EcoDensity: making Vancouver sustainable, livable, affordable - Page 7

DKaz · #**121** Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 5:41 PM**

These laneway homes are cute, I wonder why all the hate. Vancouver's single family home neighbourhoods are already pretty dense to begin with.

sacrifice333 · #**122** Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKaz

These laneway homes are cute, I wonder why all the hate. Vancouver's single family home neighbourhoods are already pretty dense to begin with.

I would also think that many of the laneway homes are not replacing garages, but filling empty space, thereby creating an off-street parking space and hence having a "net-zero" parking impact.

But of course there is the very slight privacy intrustion to that part of your yard that wasn't visible from your side-by-side neighbours or from your across-the-lane neighbours.

twoNeurons · #**123** Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 8:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacrifice333

I would also think that many of the laneway homes are not replacing garages, but filling empty space, thereby creating an off-street parking space and hence having a "net-zero" parking impact.

But of course there is the very slight privacy intrustion to that part of your yard that wasn't visible from your side-by-side neighbours or from your across-the-lane neighbours.

Of course it's not net-zero parking. You're putting more people (with cars) into a limited space. The laneway house occupants probably have a car as well, thus reducing parking by one space per house.

Not that it's a bad idea, as it utilizes the spaces better. I would certainly like to see bylaw police out there removing the ridiculous water jugs and orange cones that people put to protect the public parking in front of their home.

racc · #**124** Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 11:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKaz

These laneway homes are cute, I wonder why all the hate. Vancouver's single family home neighbourhoods are already pretty dense to begin with.

Some people hate change and have nothing better to do with their time than create drama around minor changes to their neighbourhood.

SpongeG · #**125** Posted **Sep 10, 2011, 3:56 AM**

you can see the problem sort of similiar in surrey - where most of the houses have 2 basement suites and street parking is just clogged - you have the family with all its cars ususally filling the driveway and than the tenants with their cars parking on the street now almost every house has two suites with the same issue it gets pretty crowded

Pinion · #**126** Posted **Sep 10, 2011, 4:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Not that it's a bad idea, as it utilizes the spaces better. I would certainly like to see bylaw police out there removing the ridiculous water jugs and orange cones that people put to protect the public parking in front of their home.

I would've preferred a cone over just receiving a ticket as I did if I parked in front of most houses when I lived on Quebec and 33rd (no warning, no note). Apparently it's not legal to park for more than two hours in front of someone's house if they don't want you to.

This is one of the many reasons I now live on the north shore.

whatnext · #**127** Posted **Sep 10, 2011, 7:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKaz

These laneway homes are cute, I wonder why all the hate. Vancouver's single family home neighbourhoods are already pretty dense to begin with.

The ones on West 11th aren't cute, they look way bigger than others I've seen throughout the city. Not sure how they got through zoning.
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local.../18643136.html

logan5 · #**128** Posted **Sep 10, 2011, 7:42 AM**

1½ stories, gimme a break.

How long does the rest of the city have to tip toe around these arrogant people living on the west side? They refuse to accept even a tiny share of the growing pains of this land constrained city. As if your neighbors couldn't see into your back yard before. Once you have a complete laneway of homes, there will actually be a vast improvement. I hope the city ignores these few control freaks and lets the program continue.

whatnext · #**129** Posted **Sep 10, 2011, 3:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

1½ stories, gimme a break.

How long does the rest of the city have to tip toe around these arrogant people living on the west side? They refuse to accept even a tiny share of the growing pains of this land constrained city. As if your neighbors couldn't see into your back yard before. Once you have a complete laneway of homes, there will actually be a vast improvement. I hope the city ignores these few control freaks and lets the program continue.

Did you even bother to look at the photo? Those are virtually full scale houses. Its a complete lie to say they are 1 1/2 stories. And your tired class warfare rhetoric ignores the fact there are plenty of areas on the West Side with density. Ever noticed those highrises in Kerrisdale?

And building over such a large surface of the lot is hardly "green". Nor is removing all the trees that were killed to build them.

racc · #**130** Posted **Sep 10, 2011, 6:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

And building over such a large surface of the lot is hardly "green". Nor is removing all the trees that were killed to build them.

So what is your alternative. Highrises? They require less land but I expect the residents would like them even less.

How about bulldozing farm land or developing further up the mountains? A lot more trees would be lost then.

How about actually proposing solutions rather than just criticizing.

racc · #**131** Posted **Sep 10, 2011, 6:15 PM**

Better jobs and a healthier economy too.

One Path to Better Jobs: More Density in Cities
http://www.ourbusinessnews.com/opini...ity-in-cities/

jlousa · #**132** Posted **Sep 10, 2011, 6:45 PM**

I think the solution is to pause and study the issues that are being brought up, council stated that they would relook at laneway housing after 100units were occupied. The problem is there are now already 400+ units approved. By the time a review is conducted we will be well over 500units approved. Issues that are brought up in the review will not be able to be corrected in those 500 units and the neighbourhoods they are in will be stuck with them.
I don't think anyone is calling for banning laneway housings, I know I'm a supporter of them. I do think though that some of the complaints are legitimate though and warrant being looked at, now. Remember we are trying to build better communities not just denser ones. A community is not better is neighbours hold contempt towards each other.

trofirhen · #**133** Posted **Sep 10, 2011, 7:54 PM**

Seems to me AFFORDABILITY is the wild card in this trio of elements. SUSTAINABILITY and LIVABILITY may be achievable, but the AFFORDABILITY issue is the one that often determines who can profit from living in the city, and who cannot, it seems.

logan5 · #**134** Posted **Sep 11, 2011, 3:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

Did you even bother to look at the photo? Those are virtually full scale houses. Its a complete lie to say they are 1 1/2 stories. And your tired class warfare rhetoric ignores the fact there are plenty of areas on the West Side with density. Ever noticed those highrises in Kerrisdale?

And building over such a large surface of the lot is hardly "green". Nor is removing all the trees that were killed to build them.

It's a complete lie to say they are virtually full scale houses. The unit is probably around 600 square feet and the structure itself is also a parking garage. You can also see in the picture that the structure is clearly stepped down in height, and most laneway houses are being built where the old garage or parking area was, so no trees are being removed in a vast majority of cases.

In the next 10 years there is going to be a rail transit station at Sasamat. In order to realize the potential of this expensive piece of infrastructure, you should have transit oriented development. Do you think it's appropriate to maintain the status quo, or would a similar plan to the Cambie corridor be acceptable? Laneway houses are a pretty innocuous form of density. If some people can't handle laneway houses, maybe city life isn't for them.

Porfiry · #**135** Posted **Sep 11, 2011, 4:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

Nor is removing all the trees that were killed to build them.

Vancouver has a tree bylaw that requires any trees on private property that are removed must be replaced 1 for 1, so that should be a non-issue.

trofirhen · #**136** Posted **Sep 11, 2011, 5:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porfiry

Vancouver has a tree bylaw that requires any trees on private property that are removed must be replaced 1 for 1, so that should be a non-issue.

How long has this bylaw been in effect; do you know?

whatnext · #**137** Posted **Sep 11, 2011, 5:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

It's a complete lie to say they are virtually full scale houses. The unit is probably around 600 square feet and the structure itself is also a parking garage. You can also see in the picture that the structure is clearly stepped down in height, and most laneway houses are being built where the old garage or parking area was, so no trees are being removed in a vast majority of cases.

In the next 10 years there is going to be a rail transit station at Sasamat. In order to realize the potential of this expensive piece of infrastructure, you should have transit oriented development. Do you think it's appropriate to maintain the status quo, or would a similar plan to the Cambie corridor be acceptable? Laneway houses are a pretty innocuous form of density. If some people can't handle laneway houses, maybe city life isn't for them.

That's a full two story house fronting the lane. And only the most naive would believe most of those garages won't end up with drywall on the back of the garage door. What do you think the chances of the city coming back to inspect for that are? I'm in favour of laneway houses, but not those ones.

As to a rail station at Sasamat in 10 years, you have far more faith in Translink than most.

Porfiry · #**138** Posted **Sep 11, 2011, 6:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

That's a full two story house fronting the lane.

No one would consider 500 sqft. to be a full size house. Plus, the upper story, if present, is limited to 60% of the footprint. The laneway house absolutely cannot be a full two stories.

Chadillaccc · #**139** Posted **Dec 4, 2011, 11:15 AM**

One of the most insane and awesome articles I have ever seen! Very cool!

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2011/11/r...-of-vancouver/

Alex Mackinnon · #**140** Posted **Dec 4, 2011, 1:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porfiry

No one would consider 500 sqft. to be a full size house. Plus, the upper story, if present, is limited to 60% of the footprint. The laneway house absolutely cannot be a full two stories.

This is a bit of a zombie thread revival, but actually one of the ones in my neighbourhood is 3 floors. I don't know if they used heritage zoning, but it's probably 1200 Sq. Ft. It's absolutely gorgeous inside and out, I got a tour last week. Amusingly I keep seeing pictures of it in random places too, there was blown up shot of it on display in the art gallery the last time I went.

It's 831 E Georgia St.