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Old 11-18-2013, 02:47 PM   #196
Addick
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainYooh View Post
This. You and some other posters aggressively attacking the suburban development in Calgary seem to imply that there is a "system", some kind of an established conspiracy that has been forcing its choice on calgarians when it comes to housing. It is what it is because of what people wanted to buy.
It wasn't a conspiracy, it was result of embracing a planning philosophy/ideology that wasn't sustainable. The planning system was, and still is in many aspects, designed to accommodate one type of development and prevent others. Planning codes and regulations have had a massive impact and continue to do so today. It's easy to build the Evergreens and Somersets but a Garrison Woods or McKenzie Towne?

Undoubtedly, many people want a SFH with a big backyard but this isn't what's driving development, it's a poor planning system that when fixed will probably still pump out tons of have single family homes. If home builders are so up for letting the market decide why don't we abandon the current planning system? The City would simply provide infrastructure and service standards that interested developers/home builders would have to meet. Would the urban form be the same in this environment?
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“Such suburban models are being rationalized as ‘what people want,’ when in fact they are simply what is most expedient to produce. The truth is that what people want is a decent place to live, not just a suburban version of a decent place to live.”

- Roberta Brandes Gratz
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