Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · 17h

HEY BURNABY, NEW WEST AND TRICITIES!!!!!

My former colleagues have launched a non-profit, co-op community news outlet!

These four are real pros and have been wonderful mentors to me. Can’t wait to see where this goes.

Read and share 🗞️🗞️🗞️ www.freshetnews.ca

Freshet News

www.freshetnews.ca

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Reposted by Lauren Vanderdeen

Tyler Harper @tylerharper.bsky.social · Jun 1

It was gold in Community Written Feature for this story btw. My brain isnt working at the moment because emotions. www.nelsonstar.com/home/in-ever...

In every Nelson he visits, Jeff Truesdell finds the man he loved

How do you live with the loss of a loved one? For Truesdell, it means visiting every Nelson in North America

www.nelsonstar.com

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · May 23

Thank you Chris!! :) keep in touch for all things Burnaby and cycling

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · May 23

Thank you so much Reilly :) I really appreciate it.

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · May 23

This story has completely burrowed into my brain because it reaches deeply into so many aspects of how cities and communities are built. Grateful I could work on it.

Justin McElroy 🇨🇦 @jmcelroy.bsky.social · May 23

7 years ago, Burnaby had more than a billion dollars in reserve for capital projects, and a big question was what they would do with it.

Now, their infrastructure projects underway are $300 million over initial budgets, and the way they built up that reserve is no longer viable.

Burnaby's $1.2B capital reserve 'basically exhausted.' What happened and what's next? | CBC News

The city's $1.2-billion in capital reserves won't stretch as far as planned due to soaring construction costs, and city officials say new provincial legislation could make it harder to replenish its c...

www.cbc.ca

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · May 23

Really appreciated the discussion here, thanks Stewart! Also I hear your critiques @oweninvan.bsky.social :) got me thinking on the very embedded growth-pays-for-growth principle.

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · May 23

The goal for the corp. is for it to be eventually self-sustaining, but ofc who knows how long that could take.

Interesting Victoria report, thanks for sharing!

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · May 23

The money Burnaby collected through density bonus went 80% towards community amenity projects and 20% to affordable housing initiatives. There's $100 million allocated to the Burnaby Housing Authority in that housing reserve, which is now also exhausted. (It was never $1B to BHA.) ...

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · May 22

this is my roman empire

Justin McElroy 🇨🇦 @jmcelroy.bsky.social · May 22

seeing the world is amazing but you know what's even more amazing?

talking about municipal financial reserves and the tradeoffs between different forms of developer benefits

i'll have that story about burnaby with @cbcstephenquinn.bsky.social on the early edition next

wait where are you going

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

The rest of the reports flew by - adjourned!

Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

Next up, the city has registered its frustration with province's new development financing mechanisms.

It's lobbying other municipalities to make the same complaints and suggestions to the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs.

Report passes.

pub-burnaby.escribemeetings.com/filestream.a...

pub-burnaby.escribemeetings.com

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

Dhaliwal and Calendino are in favour of the amendment, the rest of the councillors oppose. Back to the main motion.
Dhaliwal opposes, the rest in favour - it passes.

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

GM reiterates the recommendations in relation to height-based framework and inclusionary zoning are financially viable.
director: lower # of storeys (i missed the #) are not viable, those arent included in the recommendations.

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

there's some fairly technical q's and clarification on height-based framework and base density here. you don't want my abbreviated attempts to report on it here hahaha

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

Want a primer on ACCs and DCCs? I got you here: www.burnabynow.com/local-news/h...

How will Burnaby pay for infrastructure required by B.C.'s new housing plan?

Burnaby has approved new charges on development to pay for pipes, parks and public squares needed as a result of provincial housing changes.

www.burnabynow.com

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

sorry for typos, i blame my computer slowing down.

GM: development under current system and reason for rush to complete rezoning before June 30 is to avoid payments of ACC/DCC. ... FAR and height-based framework aren't the problem, it's introduction of ACC and DCC.

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

GM planning: would have to take back to get fuller understanding of how those two systems coincide but my gut reaction is taht it would be very challenging.

(lauren's intuition VALIDATED)

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

(parenthetical quote was a mini-editorializing on my behalf... sorry lol)

Dhaliwal: makes amendment that inclusionary zoning rental requirement is mandatory if developer chooses height based approach to development.

Hurley: completely changes the intent of the OCP

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

Dhaliwal would recommend not making height-based mandatory, allowing developers to choose between height-based and FAR.

(my guess is that this would drive staff wild... not consistent)

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

any rental inclusionary or market rental needs to be done with provincial help. they've got to provide a lot more support for the development community. ... i'm afraid this is going to delay development applications.

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

a vast amount of free density is needed to make any inclusionary numbers work, that's why we're going up to 40 storeys where the province had said 20 stories would be adequate.

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

Dhaliwal: like everyone else ... we have tried very hard to secure housing for our community, and we were very successful prior to the province meddling in the process. a different world now.

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

... When conditions improve, expect the percentages to improve.

Inclusionary policy is consistent way to provide rent-controlled units throughout the city. CMHC median is a form of rent control

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

Notes staff have ability to ensure timelines for projects to when project starts from application received to shovels in the ground. Assurance is important to make sure the inclusionary percentages are living policy and reflective of market conditions. ...

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Lauren Vanderdeen @lauvande.bsky.social · Apr 9

Gu calls it a "challenging topic" and notes there's progress since the first recommendations since last fall.
Hopes the CBB (mentioned before) will help to get inclusionary rental units in a developer's pro forma ... Zero affordable housing is worse than some, even at reduced percentages.

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