1095 replies to this topic

[PPPdev]

Oh boy, being a developer can put a target on you no matter what you do!

https://www.facebook...68310273333387/

[Mike K.]

Yes, that's the way it is. You should see some of the stuff lobbed at VV over the years 

[SamCB]

These people are ideologues who genuinely think someone operating their own business is evil and exploitative. You can't reason with them because their opinion is based on emotion, and it's completely binary-- you're either GOOD or BAD; there are no shades of grey for them.

 

I'm guessing most of these people are lower-middle class, university-educated (where they've swallowed the postmodern/neomarxist power-relations perspective), government/crown corp/university/non-profit employed, and feel completely helpless and disempowered in their lives.... waiting for a government force to rescue them from the evil capitalists who have destroyed their lives... never realizing they have the power to shape their lives themselves... 

[RFS]

These people are ideologues who genuinely think someone operating their own business is evil and exploitative. You can't reason with them because their opinion is based on emotion, and it's completely binary-- you're either GOOD or BAD; there are no shades of grey for them.

I'm guessing most of these people are lower-middle class, university-educated (where they've swallowed the postmodern/neomarxist power-relations perspective), government/crown corp/university/non-profit employed, and feel completely helpless and disempowered in their lives.... waiting for a government force to rescue them from the evil capitalists who have destroyed their lives... never realizing they have the power to shape their lives themselves...

You nailed it. And there is no saving them. They are past due...

[Awaiting Juno]

Surprised more small lot subdivisions weren't considered in the "gentle density" survey.  It would strike me as being some of the most "gentle" of the options.  Also agree that on major streets (including Dallas) larger apartments should be an option.  Although I imagine Dallas isn't included simply because building those kinds of buildings might disrupt the "ocean glimpses" of the residents immediately behind the houses fronting Dallas Rd.

[sdwright.vic]

Oh boy, being a developer can put a target on you no matter what you do!

https://www.facebook...68310273333387/

I responded to her:

Mary... we live in a Capitalist Society. Even social housing has to be built at a profit or it can't be built. Your groceries are sold at a profit. Your car, its gas. On and one. Everything is for profit.

[LJ]

There was an article on Global National news about Canadian cities dwindling as we build higher and higher buildings. The planner says 4-6 stories are about as high as we should build.

 

https://globalnews.c...s-expand-upward

[Casual Kev]

There was an article on Global National news about Canadian cities dwindling as we build higher and higher buildings. The planner says 4-6 stories are about as high as we should build.

 

https://globalnews.c...s-expand-upward

 

yeah well that's not going to happen when only a small fraction of residential land can even be used as apartment buildings. Conceptually I don't even disagree with the expert, but implementation in North America, including Victoria, would basically be "ok council voted to ban high-rises, now back to passionately debating whether Mr. Smith can use his 5000 sqft lot to build two townhomes". Development here follows the path of least resistance, not what makes sense from a planning perspective.

[aastra]

Kelowna's planners say:

 

Planners recommend council grant a height variance for the Brooklyn, at the corner of Bernard Avenue and St. Paul Street, so the tower can rise 26 storeys instead of the current 19-storey height limit for the property.

 

“The proposed design for the top of the tower contributes positively to Kelowna’s skyline with a unique top three floor design that provides an architectural break and visual interest to the top of the tower,” reads part of a staff report to council.

 

“The city’s main design objective is to avoid towers that appear ‘chopped off,’ have flat roofs and do not have adequate articulation,” the report states.

 

http://www.kelownada...0a726a1789.html

[Nparker]

Would we ever see that anything like that second quote in a recommendation to the CoV council? 

[PPPdev]

I posted this in local road conditions but it probably more appropriate in this thread...

https://www.talktoar...morning-commute

[RFS]

I posted this in local road conditions but it probably more appropriate in this thread...

https://www.talktoar...morning-commute

The City of Victoria doesn't care about families

[LJ]

The City of Victoria doesn't care about families

Well, except for their "family".

[Casual Kev]

I posted this in local road conditions but it probably more appropriate in this thread...

https://www.talktoar...morning-commute

The trick is to have "family-friendly" supply that's not luxury. If a 1200 sqft condo is selling at current market prices (some projects are hitting $1K/sqft nowadays) then your average new homeowner will probably choose to brave a West Shore commute out of necessity and the problem won't be solved any time soon. In this case, the city would most likely have to start by setting guidelines for apartment buildings to have a certain % of units that are of a certain size (say 1,000 sqft minimum), have amenities that would be used by families (say playgrounds, some space for K-12 activities, etc.) and have bylaws to make units unattractive for non-families or at least non-disruptive (e.g. strict no short-term rentals, minimum 1 year leases always (try to keep student ghettos away  ), no alcohol in common areas, etc.). All of this should narrow demand towards the intended demographic. 

 

Obviously with less demand developers would need incentives to undertake these projects. Correct me if I'm wrong here - but most red-tape costs are tied to land valuations, so to get around that there could be significant fee-waiving or tax-deferral to make the project affordable at a lower price point. And again I'm not sure if this is allowed, but the city could also encourage utilitarian design and material choice to further keep costs down. But here I think we run into a white elephant - extracting revenue from developers has allowed municipalities across the CRD and Metro Vancouver to consistently drop their municipal taxes. So even if these projects could bring in serious money (just for the fact something is being done vs nothing) it would be a serious political hurdle to clear.

 

With that said, NIMBY arguments against densification often comes down to complaining that new condos are for the 1% and against the "character" of the community... but if these projects are bringing in middle-class families instead then the only cards they hold are complaining about logistics and *****ing about the looks of the building - a lot easier to deal with rather than some boogeyman out to destroy the Canadian Dream of suburban living in the city.

Edited by Casual Kev, 31 August 2018 - 09:00 PM.

[Nparker]

The trick is to have "family-friendly" supply that's not luxury...have amenities that would be used by families...encourage utilitarian design and material choice to further keep costs down...

You mean this?

[aastra]

Check this out. Victoria CMA is actually less SFD-focused than you might think. Detached houses account for just 40% of the dwellings in the metro area. Only Vancouver CMA and Montreal CMA are lower.

 

from https://www12.statca...2016005-eng.cfm

 

Keywords to facilitate future searching:
dwellings in Canada, occupied private dwellings and types of dwelling, by census metropolitan area, detached houses, single family detached

Edited by aastra, 20 September 2018 - 07:25 PM.

[Nparker]

But Halifax appears to have us beat on high-rise living.

[G-Man]

Check this out. Victoria CMA is actually less SFD-focused than you might think. Detached houses account for just 40% of the dwellings in the metro area. Only Vancouver CMA and Montreal CMA are lower.

 

Occupied_Dwellings_and_Type_by_CMA_2016.png

from https://www12.statca...2016005-eng.cfm

 

Keywords to facilitate future searching:
dwellings in Canada, occupied private dwellings and types of dwelling, by census metropolitan area, detached houses, single family detached

 

 

Wow you should check out this blog piece I wrote in 2017...

 

https://www.sidewalk...ly-home-in.html

[On the Level]

Check this out. Victoria CMA is actually less SFD-focused than you might think. Detached houses account for just 40% of the dwellings in the metro area. Only Vancouver CMA and Montreal CMA are lower.

 

from https://www12.statca...2016005-eng.cfm

 

Keywords to facilitate future searching:
dwellings in Canada, occupied private dwellings and types of dwelling, by census metropolitan area, detached houses, single family detached

It's seeing stats like this....I think.....why would anyone subject themselves to living in the humidity and cold of Toronto?  Seriously.  

[aastra]

 

Wow you should check out this blog piece I wrote in 2017...

 

I'd heard of that sidewalking blog but I assumed it was just a myth. But it turns out you ain't mything me at all.