Former Planning Head Concerned Over Current Planning Process

[Bcasey25raptor]

Theres a high demand in Vancouver for housing because we are a very desirable place to live for millions of people.

Supply and demand people, basic economics.
When there is no land left to grow and people still want to move in, prices will inflate to reflect that.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Hourglass

Interesting article. It's not a bad thing to be questioning the process. However, one person's "landmark" building is another's eyesore (witness the recent debate in the Vancouver House thread). And it seems to me that's a flaw in the current process; while most 'bad' projects get weeded out, there's generally little incentive to push the envelope with daring designs.

Spaxman isn't questioning design as much as process. How is it determined who gets to breach the guidelines, what precedent is set etc. How does the public gain from a box projecting off the Telus building into the public realm?

[spm2013]

What does the public lose from a box hanging over Seymour Street? Views of the Bay parkade walkway?

[GMasterAres]

I take all these types of articles from "Former <insert big title> of <insert city>" with a massive bag of salt and I think others should too for three big reasons:

Anyone that has a large title in a city but with "Former" in front left the city either because:

1) They were fired
or
2) They were unhappy and moved onto another position somewhere else
or
3) They retired

#1: They were fired. Enough said. I'm still waiting to hear from someone fired from their job who talks glowingly about how great their former company was...

#2: They were unhappy and moved on. Well I think this is self explanatory much like #1. If you are unhappy with where you work especially in a top civil position, it is largely going to be due to politics. Once you become a manager or director in a city, your job is 80% politics, 20% everything else. So if you are unhappy or you get a job elsewhere it is more typically because you don't agree with the direction and/or culture of the city you are currently working for.

So given that, would you expect someone to say "Yah they are doing a great job!"?

#3: They retired. This happens but what I've found is those that were content with their former employer and have retired, vanish into the mists of history. Those that start to become vocal in articles like the posted one, are often somewhat tilted into the #2 camp above, where they disagree with "these damned kids these days" or they have thoughts along the lines of "back when I was head of <insert department> 20 years ago etc. etc. how the past is always better than the present and future."

It always seems to happen everywhere you turn which is why I just roll my eyes as soon as anyone writes an article in the media that starts with "former so and so of somewhere" because you know after that will follow nothing but criticism for how things are done today. If they aren't disgruntled or did agree with everything going on, I somehow doubt they A) would be "FORMER" and B) would be saying anything in the first place.

That said, stupid article even if I agree with some points.

[spm2013]

Search for his name and you'll see why he left (read: NPA and Gordon Campbell)

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jhausner

I take all these types of articles from "Former <insert big title> of <insert city>" with a massive bag of salt and I think others should too for three big reasons:

Anyone that has a large title in a city but with "Former" in front left the city either because:

1) They were fired
or
2) They were unhappy and moved onto another position somewhere else
or
3) They retired
....

So you basically would also dismiss the opinions of Brent Toderian, Larry Beasely or anybody other than the current head of planning? Interesting take...

[officedweller]

Of interest - from the Spaxman Consulting website.
I guess this was when a station was proposed for west Coquitlam (Maillardville).
(It was deleted after residents complained they didn't want a station).
This is the Crane Canada site where the pocket track is along TCH.



http://www.spaxman.com/projects.html