Wise Democracy Victoria

So begins this session of live blogging from Victoria's second ever Citizen Insight Council.

The question we begin with is: How can planning for neighbourhoods be made effective, sustainable, and meaningful for citizens?

There are 13 neighbourhoods in Victoria with a population of 80,000. Compared to other cities, these are smaller than you would expect, but the variety of micro-cultures and neighbourhood personalities makes this question all the more important.

Neighbourhood plans are available at:
http://www.victoria.ca/cityhall/departments_plnpub_nghbrh.shtml

WDV out.

Thoughts from the CIC on Density, both high and low:
- Focus density downtown, old Bay building should be far edge.
- Don't want to block view corridors.
- Keep height further back, not huge.
- Go for a European feeling.
- Build where the land is lowest so as not to ruin skyline.
- Rock bay could be like False Creek, Yaletown without towers, need to work on Selkirk.
- Humboldt valley is good.
- Douglas/Belleville bus depot should be moved.
- Focus medum density around commercial nodes (villages), would help improve amenities in places like Quadra Village, Cook St., etc.
- Want to walk downtown.
- City should be clear on where high rises can go and be strict.
- City could have guidelines for environmental features in new buildings.
- Density reduces the need for personal vehicles, and increases need for good transit, things like car co-ops.
- What about rooftop gardens, parks, geothermal heat, fuel cells, reuse of greywater, on-site sewage treatment, and beautification for new development?
- Vision over profit.
- Worry about leaky condos, need quality development. What was the city's role there?
- Sewage treatment needs to be more efficient with increased density.
- Aesthetic quality should be considered with new buildings.
- Creating communal space with new development, allowing for community.

WDV out.

It's solution time.

- To improve bike lane safety, build a traffic meridian between cars and bikes, create exclusive bike-only lanes.
- Fisherman's wharf - secure it.
- Marina alternatives: Don't allow it! OR: Allow it but with smaller boats. OR: Think Macro, it's just a small port (allow it). OR: Put it in a different place, more out of the way.
- Secure a percentage of revenue from new development for affordable housing.
- Increase density, more tax per sq. ft.
- Get light rapid transit!
- Celebrations should be... Secure and safe, modeled after Montreal/Quebec, done in larger areas (blocked off from cars), more like Luminara, change police training (Vancouver?), need mroe cultural festivals, entertainment-based instead of drinking-based.
- More street lighting.
- Pandora Green, more of that, less parking lots/pavement.

WDV out.

What are our problem statements from page 2? Now you'll know!

- What is the truth about amalgamation?
- What about sense of community vs. efficiencies that come with a larger town?
- How to balance adult-oriented events with family events?
- How would you like to be engaged?

Solutions to come after lunch!

WDV out.

Concerns from today are...
- The Marina. Victoria vs. Monaco - we're different.
- Why do I live here? Approach from this angle.
- Road work. How is it coordinated? Same streets are torn up over and over, is this the best use of taxes?
- Online voting and info about city?
- Homelessness, sleeping in doorways. In USA sidewalks are leased by businesses as private property, could help empower business owners. Some prefer to sleep outside, we should provide facilities for them.
- Need to tailor services to different people.
- Do I feel safe in my city?
- Downtown shelter - Only lip service to public input.
- Police seem to not care about illegal activity, only reactive not proactive. Need a rapid response team.
- Need to view homeless community as members of our community.
- Police chief should advocate for increased services for homeless community.
- Need more funding for homeless services - where to find?
- Need to shift our thinking from short-term to long-term and preventative ideas.
- The law and the city need to protect citizen's interests.

WDV out.

The day begins with conversation about policing, homelessness, and safety on the streets.

From yesterday, concerns continued:
- Social services are cut as we grow more, money going to one group, million goes to bank, rent goes up after renovations.
- Need more affordable housing, rentals.
- Some people live here and don't get into the community.
- Homelessness and mental health.
- Rising property taxes but fewer services, cutting back beacon hill, less flowers, more bark.
- Maintain heritage value, jewel of ocean and the need for sight lines and perspective to preserve what we have.
- Do we need amalgamation? Victorians are paying for services to visitors.
- Do we have enough density for LRT?
- Density = traffic, how do we deal with this?
- Johnson St. bridge public vote.
- We need composting, what are we doing with our soil?
- Green space should be a priority.
- North Shore traffic.
- Need more city celebrations that don't involve alcohol. Need better policing for major events, they are in a difficult position, have to be reactive not proactive, too much drunkenness.
- Police spend too much time in their cars.
- Police are overly gruff.

That's pages 2, 3, and 4 of concerns. CIC number one continues with briefing and questions about the OCP.

WDV out.