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Reposted by Jens von Bergmann

Melissa & Chris Bruntlett @modacitylife.com · 4h

There are a few other opportunities to catch us this week! www.modacitylife.com/vancouver

Vancouver

www.modacitylife.com

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 12h

Sounds amazing. How am I so out of the loop that I don’t even know what this event was?

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 15h

I have lived in North America for half my life now but I still get tripped up by how ridiculous some of the regulation here is compared to Europe. (And pretty much all of the rest of the world.)

Ryan Jabs @ryanjabs.bsky.social · 15h

It’s this craziness that led to CMHC’s “standardized” sixplex design where they split the staircase inside and outside the building so the doors were only 1.5m above grade. It illustrates how dumb the rule is as this is a less safe design.

www.housingcatalogue.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/designs/bc/c...

Courtyard Sixplex

www.housingcatalogue.cmhc-schl.gc.ca

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 15h

At least for this project it looks like they aren’t using their discretion to force assemblies, which definitely has been a thing in the past.

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 16h

Can’t believe we are still doing this.
RM-7 zoning is designed to generate maximally inaccessible townhouses, because not sinking the first floor a metre below ground level would make the building a metre taller and cast an extra 10mins of shade in some SFH zucchini garden. (Also add elevators!)

Discretionary Vancouver @discretionary-yvr.bsky.social · 17h

DP: 2770 Euclid Avenue. 8-unit stacked townhouse, 1.19 FSR, 11.4m height, 5 parking spaces https://engagevancouver.ca.engagementhq.com/2770-euclid-ave

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Reposted by Jens von Bergmann

Peter Waldkirch @pwaldkirch.bsky.social · 5d

YIMBYs (like @ahvancouver.bsky.social) often say, "legalize apartments", or "end the apartment ban".

I don't want to speak for anyone else. But when I say that--things like this is what I'm talking about. No street, no neighbourhood, is too good for housing like this.

Housing is good!

Bryn Davidson - Lanefab @lanefab.com · 5d

The New Vancouver Special - 50' lot edition.

Accessible single stair flats on a 50x122 lot.
12 family size homes (or) 24 small units.

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 1d

This is really good to see. It brings predictability to development, not just for developers but also for residents who know what kind of development they can expect to see. Hoping this work will continue and reliance of site-specific zoning will get further reduced.

Josh White @jwhiteyvr.bsky.social · 1d

Vancouver City Council approved establishment of standardized apartment zoning districts today, as well as a significant City initiated rezoning in the Broadway Plan and Cambie Corridor areas. I delivered these remarks in closing during the item at Council:

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 1d

My guess, regular lane painting equipment is designed for roads and the bike lane and line placement is too narrow for it to work. So they had to wing it.

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Reposted by Jens von Bergmann

Frances Woolley @frwoolley.bsky.social · 2d

Great to chat to Dan Fumano @vancouversun.bsky.social about BC's property tax deferment program.

My take: "the B.C. model, where significant interest rate subsidies are accessed by those with above-average home values, does not seem to be an effective use of government funds.”

How B.C.'s property tax system delivers big benefits to multimillionaires, and why some say it needs to change

B.C.'s property tax system is uniquely generous for wealthy homeowners. Some people think that should change. Find out more.

vancouversun.com

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 3d

Ack, we should coordinate next time.

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 3d

Barely. But worth it.

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 3d

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 3d

Dang. Can’t believe I missed that. 30 yers already. Maybe I’ll walk over and try to sneak in and catch the tail end…

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 3d

Quite a few people have taken this as a diss of Trent Reznor. Which makes me sad.
This is a screenshot from a David Bowie music video from the 90s in which Trent is playing “Johnny”.

Link to the video is now threaded below the quoted post, it’s a good video to watch if you haven’t seen it.

Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 6d

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Reposted by Jens von Bergmann

Christine Boyle @christineboyle.bsky.social · 3d

Nerdy Sunday! Getting ready for the Fall legislative sitting by baking zucchini muffins and watching a recording of a #Housing webinar from @1alexhemingway.bsky.social from the new @bcpolicy.bsky.social.

bcpolicy.ca/2025/10/03/s... #BCPoli #AffordableHousing

Photo of a countertop with a laptop, a bowl of muffin mix and a recipe book. In the background is a window with solar panels visible outside.

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 4d

Yeah. Except too many people who missed the context were reading this as a diss on Trent. Which made me sad.

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 5d

Agreed. I am just trying to understand the argument for up-front charges. What they are based on to justify them. I am open to the idea that there are edge cases where up-front charges are useful or better, but I’d like to see a clear explanation/accounting. Especially applied to infill development.

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 5d

Still hoping to finding a lifecycle cost analysis of water and sewer infrastructure with a clear explanation which costs should not be financed as user fees (like we do with electricity infrastructure) and which costs should be paid upfront.

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 5d

A simple and effective way to fight street disorder and crime? That makes money too? Cities must be all over this…

Ned Resnikoff @resnikoff.bsky.social · 6d

The fact that SF cameras have already caught thousands of people going more than 15 miles over the speed limit is a perfect illustration of why these cameras were needed in the first place. www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/s...

S.F. speed cameras are generating mountains of tickets and fines. Here are the totals so far

August was the first month that San Francisco’s automated speed cameras generated citations with a fine. One camera accounted for a quarter of all the tickets, according to data.

www.sfchronicle.com

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 5d

Some people did serve prison sentences, even just last year someone was sentenced to 10 years in prison on murder charges stemming from his role in the secret police. But consequences were mostly via removing former operatives and “unofficial operatives” from public roles and jobs (e.g. teachers).

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 5d

Speaking from the German perspective, yes, Germans did (to some degree) learn who worked for the secret police. Everyone could go and requests to see their personal files, if they existed and weren’t destroyed in the tumultuous last days of the regime, and learn who was spying on them.

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 6d

Just the still frame does not really do it justice though.

David Bowie - I'm Afraid of Americans (Official Music Video) [4K Upgrade]

YouTube video by David Bowie

youtu.be

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 6d

When I saw your photo all I could think about was that music video, it’s just a perfect fit.

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 6d

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Uytae Lee @uytaelee.bsky.social · 6d

I'll be in Brisbane next week! As part of my trip, I'll be hosting a more informal event open to anyone at the Queensland University of Technology on Tuesday, October 7th. Details below:

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