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Category Archives: Elizabeth Murphy
Character house zoning backpedaled
Saving character houses needs incentives and zoning By Elizabeth Murphy, Business in Vancouver, March 17, 2017 The city is moving away from downzoning, especially on non-character lots. This is a good thing because much public pushback was generated when they went too far by not … Continue reading
Posted in Business in Vancouver, Elizabeth Murphy
Tagged Affordable Housing, Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Heritage, Transit, Vancouver
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Character house zoning
Saving Vancouver character houses through incentives By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, March 2, 2017 The City of Vancouver is reviewing incentives to retaining character houses, such as allowing additional suites. Elizabeth Murphy / PNG __________ The City of Vancouver is doing a character house … Continue reading
Posted in Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun
Tagged Affordable Housing, Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Heritage, Transit, Vancouver
3 Comments
Heritage and character houses
City hall must act quickly to save Vancouver heritage homes By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, December 2, 2016 Home at 4255 West 12th in Vancouver is yet another heritage home in the city that will soon be torn down. The City of Vancouver … Continue reading
Posted in Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun
Tagged Affordable Housing, Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Heritage, Transit, Vancouver
1 Comment
Business in Vancouver – Transit Funding
Victoria’s civic tax grab a threat to local land-use authority By Elizabeth Murphy, Business in Vancouver, November 1, 2016 The province is about to impinge on the civic tax base, land-use authority and democracy by using development fees to fund transit and by … Continue reading
Transit and Development
Density not the answer to transit funding By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, October 11, 2016 The B.C. Liberals seem to think that using development to fund transit and making increased density a requirement of transit funding are vote-getters, writes Elizabeth Murphy. Gerry Kahrmann / … Continue reading
Housing principles
Affordable housing needs systemic changes By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, Saturday August 27, 2016 Increasing housing supply is often promoted by government, and vested interests, as the solution to the affordable housing crisis. In fact, the current record-breaking level of rezoning and development in … Continue reading
Housing supply clarified
Affordable housing myths and facts By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, August 19, 2016 The city’s consultant’s report of June 2014 confirmed, “the City has sufficient capacity in existing zoning and approved community plans to accommodate over 20 years of supply at the recent … Continue reading
Posted in Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun
Tagged Affordable Housing, Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Transit, Vancouver, zoned capacity
2 Comments
Grandview Woodland Community Plan
Affordability jeopardized in new Grandview plan By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, August 8, 2016 Elizabeth Murphy believes the newly passed Grandview-Woodland Community Plan jeopardizes affordability by putting existing affordable rentals, heritage and character at risk in spite of community opposition. Photo courtesy Stephen Bohus, … Continue reading
Posted in Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun
Tagged Affordable Housing, Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Heritage, Transit, Vancouver
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Business in Vancouver – Affordability
Rezoning is increasing land speculation, reducing affordability By Elizabeth Murphy, Business in Vancouver, July 22, 2016 The rush to rezone fuels speculative land inflation that’s further exacerbated by unregulated foreign capital flows. The fact that the City of Vancouver already has ample … Continue reading
Zoned Capacity – Grandview Plan
Housing affordability – Rush to Zone By Elizabeth Murphy, Common Ground Magazine, July 15, 2016 Grandview-Woodland slated for rezoning under the draft community plan is being rushed through for approval by City of Vancouver council before the end of July 2016, only … Continue reading
Housing Supply
Affordability Crisis: More of the same not the solution By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, July 8, 2016 City of Vancouver consultants reports confirmed there is sufficient capacity in existing zoning and approved community plans to accommodate over 20 years of supply at the … Continue reading
Posted in Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun
Tagged Affordable Housing, Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Heritage, Transit, Vancouver
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Extravagant Transit Plan
Opinion: Metro Vancouver needs an affordable transportation plan By Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun, June 26, 2016 Recent announcements on transit funding in B.C. with Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, Premier Christy Clark and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (left to right) seem to be … Continue reading
Posted in Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun
Tagged Affordable Housing, Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Heritage, Transit, Vancouver
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Transit Funding
The unaffordable subway By Elizabeth Murphy, Common Ground Magazine, June 2016 Equivalent electric streetcar network deliverable for same cost of proposed Broadway Corridor subway (Prof. Patrick Condon, et al, 2008, “The case for the tram; learning from Portland, Sustainability by Design: An … Continue reading
Posted in Common Ground, Elizabeth Murphy
Tagged Affordable Housing, Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Heritage, Transit, Vancouver
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School Demolitions
Opinion: Queen Mary heritage school demolition short-sighted Province’s refusal to consider future school facilities costs more down the road By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun February 12, 2016 Queen Mary Elementary School in West Point Grey is being reduced in … Continue reading
Posted in Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun
Tagged Community Plans, Demolition, Elizabeth Murphy, Heritage, Jericho Lands, Schools, Vancouver
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Chinatown under threat
Newest tower proposal too much for historic Chinatown By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun January 8, 2016 The Dr. Sun Yat-sen Garden is a true gem for not just Chinatown, but all of Vancouver. Photograph by: Arlen Redekop … Continue reading
Posted in Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun
Tagged Affordable Housing, Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Heritage, Vancouver
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Federal funding for transit
Federal funding should support an accountable transit plan By Elizabeth Murphy Common Ground Magazine November 2015 Article Link As the new federal government considers going into debt to invest in transit, here are a few critical issues to consider. Transit needs … Continue reading
Federal Housing Issues
Opinion: Federal action needed on housing Foreign investors: Funding and taxation regulations – even criminal laws – must be addressed By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun October 17, 2015 Canadian cities like Vancouver need federal policies to address housing affordability issues. … Continue reading
Federal Election: Transit infrastructure essential
Opinion: Civic infrastructure funding essential Make investment in transit affordable, and democratically implemented By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun October 3, 2015 JULY 2 2015. Transit troubles in Vancouver, B.C. on July 3, 2015. The vote is no for the proposed … Continue reading
Heritage retention a priority
Opinion: Retaining our character and heritage homes must be a priority By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun September 14, 2015 Elizabeth Murphy believes that Vancouver needs a balance of incentives to encourage retention that is fair to homeowners, so that … Continue reading
Transportation Plebiscite: The plan is the problem
Transit plebiscite vote was a rejection of TransLink’s plan Look at more affordable transportation options to cover more of the region is needed By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun July 13, 2015 The 62 per cent No vote result … Continue reading
Vancouver’s growth by the real numbers
Opinion: Let’s plan for people, not profit Misleading: Figures city uses to justify increased residential zoning don’t stand up to scrutiny By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun April 2, 2015 Vancouver can do better than build a concrete jungle of … Continue reading
Spin city – transit plebiscite
Scratching the surface of the plebiscite By Elizabeth Murphy Common Ground Magazine April 2015 Article Link Oakridge Mall redevelopment of 11 towers up to 45 storeys tall is an example of what the City has identified as potential development for the Broadway … Continue reading
City’s Grandview Planning
Opinion: City’s Grandview planning: Will The Drive survive? By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Province January 8, 2015 Source: City of Vancouver existing zoning map. This map shows the broad mix of existing land use and housing. Photograph by: City of Vancouver , Submitted … Continue reading
Posted in Elizabeth Murphy, The Province
Tagged Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Grandview, Heritage, Vancouver
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Vancouver City Green Policies:
Vision’s “Greenest City” mostly greenwash By Elizabeth Murphy Common Ground Magazine August 2014 Edition Article Link The City of Vancouver’s Greenest City policy update was presented to council in July. Although there are some successes in the plan, the majority of … Continue reading
Posted in Common Ground, Elizabeth Murphy
Tagged Affordable Housing, Elizabeth Murphy, green policies, Heritage, Vancouver
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CKNW – Bill Good Show:
Bill Good Show – July 21, 2014 Interview Communities shut out of planning Radio Interview with Elizabeth Murphy Interview Link From CKNW online post: We are expecting fireworks between Gregor Robertson and Kirk LaPointe in the race for the mayor’s chair … Continue reading
Community planning by lottery
Opinion: Communities shut out of planning Grandview residents upset: They feel city is paying lip service to their input on changes By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun July 16, 2014 The grassroots community in Grandview feels the city continues … Continue reading
Posted in Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver Sun
Tagged Community Plans, Elizabeth Murphy, Vancouver
2 Comments
City’s Heritage Action Plan needs work
Opinion: City’s plan insufficient to preserve heritage homes Building-codes changes needed to make renovation, restoration viable By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun June 9, 2014 3:29 PM Two Tudor-style houses known as the Two Dorothies were recently saved from demolition … Continue reading
Saving Character Homes
Opinion: We’ve saved character homes before Vancouver could improve policies to reduce demolitions of character buildings By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun May 24, 2014 The City of Vancouver has approved a demolition permit for the Legg House, an … Continue reading
Local funds shouldn’t pay for transit
Opinion: If Victoria and Ottawa don’t pay, property taxes and development fees are diverted from other programs By Elizabeth Murphy, Special to The Vancouver Sun July 23, 2013 5:04 PM TransLink’s Canada Line trains were already at capacity at peak … Continue reading
Vancouver’s new Official Development Plan lacks public input, while Vision “engages” on city-wide block parties
by Elizabeth Murphy in the Georgia Straight
The city of Vancouver prepares to quietly approve the city-wide Official Development Plan without any public input prior to a referral to public hearing on June 11.
Meanwhile, the Mayor’s Engaged City Task Force is released with great fanfare declaring the virtues of earlier public involvement in the planning process.
This proves George Orwell’s premise that governments will say one thing while they do the opposite.
Vision Vancouver is proposing city-wide block parties as a means to engage citizens, rather than including people in meaningful discussions on how they want their city to develop over the next 30 years.
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