Monday 26 March 2012

Council Meeting 26 March 2012


Tonight's Council meeting will conduct  1 Public Hearing on the current budget.

3. Council has finally took some action against “261 –263 West 6th Street who had two illegal suites for over the past decade which put tenants in continuing danger through their violations of the Building and Fire codes. The owner has written a letter presenting his defense of his actions.
The vote was 6-0


 City of North Vancouver’s 2012-2021 Financial PlanThis is the final presentation by the Director of Finance so the final increase to the tax rate will be approved by 2 April 2012.



Monday 19 March 2012

Density by cooking frogs method

Tonight's Council meeting conducted 4 Public Hearings.

BYLAW NO. 8213  8 letters of opposition submitted, two people showed up to speak opposed.
A two unit duplex at 267-269 East 4th Street increased to permit a new three unit residential development.
FROM: RT-1 (Two Unit Residential 1) Zone
TO: CD-618 (Comprehensive Development 618) Zone
For:  Mussatto, Buchanan,
Against:  Clark, Bookham, Bell, Heywood
This cannot come back to Council for a year.
 No letters rec'd. No persons spoke.
Two  rental residential dwelling units at 663 West 3rd Street on the second story of the existing commercial building.  These already exist but do not conform to the  current Bylaws. No parking for these spaces.
FROM: CS-1 (Commercial Service 1) Zone
TO: CD- 619 (Comprehensive Development 619) Zone
For:All

The Advisory Design Panel did not recommend but this was ignored by staff. No letters rec'd. One person spoke against this.
640 West 15th Street Construction of a new two story plus cellar duplex building
FROM: RS-1 (One Unit Residential 1) Zone
TO: CD-620 (Comprehensive Development 620) Zone
to permit the. The units have been designed in a back/front alignment with a detached two car garage and one car carport.
For: Mussatto,
Against:  Bookham, 
The feed locked up and I didn't get the vote.
349 East 15th Street, to permit a 1,490 sq.ft. Level-B Accessory Coach House.  Coach Houses are restricted to 1000 sq feet.    This was cut down to the 1000 foot limit for the vote.
For: Mussatto, Buchanan, Bell, Heywood, Clark
Against: Bookham

In addition to the big developments pushed for by the density junkies that gather a lot of attention, developments such as these radically increase the number of people in North Van. If most of single family homes have been eradicated by converting them to multi family lots with two or three unit lots, the effect will have a doubling of our population density. 


When frogs are cooked they put them live in cold water and heat them slowly so they don't notice when they die.  We have lost a lot of single family housing over the last 15 years, the residents don't notice that we are on the path of a City with very little single family homes.  Are we just going to sit in the cold water quietly while Council turns on the heat?


PS - Thanks to Councillor Clark for officially inquiring about the blocking of the record function of Council Meetings.   It has been restored.

Friday 16 March 2012