in Stark's lifetime and maybe not in di Castri's either.

 

Yup.

[Mike K.]

DiCastri of local architect fame?

[GaryOak]

Just who you'd think old, retired, and wealthy. Their basically the definition of NIMBY's

[Mike K.]

Like your parents?

[GaryOak]

Lol no, knowing them they'll be working till they drop dead.

[Mike K.]

Mayor Murdock was on CFAX last week saying the public misunderstands the municipal plan for McKenzie.

It won’t be two lanes of vehicle traffic. There will be two lanes for buses also.

But the bus lanes won’t be in effect full time, only during peak periods. So the concerns over two vehicle lanes are a symptom of misinformation.

That’s the gist of what was said.

So it will be down to two vehicle lanes, during the busiest times of the time.

I wouldn’t want to live anywhere near there if it means traffic will be gridlocked 1PM to 7PM.