Peter Waldkirch
@pwaldkirch.bsky.social
1.8K followers 270 following 820 posts
Likes: Star Trek, the accordion Hates: the housing crisis Abundant Housing Vancouver: ahvan.org My website: pwaldkirch.ca
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Reposted by Peter Waldkirch
jmcelroy.bsky.social
In 2022, Ken Sim said line item budget comparisons were the cornerstone of his budget policy if he got elected mayor.

In 2025, he voted against it happening for a budget presentation with potentially $100 million in cuts because his newly appointed city manager told him no.
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
Hey the meme account is posting truth bombs y'all
westside-backyard.bsky.social
It's irresponsible governance to have swooped in for photo-ops announcing emergency funding for repairing neglected infrastructure that failed, then to entrench the chronic underfunding that was its cause.
Reposted by Peter Waldkirch
ahvancouver.bsky.social
The weather is cooling down, the leaves are falling, and the October Happy Hour with Abundant Housing Vancouver is coming up!

Thursday, Oct 9
Rogue Wetbar in Waterfront Station
Starting 5 pm

See you there!
Happy Hour with Abundant Housing Vancouver
Come meet your pro-housing neighbours at happy hour with AHV!
www.eventbrite.ca
Reposted by Peter Waldkirch
jwhiteyvr.bsky.social
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:
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
ps good for Fry for voting yes! Despite his comments he, unlike Orr, had the courage to actually support a common sense change that makes it easier to build housing, yes, including social and non-profit housing
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
Ok it passes! Sean Orr abstained which I find hilarious. looooooooool
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
Sorry that was unclear: Sean Orr didn't have any questions for staff, but he did make comments.

Fry is sounding like a no on this, which is consistent with the NIMBY-ish leaning and history of the Vancouver Greens and his many "no" votes on housing. We'll see.
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
No comments from Sean Orr, which is interesting--I'm curious about how he votes. But he's 1st w/ comments: he voted no on it when referred to a public hearing, because he didn't have time to read & understand it.

Says he's torn on it. Wish he had more information to "make the right decision".
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
Now Fry is raising the NIMBY idea that it is somehow necessary for city council to scrutinize and approve individual housing proposals.

He's just wrong. That isn't democracy. It's not good planning.

It IS a big part of why we're in a housing crisis.
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
Fry up with questions first. Asks if this is just implementing Bill 18, provincial legislation.

Staff: uhh no

Fry, after almost 8 years as a council, just repeatedly shows he doesn't understand how housing approvals and policy works.
a picture of a man with the words " you are all over the place "
ALT: a picture of a man with the words " you are all over the place "
media.tenor.com
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
Here's an example of why this is important.

Public hearings were never meant to be heard for individual buildings, but for area-wide zoning changes. Using them for each individual building creates opportunities like this for wealthy neighbours to veto housing

vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/05/26/c...
City Hall abandons social housing development: Kitsilano Coalition
Community members in Kitsilano say that the City of Vancouver has withdrawn to develop a social housing project at a Kitsilano site.
vancouver.citynews.ca
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
Ok the debate and vote on these mild zoning changes is finally up!

This is a small step in the right direction: less pointless discretionary opportunities for NIMBYs to veto housing. All this does is make /some/ zoning consistent with existing policy and plans.

Let's see how this goes!
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
I /could/ be spending the night reading this gorgeous HP Lovecraft book...but instead I'll experience a different sort of weird horror.

I'm going to liveskeet tonight's public hearing! The city wants to actually <gasp> rezone stuff on its own initiative!
Reposted by Peter Waldkirch
jeremycaradonnayyj.bsky.social
I really don’t like to criticize my fellow local governments, but I am OUTRAGED at this decision.

This week, Sidney rejected its one and only Extreme Weather shelter, which was aimed at the dozen or so homeless SENIORS in the town.

All paid for by BC Housing.
www.timescolonist.com/local-news/s...
Sidney rejects extreme-weather shelter after community opposition
The shelter would have run out of a community space in Wakefield Manor on Third Street.
www.timescolonist.com
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
Price isn't an innate, positive property. It's relational.

So how much? Well, if we only build one of these, pretty damned expensive, just like everything in this city--because we have a housing shortage.

But if we build 500? 1000? 5000? Then they'll be a helluva lot more affordable!
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
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!
lanefab.com
The New Vancouver Special - 50' lot edition.

Accessible single stair flats on a 50x122 lot.
12 family size homes (or) 24 small units.
Reposted by Peter Waldkirch
lanefab.com
The New Vancouver Special - 50' lot edition.

Accessible single stair flats on a 50x122 lot.
12 family size homes (or) 24 small units.
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
What am I missing. This is from Vancouver's RM-9 zone: the density was "calibrated for freehold rowhouses and townhouses".

But...freehold rowhouses aren't allowed in the CoV! Why would they calibrate anything to something that isn't allowed? Were the planners just feeling particularly Kafkaesque??
4.11 Dwelling Unit Density
The Districts Schedules place a limit to the density of dwelling units permitted for each
development site, based on site size and floor area. The intent is to encourage developments to
include dwelling units large enough to accommodate families. The Dwelling Unit Density is
calibrated for freehold rowhouses and townhouses – developments that typically require
internal staircases, which may displace floor area that could otherwise be dedicated to living
areas (e.g. bedrooms, living rooms). As such, an increase for projects above 1.2 FSR should
only be considered for developments that provide single-storey dwelling units, where a
majority of units are accessible by a shared elevator (i.e. 4-storey apartment buildings). This
permission will nevertheless be dependent on design criteria set out in the Guidelines including:
number of 2- and 3-bedroom units; dwelling unit size and liveability; opportunity for cross-
ventilation; and provision of useable private open space.
Reposted by Peter Waldkirch
lanefab.com
What?

I’ve been perennially disappointed with the UBCM
leospalteholz.bsky.social
Disappointed to see the reactionary UBCM call for repeal of single stair building legalization in BC.

Nearly the entire world builds single stair buildings safely and has been for decades. There’s tons of data. The idea they are inherently dangerous has absolutely no merit to it.
pwaldkirch.bsky.social
I've started doing some short video stuff, and I'm cross posting most of it on YouTube shorts for those not on TikTok.

Here's my latest effort to connect with the youths:
youtube.com/shorts/5HDtm...
YIMBY 101 for Gen Z
YouTube video by Peter Waldkirch
youtube.com