Greenhouse Gas Reductions

In my article on the 13th of April, City Shaping Workbook and the new "Living City", I tried to explain that claims made of a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is false.


I received a media inquiry as what I had written didn't really come across clearly. This is how I got my point across to him.


Let's say the CNV only had one person living in it, let's call him Darryl. Darryl is quite concerned about the City's emissions, let's call it 1 unit,as he thinks that the world will end if he doesn't not reduce his carbon footprint.


So he works hard and reduces his footprint by 10% for .9 of an unit but Darryl has invited his friend from Ontario, let's call him Craig, to live in the CNV creating a population of 2. Darryl has convinced Craig to build his new house so he also has a footprint creating another .9 of an unit.


Darryl loudly says how he saved the planet as the per capita emissions in the CNV is .9 and down 10% but the total footprint of the CNV is 1.8, whatever influence emissions have on the planet acts by actual emissions - not per capita.


To take this back to the real CNV, when Council approves the 20 story building on the Extra Foods site, they increased our footprint by an obscene amount. No people or cars were located at that site prior but hundreds of each will be there in a year or so. All at .9 per person but all an increase to the CNV's footprint.


This will happens at every development, from that tower to every RS-1 single family that is turned into a duplex with two secondary suites and a coach house.


There is many reasons that the Mayor is hell-bent to increase our population and density but his "Green" reasoning is just misleading spin.

16 April Council Meeting

Agenda http://www.cnv.org/c//DATA/1/87/2012%2004%2016.PDF


Video Minutes http://www.cnv.org/c//DATA/1/124/2012%2004%2016.PDF


Public Input Session - Developers Hancock and Nelson try to subvert the rules of the Public Input Session.

Public Input Session Ivan Leonard

Public Input Session Ben Woodyatt, President & Founding Member of the North Van Urban Forum

Public Input Session John Harvey

PUBLIC MEETING – 7:00 P.M.
DEVELOPMENT VARIANCE PERMIT NO. 2011-00012


A Coach House at 157 East 27th Street.


PUBLIC HEARING (Following Prior Item)
BYLAW NO. 8233
642 East 5th Street. 

FROM: RS-1 (One Unit Residential) Zone
TO: CD-621 (Comprehensive Development 621) Zone
to permit a 1,000 sq. ft. Level-B Accessory Coach House



PUBLIC HEARING (Following)BYLAW NO. 8234
355 East 12th Street. 
FROM: RS-1 (One Unit Residential 1) Zone
TO: CD-622 (Comprehensive Development 622) Zone



Updates during the meeting, maybe I'll even use the "Cover it Live" program like my hero Kady O'Malley!
Oh, Boy!  Check it out, I'll try to turn the live comments on.

Two more local political parties in the CNV

By the next election we may have four political parties in the City of North Vancouver.  Well, one legally registered Local Electors Group and 3 undeclared slates.

First, the forerunner slate which I call Vision North Van, it's a NDP front group like COPE in Vancouver used to be until replaced by Vision Vancouver.  Mayor Mussatto, Councillors Keating, Buchanan and candidates Leia and Buitenhuis all ran collectively last fall. They are heavily funded by Unions, big developers with large developments to be approved by Council and the City's employee union that bargains their pay with the Council.

Second, last November I announced that I would be forming a legally registered group, Unite North Van will be formed for the next election.  The big difference by registering is that the party name is actually on the ballot.

In a recent column in the Outlook by Sean Kolenko, it seems like there may be two other slates forming.  Amanda Nichol, a past candidate and protege of Rod Clark who is likely to be again running for Mayor is part of the formation of North Vancouver City Voices.  It is likely part Rod doing some initial organization, some his past campaigns lacked.  Considering there was a third party group called Independent Voices that campaigned for a group of candidates, this is likely an offshoot.

The column also mentions a group that has formed a registered non-profit society, the North Vancouver Urban Forum, which has formed to influence Council to ensure that the Waterfront develops into a community gem and not just another mall around the hotel.  The initial set of bruises received by dealing with a tunnel visioned Council is their first step in realizing that the only way of changing Council's path is to put fresh people on Council. I would not be surprised to see a couple of candidates running in the next election from this group.

City Shaping Workbook and the new "Living City"

This is a key part of the information gathering process, if one has the tools to build a future they desire at their disposal, they should use them to their best ability.


http://www.cnv.org/CityShaping/workbooks.html


"April 12, 2012
Welcome to Living City
Sustainability and climate action have long been a part of the City's core values, policies and programs. To build a community that is resilient to future challenges, we must not only lead by example, but provide opportunities for residents and businesses to play a role in building a more sustainable community.


That's why we're introducing a new initiative called Living City. Living City represents all of the City's environmental sustainability initiatives. It's an opportunity to share what we're doing, connect with others, discuss ideas and work together towards a more sustainable community for future generations. Find out more at www.cnv.org/LivingCity"


Read the Living City link and you will see the lie of climate change, the City brags that "Since 2005, we've reduced our corporate (city operations) emissions by 11% and our community-wide emissions have decreased by 10% per capita." PER CAPITA!!!! The density junkies of Vision North Van lead by Mayor Mussatto have pushed the population from 46,910 to 51,083. So we see the real density junkie plan, double the population of the City and you will reduce greenhouse gases "per capita" by 50%.


Of course, the actual greenhouse gases that the Mayor tears his public hair out proclaiming we have to prevent the collapse of our whole civilization is still the same.




If Vision North Van NDP municipal front group ever takes a majority of Council, the rate of increase in population will skyrocket as well the greenhouse gases they pretend they're cutting. This is what they are trying to Shape, if the non-Vision North Van councillors vote for the changes to the OCP that is being pushed on us by the Mayor and staff, they do not deserve the voting support of those who want to stop the insane level of development we are enduring.

02 April 2012 Council Meeting

Agenda  http://www.cnv.org/c//DATA/1/87/2012%2004%2002.PDF

Video http://www.cnv.org/c//DATA/1/124/2012%2004%2002.PDF

Tonight's Council meeting will conduct a PARCEL TAX ROLL REVIEW PANEL MEETING and an update of the “2012 Financial Plan"


Tony Webb let Council know that the keeping of chickens, bees and other bear attracting additions to an suburban area was a bad idea.   He said that it should only be done with large powerful electric fence to keep bears away.  So much for Mayor Mussatto's crusade to follow in Vancouver Mayor Moonbeam's sandal prints to make us all urban farmers with a chicken coop in every yard.


The donation policy came up when the MS Society did a delegation for their annual donation which is done for their event done in West Vancouver.  This is the only health oriented donation done by the CNV.   In fact, the City is making a charitable donation with our tax dollars and not even getting a tax receipt!
For:  Mussatto, Keating, Buchanan, Clark
Against: Bell, Heywood, Bookham 


http://www.cnv.org/smil/2012_03_26_07.smil
http://www.cnv.org/smil/2012_03_26_08.smil


You will notice the suggestion that the Council contingency fund was created so that the Council can spend tax dollars in any unbudgeted way a majority wishes and if you disagree, you should agree to the elimination of this fund.     I hate budgets with contingency or miscellaneous funds as they are easy to misuse. Of course, we hear no discussion of this during budget discussions.


A report was given in regards the climate change con which states  that the emissions in the City has gone down PER CAPITA. The dramatic increase in population in the CNV has dramatically increased the greenhouse gases emitted in the CNV.  The portion that human activity affects the climate is not done per capita, it is a scientific not a political effect, it is a tangible measurable effect. Double the amount of people and buildings even when done more efficiently does even come close to offsetting the increase in population.


The battle of the budget and Harry Jerome goes on I'll let the Councillors speak for themselves in the clip but the flaw in the Vision NVan councillors position is that they drive the high spending Council practices and have left no more room for extra taxation.


For Clark, Bookham, Heywood, Bell, 
Against Mussatto, Keating, Buchanan

To make the North Shore News article, Budget leaves North Vancouver City council split 4-3 more clear, Vision North Van Councillors voted against the budget because it was not increased as much as they wanted.   But contrary to the article the budget was not given final ratification and another Finance Committee hearing be held on the 16 April.