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[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

Maybe, but when i look at huge inner city yards all i see is lots of grass to cut every weekend. I’m not interested in that. Maybe some people enjoy pouring money in landscaping huge yards and spending hours gardening but i don’t have time for that.

I have a big lot and it takes me less than 20 minutes a week to mow my yard, my neighbour’s, and the boulevard. Hardly a huge time or money sink. I don’t fertilize or hire landscapers, so the only cost is the lawnmower. Pruning the trees and bushes is a pain, but it doesn’t cost anything. My wife gardens because she enjoys it.

In return we get an expanse of private, pleasant green space. The setback from the sidewalk gives us privacy at front - which is nice because it’s a somewhat busy feeder road with buses going by, people walking dogs, etc. The trees are nice too, and help keep the house cool - trees are also good for the environment.

Our backyard is an oasis. Several shade trees, including the canopy of a beautiful mountain ash. There’s a school yard behind us, but a large berm blocks sight. Bushes and trees on either side give us privacy from neighbours - the bar my neighbour built on the fence is there when we want to socialize.

It’s south facing with sunlight throughout the day, but has shade trees and a green lawn for cooling down. Add the pond and fountain, the bloom of perennials from the garden and blossoms from the apple tree, and the plush deck furniture, and it’s an extremely pleasant place to spend a nice day or evening. Also great for hosting BBQs. In the warm seasons I spend 2-4 hours a day in my back yard/deck. And all totally private - we can eat dinner or I can doze out there with a book and we’re not in a fishbowl like modern builds.

I could never live in an apartment or condo. The hive-packed proximity to other people 24/7 and lack of green space would drive me insane. I’d honestly rather live in the greasiest ####box house in Erin Woods than a new apartment. Even new builds with huge houses and tiny yards wouldn’t suit me. Gotta have my green space and privacy.

[GGG]

One solution would be to change a portion of our tax base to be based on lot size rather than value.

So say 50% of property tax would be on the current % of value and say 50% on % of lot size. So an older house on a 50 x 150 lot would pay 3 times as much as a lane home on a 25x100 lot and a person in a condo with 100 units in 100k sqft would pay 40% on the lane home.

Now you could tie this to the ongoing operational expenses due to sprawl rather than population to more fairly distribute the tax burdan.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I think I might have the smallest yard in LB. It probably helped me get into the neighbourhood because Calgarians love their big yards so my place was priced well compared to similar properties with bigger yards. Granted, I can see why a bigger yard should command a higher price, but I don't value a big yard so my place is perfect for me.

I don't know that I'd say I paved paradise, but I do have fake grass in the back and am just finishing xeroscaping the front. No more fertilizers, pesticides, watering (other than shrubs) and no more mowing. I think maybe a net win for the enviro, although who knows with the resources it took to do the job and move supplies to my house. Either way, I'm happy and as long as people are taking cruises and flying to California for the weekend any yard work I do doesn't matter to old mother earth in the least.

Did you move since wanting to build the Bunker ? I can’t imagine the yard is that small if it could have supported putting a bunker under it

I am genuinely curious now

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Did you move since wanting to build the Bunker ? I can’t imagine the yard is that small if it could have supported putting a bunker under it

I am genuinely curious now

I think the answer to your question is entirely dependent on the size of the bunker you're imagining. I wasn't thinking of doing a 1000sf bunker. More like sea-can size under the yard. Not many lots in Calgary that wouldn't be able to accommodate that.

[flamesfever]

nm

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I have a big lot and it takes me less than 20 minutes a week to mow my yard, my neighbour’s, and the boulevard. Hardly a huge time or money sink. I don’t fertilize or hire landscapers, so the only cost is the lawnmower. Pruning the trees and bushes is a pain, but it doesn’t cost anything. My wife gardens because she enjoys it.

In return we get an expanse of private, pleasant green space. The setback from the sidewalk gives us privacy at front - which is nice because it’s a somewhat busy feeder road with buses going by, people walking dogs, etc. The trees are nice too, and help keep the house cool - trees are also good for the environment.

Our backyard is an oasis. Several shade trees, including the canopy of a beautiful mountain ash. There’s a school yard behind us, but a large berm blocks sight. Bushes and trees on either side give us privacy from neighbours - the bar my neighbour built on the fence is there when we want to socialize.

It’s south facing with sunlight throughout the day, but has shade trees and a green lawn for cooling down. Add the pond and fountain, the bloom of perennials from the garden and blossoms from the apple tree, and the plush deck furniture, and it’s an extremely pleasant place to spend a nice day or evening. Also great for hosting BBQs. In the warm seasons I spend 2-4 hours a day in my back yard/deck. And all totally private - we can eat dinner or I can doze out there with a book and we’re not in a fishbowl like modern builds.

I could never live in an apartment or condo. The hive-packed proximity to other people 24/7 and lack of green space would drive me insane. I’d honestly rather live in the greasiest ####box house in Erin Woods than a new apartment. Even new builds with huge houses and tiny yards wouldn’t suit me. Gotta have my green space and privacy.

Twenty minutes? I don't see how that's possible. Getting in and out of your yard clothes, mowing, trimming, and sweeping/blowing off the sidewalks takes 20 minutes to do your house and your neighbour's? You should start a landscaping business because that's beyond fast on even a super small yard.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Twenty minutes? I don't see how that's possible. Getting in and out of your yard clothes, mowing, trimming, and sweeping/blowing off the sidewalks takes 20 minutes to do your house and your neighbour's? You should start a landscaping business because that's beyond fast on even a super small yard.

It's probably the same time measurement system that leads to "15 minutes to Airdrie".

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Twenty minutes? I don't see how that's possible. Getting in and out of your yard clothes, mowing, trimming, and sweeping/blowing off the sidewalks takes 20 minutes to do your house and your neighbour's? You should start a landscaping business because that's beyond fast on even a super small yard.

You've also go to things like:

-Deal with disposal of grass and other yard trimmings.
-Buying equipment and supplies for the yard work.
-Taking equipment and supplies in and out of storage each time you use them.
-Moving that equipment from the back yard to the front yard.
-Cleaning and maintaining the equipment.

The actual practicalities and logistics of yard work are very tedious. I don't find doing the actual work all that difficult. It's really the prep and cleanup/putting things away that grates on me.

[Jason14h]

It takes me 30 mins and my yard is very big. Get green bin , get battery out of garage off charger , start doing laps. Put green bin back out front and mower in shed

Do the front when you are putting the green bin back (mine goes beside house in front ) Walk to back with mower and put back in shed

Blower ? Yard clothes ? Trimming (needs to be done like twice a year)! You all crazy that this is a hard process

[greyshep]

I live in Langdon and just finished mowing my front and backyard and it took me less than 40 mins, so 20 mins of actual mowing time on a larger city lot doesnt sound all that unrealistic.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by blankall

You've also go to things like:

-Deal with disposal of grass and other yard trimmings.
-Buying equipment and supplies for the yard work.
-Taking equipment and supplies in and out of storage each time you use them.
-Moving that equipment from the back yard to the front yard.
-Cleaning and maintaining the equipment.

The actual practicalities and logistics of yard work are very tedious. I don't find doing the actual work all that difficult. It's really the prep and cleanup/putting things away that grates on me.

Most things on that list are lot size independent. So mowing 1000ft of grass takes 80% of the time of mowing 5000 sqft.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

It's when they start changing the rules, without proper regard for the people being affected, that I have the problem.

When a group of us in our community went down to address the Mayor and Councilmen, someone in the audience spoke up during one of the 5 minute talks, and said he witnessed half the Councillors were sleeping while the person spoke. The audience clapped.

For something as important as deciding to upzone, I firmly believe there should at least be a referendum to be able to make that decision.

Genuinely curious: why do you get to decide, when you represent nobody, and not the city, who represents everyone?

Why should you have a say as to what your neighbours get to live in and who gets to afford to live in your neighbourhood? You live there, but it doesn’t belong to you, right? So why should your opinion matter more than the people’s job it is to ensure your neighbourhood works for everyone?

[you&me]

Originally Posted by greyshep

I live in Langdon and just finished mowing my front and backyard and it took me less than 40 mins, so 20 mins of actual mowing time on a larger city lot doesnt sound all that unrealistic.

I probably have a Langdon-sized yard and it takes about the same time... With the kids, nothing beats a huge yard for them to burn off some energy and we have the space for lots of things to keep them busy.

I think this is best filed under "different strokes..." as I know there were other points in my life where having a yard like this would have been the last thing I wanted.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Genuinely curious: why do you get to decide, when you represent nobody, and not the city, who represents everyone?

Why should you have a say as to what your neighbours get to live in and who gets to afford to live in your neighbourhood? You live there, but it doesn’t belong to you, right? So why should your opinion matter more than the people’s job it is to ensure your neighbourhood works for everyone?

There's also inherent expectations that anyone who buys land in a growing city should have. Over time, the city is going to grow and expand. The idea that existing owners should be able to freeze a portion of the city in whatever state most suits them is absurd.

People love the increase in property values from growing cities. They would never sell their property at below market value. Yet, when a slight nuisance like upzoning comes along, they're all up in arms.

I have zero sympathy.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by GGG

Most things on that list are lot size independent. So mowing 1000ft of grass takes 80% of the time of mowing 5000 sqft.

Fair point. It takes me only a few minutes of actual mowing to mow my lawn, as it's relatively small.

I, however, wouldn't downplay the amount of tangential work involved with mowing. Tasks like organizing a shed, for example, can be pretty tedious. We may be seeing a clash between parents with young kids/working aged people and empty nester retirees or just people with older kids here too. One group, obviously, having more time and energy to do tasks than the other.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by blankall

Fair point. It takes me only a few minutes of actual mowing to mow my lawn, as it's relatively small.

I, however, wouldn't downplay the amount of tangential work involved with mowing. Tasks like organizing a shed, for example, can be pretty tedious. We may be seeing a clash between parents with young kids/working aged people and empty nester retirees or just people with older kids here too. One group, obviously, having more time and energy to do tasks than the other.

Yeah totally agree I was more saying the amount of work for a bonnevista lawn isn’t really much more work than your generic modern suburban or inner city lawn. Once you have lawn a lot of the time is locked in.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Twenty minutes? I don't see how that's possible. Getting in and out of your yard clothes, mowing, trimming, and sweeping/blowing off the sidewalks takes 20 minutes to do your house and your neighbour's? You should start a landscaping business because that's beyond fast on even a super small yard.

I did day ‘mowing.’ I leave the trimming to the kids . And no, I don’t get changed into special clothes or sweep off the sidewalks. It’s just pushing a mower over grass and emptying the bag when it’s full. Really doesn’t take long.

[Fuzz]

Sweep sidewalks? Really? I just walk my mower in the direction that tosses the clippings back on my yard at the end. I also don't bag anything. I'm a super lazy mower.

[nik-]

I just dump the grass bag out on the sidewalk

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Genuinely curious: why do you get to decide, when you represent nobody, and not the city, who represents everyone?

Why should you have a say as to what your neighbours get to live in and who gets to afford to live in your neighbourhood? You live there, but it doesn’t belong to you, right? So why should your opinion matter more than the people’s job it is to ensure your neighbourhood works for everyone?

I don't get to decide anything. I just vote for someone who I trust will look after my best interest, which is to keep the R-C1 zoning where I reside. I chose to invest my time and money in this community, specifically because of the zoning. If the Mayor and Council want to make changes to the zoning, I believe they should have let me know prior to asking for my vote.

As something as major as upzoning, will undoubtedly have a significant impact on people and communities, I feel the people deserve to have their say in the form of a referendum. Once the genie is let out of the bottle, you can't put it back in.

I understand that things change with time, and increasing the density of the inner city is important. However, I strongly feel that it is equally important that the inner city neighborhoods have adequate representation in the decision making process. From what I have witnessed, that is not the case so far.