So..... licenses issued with no assurance of compliance,( I would have thought that a necessary precondition of a license) and if you are found to be not in compliance, they are working with you toward compliance,(I would have thought you would be shut down).... so understanding. Really, how weak and ineffective is that. And of course there are those who have neither license nor compliance but simply operate.
This adds up to no change in how the housing stock of Tofino is being gutted....for housing purposes.
There is never enough money to be spent when you are spending other peoples money.
Town is rudderless
Speaking of rudderless. Coastguard standing by in Cox Bay today. Watching and waiting just outside the surf zone, hoping the "selfy prince" does not float out to sea. Back in the day, his old man just came and had a surf, no fanfare. Is this to be an annual visit. I want compensation for loss of enjoyment.......
A quick cross reference shows View West with 4 out of their 11 rentals not having licences, including still advertising and operating South Chesterman #30. WTF!!! TVR is (apparently) down to 15 properties they're operating, and View West- also owned by the same person as TVR, is still going? Total BS. Isn't this what we all paid double business licence fees for?
This year bylaw officers act like they’re on a paid beach vacation When you see these bylaw officers lounging around town or relaxing on a log on the beach, please let them know that you’re a Tofino TAX PAYER and that you're disgusted by their work effort
is it any wonder with about 250 legal vacation rentals, and how many illegal units, there is a rental housing crisis in Tofino. To hell with anyone wanting to rent so they may work in the community.
By now almost every single one of us are of two minds about tourism and Tourists. grateful for tourism as an economic generator; and sorely pissed off about dealing with all of these people in one way or another. that's what identity politics seems to be all about: polarization of ideas about one's identity. who one thinks they are appears to get in the way of moving forward managing the future so all of us who make up the community arent so frustrated. it's about time that the OCP is reviewed. apparently its been disregarded and subverted by tourism casino's good work at promoting tourism. the District Council appears to have helped in every way without taking anything else into account. the else is what we pay for. and so far we've given away quite a bit of our own money to a few resorts and hotels - allegedly by mi$take. tsk tsk.. someone has given away the community as well. with over 225 licensed VR's and B&B's guess what? housing - rather than a place to live - is not. its a cash cow for many many people who have no intention of ever living here or being part of the community. that's reality. that's what 225 licensed VR's and B&Bs did. how about a moratorium on licenses? or the owner has to live there to get a business license. this might free up some council time to create a new direction. like sewer, water, infrastructure, and traffic function. or housing function. business function. how tourism functions here. the academic approach to solving real problems isn't a solution. so far, that approach means that you hire somebody to study the problem even though they have no idea how to solve it. housing comes to mind. any kind of housing that isn't a cash cow. finish Gibson Street. blah blah blah
Vacation Rentals are more regulated in Ucluelet and yet there are housing issues there also.There are large acreages for sale in Tofino but few buyers as development is discouraged here.Many homeowners in Tofino say the only way they can afford their homes is by renting them out as Vacation Rentals.
The catch 22 is that those houses people wish to be able to afford and make them affordable by renting them as VRs would not have been so high priced if housing was not allowed to be a hotel business.
If Ukee has housing problems, part of problem is Tofitians moving to Ukee to find housing....
Tofino has lots of land, as identified in the OCP, but it is not available for rezoning and development because of councils and administrative onerous prohibitions, high mindedness, and supposed water/sewer problems. Mere decent development, will not be tolerated. Tofino has design criteria, view corridors, ammmenities and on and on....Tofino Council always demand s the best and highest standards, to the point that nothing can happen..
Meanwhile, it is obvious, council would rather have make shift illegal campgrounds scattered about the town, and illegal tourist accommodations. Council winks at flagrant abuse of it,s sacrosanct OCP, and openly permits violations of its. Zoning bylaws, that end up driving up prices in the process having used up the water/sewer capacity that could have gone to legal commercial and residential development and generated more taxes and housing for the town......
do you know how many old time 'locals' that once lived on Chesterman Beach and wishing to retire had to move away as they could not afford the $10,000+ property taxes ... only to have their properties bought up by richer & richer people ... supply & demand ... Tofino has been discovered and will only continue to get more & more expensive not because of vacation rentals - those property owners are simply trying to hold onto their properties - the ones that are sold are bought by wealthy people that would let the home sit empty when they're not there ... the taxes all accommodation providers charge include a tourism tax that goes directly into the pockets of the District to be used for tourism related ventures & upgrades ... the wheels are turning , the Prime Minister is holidaying here ... movie stars are coming here ... musicians & hockey players own here ... the onus should not be on those that can afford to be here to provide to others wishing to live here ... it should be the District ... they are sitting on a pretty valuable chunk of real estate themselves ... how about a couple of apartments instead ? or out by the community hall ? why hasn't the District adopted Whistler's zone system ? Everyone knows that Chesterman is without a doubt a tourist 'zone' ... allow VR's there and no where else ... hows that ? but no ... they say it's not fair for other area home owners ... wtf ? you can't have it both ways ... no housing or still no housing because the beach will ALWAYS be too expensive ! there is so much jealousy, bias & hypocrisy in this town its unbelievable !
5:33 you are wrong. The "tourist tax" you talk about does not apply to accommodation providers with less than 4 units. I'm sure that the illegal VRs with 4 or more units are cheating us the taxpayers out of that money as well!
with 225 + extra tourist accommodations in many places which should not have tourist accommodations i.e. residential enclaves, the decision to license and allow the shituation is exactly the reason we perceive we have too many tourists. meanwhile Mrs. Mayor, many years have gone by with no foreseeable solution to sewage treatment, traffic clog, the incredible in balance between slurping up food and drink and any other semblance of cultural activity, housing of any type whatsoever,(tiny homes! tiny homes!) and responsible tax contributions(by the illegal accommodation properties). so the responsibility to deal with this is suddenly cast upon the amorphous and mysterious 'we. does this mean its councils job to stop all of this? or does this just mean "oh goodness, the place is a mess"... someone should clean it up? it's getting to the point where the DOT needs to hire its own psychiatrist to deal with the denial problem.
643 you are leaving out a few of councils accomplishments: there is a new water tank at bars mountain to replace the old one. a remarkable job is being done by the free shuttles picking up and dropping off surfboards and surf shop customers. I just hope RMI money pays the free service instead of all of us who don't own surf shops!
Mayor Osbourne, "We" don't need a new word for "overtourism". "We" do need a new word for what council should be doing. Let's call it "leadership".
I know it will seem a novel concept. My definition does not include pandering for votes on twitter, by reflecting back to people what they are saying to you. It is tougher than that. It involves actually doing something, at this point, almost anything. Mayor Osbourne you are government. You have already been elected. You wanted the job and the job is to govern. Just start with one thing to address any one of Tofino's many obvious and serious problems.
Take a chance Mayor Osbourne, show some "leadership".
9:31 don't forget those cute, colourful directional signs that tell folks where Industrial way is, so they can get to the Brewery for their grog. That is an accomplishment. Isn't it. And what about the fantastic, world class parking scheme and traffic plan. Most communities would die for that, and we got it. It's just killer. It's killing us isn"t it
@931 The Community pays the price for incompetence
Tofino Mayor Osborne announced on FB the free shuttle bus ridership stats for July. in the comments section Josie stated:
" I'm curious what people would think if pay parking was extended to other lots or on-street in order to help extend the shuttle program into more months of the year "
for the environ-mentals, yes, consuming large amounts of booze is tantamount to respecting the environment...butt not ur brain, and trucking in specialty food items for the foodies.... the cute directional signs are a stroke of genius...designed by out of town pros.
RE managing water....In a few years the benefits of water conservation will have dried up, like the Colorado River disappearing in the desert sand, before it gets to the Gulf of California. Soon we will be bathing in Dixie Cups, causing an environmental disaster worse than the current plastic straw mania.....
Ten years have gone by since Tofino did anything to increase water supply. Longest stretch, since it began it's first water systems 65 years ago, without any increase in supply. Maybe the problem will go away on it's own in a few years, the way that those pesky parking and traffic problems we had a few years ago just up and vanished. Or the way all those affordable housing units, and available rental units, that people were clamouring for a few years ago, suddenly became unnecessary. Maybe we can conserve our way into requiring no water at all. It can all come into town in plastic bottles if needed anyway.
Ya! great job on the water supply issue.
It's getting harder to identify the sarcastic comments from the straight up ones. Maybe commenters could add a notation to identify the comments we should only take in jest.
Overtourism?? Let's prevent it? Is she out of her mind? Tell that to the airline companies/tourism boards/cruise ship companies so on and so on. BC saw another record year. What drew all the players on Council here is the same reason others are coming. You can't close the gates.
Surely she is in jest.
How do you decide who can be a tourist Mayor Osborne? You do not own Tofino. All people are allowed to come here. Tackle with simple solutions rather than creating unnecessary drama and sound bites. You are wasting valuable tax payers dollars.
Tofino Mayor Osborne announced on FB the free shuttle bus ridership stats for July. in the comments section Josie stated:
" I'm curious what people would think if pay parking was extended to other lots or on-street in order to help extend the shuttle program into more months of the year "
we don't even have sidewalks and you're contemplating pay parking on the dirt. thats why nothing real gets done about the most pressing problems. let RMI money pay for tourist free shit...not the taxpayer. remember we've already gifted millions to resorts and illegal accoms. and how did that help the community? and since tourism casino decided to over-ride the management of tourism in favour of numbers........
Contravene uses permitted $500 New Bylaw Notice enforcement.
Now I hope this means these tickets could be issued daily to those with infractions.
More than 6 guests permitted in B&B $500 More than 3 sleeping units permitted in B&B $500 Additional cooking facilities within bedroom $100 More than 6 guests permitted in STR $500 More than 3 sleeping units permitted in STR $500 Additional cooking facilities within bedroom $100 (this another bylaw subsection) More than 1 secondary suite $500 No parking space provided for STR $50 More than 1 STR permitted per lot $500 No onsite permanent resident $500
LOOK!!! Now they're even renting illegally on facebook!! Call the Worms at Bylaw! Call bible-boy john! Save our homes for those that deserve them! https://www.facebook.com/mike.dauphinee.9/posts/1105728916231092
The Dot what can you say. Aaron has become a minion for the rich and Josie is a slave to popularity and political correctness. This town is turning to shit. Pick on the little guy and shake hands with the devil. Greed...
8:58, Well said. Slagging someone who is really, truly trying to help people instead of trying to climb to the top of the pile like so many greedy others is inappropriate.
Just read the CBC article....Tofino "there you go again"...... shame on council, all this time and you fail yet again....Reasons for rejection 1) Tofino doesn,t have enough water....Councils have done nothing to alter that equation for ten years. Meanwhile hundreds of tourist commercial units came into existence, many completely illegal, to gobble up what is supposed scarce supply, Backdoor tourism is growing rapidly...Any thing through the front door..."No". Just put another sign beside the existing water use restriction sign at 6 mile, It should read "No water for development, waste your time and money at your own risk". 2) Developers wanted a 48 room hotel ...Councils concern was that they didn't want commercial activity in residential neighbourhoods.... We are talking about 27 acres on the main street of Tofino, in what is described as the "Village Core" wedged between two gas stations....Plenty of room to do both, some commercial and residential. Council prefers the illegal VR environment driving us crazy in residential neighbourhoods instead. Times have passed by councils vision....Tofino council wants VRs that don't pay commercial taxes...That's the way of the future.... 3) Design did not display "rural , eclectic, west coast look or feel". Whatever that is?... seems like it could have/ should have been identified long before now.... again, two years wasted. What do we want anyway... Chinatown look?... false front old west saloon look?, hitching posts?, phony 19th century fisherman's wharf look?, How about bylaw in oilskins and pirate hats?, Disney, Fantasyland look?, bicycle racks that look like breaking waves?, wild sea grasses and wood sculpture sprouting in intersections?, or our own version of the Brazilian Shantytown look... 21st century surfboard rental operations washing out soiled wetsuits to dry on the main drag, with people sleeping in cars in the alley because there is no housing.... Now that is what I call eclectic....anything goes 4) Density is too much.....Low density does not get you affordability. Ya!... council wants low density rental accommodations to house surfshop workers and VR chambermaids
The pattern repeats itself yet again. Same Same. Another two years of wasted time. I suspect the problems are 1) There is no one on the district council or staff that can negotiate to "Yes". Every instinct is to achieve a "No". 2)Proposals like this are beyond their comprehension. They get nervous, "Are we making a mistake" and "no" is the way out for them..... Besides we have no water.. Oh ya, right we have no water. So there!
!0:11, those guys making the proposal had no clue about building out here. When asked what they were going to heat the buildings with the reply was natural gas....
Hi Ralph, are you on holidays? It would be every interesting to get OUR communities' feedback on Council's rejection of the of the WOODSMERE HOUSING PROJECT. thank you.
Oh my god I can't believe the idiots on council....
Woodsmere would have single handily provided Tofino with:
A tax base over a million dollars (think sewar, hospital, school, roads....) There would be instantly no housing shortage, 40% increase in housing The current school would probably have been expanded to K-12 Our water system would have received an upgrade Local bus service could now be contemplated Swimming pool, ice rink.... recreation services like most places in BC
Do I dare stop???? Honestly, this is one of the dumbest things I have seen from our elected council....
2:11 You've been sniffing glue. and I suspect you are you are either the developer or the developer's agent. there is not enough water to service that scale of proposal. especially putting first a hotel next to the co-op Gasbar. and how, pray tell, is the developer suddenly going to be turned into Santa Claus giving the community the promise of a whole bunch of toys? none of this was intended to be owned housing.. just rentals.. 300 and some odd? sure... look in my ear... see my fingers wiggling?
10:11 Natural gas, propane, whatever. You take it as a sign of the developers stupidity. Why does the question even arise.... This was an OCP amendment about a particular issue. "Use"...Questions about heating systems are irrelevant and "Stupid". Maybe, some one is setting out snares
The cost of water improvements necessary to approve such a proposal would pay for themselves over time with the added users paying their bills. Probably in the order of $300,000.00 per year when built out. Besides a proposal like this would not happen overnight. It would likely take years, maybe 10 years to phase in. Seems like no one on council can think strategically. Or is council saying they will do nothing about water for the next ten years. Like the last ten... Oh my God we are so screwed....
ToFino's portion of the Kennedy lake water upgrade cost: $25M cost of the sewer system:$30M a new hockey rink:25M the housing shortage may be solved long before this project got its feet of water. better schools? And this project was going to pay for all of this? pie-in-the-sky
9:42 You are part of the problem... Move on, move away, go back into hiding
I have nothing to do with the developer or in anyway associated with a developer. So get this through your head and realize that you can't stop growth.... you can't stop this place from growing. Get over it and move.... now!
The developer is taking on all the risk and it could easily turn into bankruptcy and then some little shit on the sideline says, " Told you so..."
We can't afford a real sewer system, hospital, school system, water system, road system, engineering system.... people pay for these things through taxes. Governments borrow money based on people living here...... does anyone understand business?
You must be on council.... and sniffing the glue as i don't know why anyone would even contemplate that idea, when i could go to Pooles land and eat mushrooms : >
to 10.24. I suspect you have no idea what those things cost you are just spouting. Besides, Tofino is on course for sewage treatment. Tofino cannot afford a rec center because Tofino is too small, catch 22... And besides, the main besides, Water from Kennedy Lake will require a regional scheme and extensive cooperation between diverse communities and interests, and is unlikely to happen anytime soon without a lot of support from senior gov't. In the meantime there are many cost effective things Tofino can do to improve its water system to increase the supply of available water in those few summer months when there is shortage.... Such as raising the level of dams, increasing storage through resevoirs etc. But I have not heard of any such initiatives. If such plans exist, let us all hear about it now. If such plans don't exist, even as options......Why??//
You are correct. The Woodsmere's proposal was a phased development that was market driven and based on water availability. Phase 1 consisted of 116 PURPOSE BUILT RENTAL UNITS made up of Bachelor units, 1 bedroom units, 2 bedroom units and 3 bedroom units. All engineering studies were completed and water modelling confirmed that there was sufficient water for phase 1 - 116 Purpose Built Rental Units - Phase 2a consisting of- 48 Unit Motel and part of Phase 2b(estimated) 62 Unit Rental Apartment/Condo Building, 3-12-Plex Townhouses (36 units) and 26 Row Townhome Units. Phase 3(estimated) consisting of 158 residential units including 62 Unit Rental/Condo Building, 34 Duplex Units, 46 Row Townhouse Units and 16 Single Family Lots. The bottom line is that Tofino could have had 116 Purpose Built Apartment Units being constructed now if the Town of Tofino staff and Council would have supported Woodsmere's development proposal. All future phases would have being built based on market demand and water availability!!!
The comments on corruption are right on. As long as it is someone local (a very loosely interpreted word in Tofino) and siding with local government you're fine. Do whatever you want, the rules really aren't meant for us, right? And why the persecution of licensed properties paying taxes when there are so many unlicensed? Sure, many have issues, but maybe you should go after the unlicensed first, you know the ones completely ignoring the law, and then deal with the licensed problems? Oh wait, that would require work and thought.
55 comments:
So..... licenses issued with no assurance of compliance,( I would have thought that a necessary precondition of a license) and if you are found to be not in compliance, they are working with you toward compliance,(I would have thought you would be shut down).... so understanding. Really, how weak and ineffective is that. And of course there are those who have neither license nor compliance but simply operate.
This adds up to no change in how the housing stock of Tofino is being gutted....for housing purposes.
But just think of all those business license fees!
There is never enough money to be spent when you are spending other peoples money.
Town is rudderless
Speaking of rudderless. Coastguard standing by in Cox Bay today. Watching and waiting just outside the surf zone, hoping the "selfy prince" does not float out to sea. Back in the day, his old man just came and had a surf, no fanfare. Is this to be an annual visit. I want compensation for loss of enjoyment.......
A quick cross reference shows View West with 4 out of their 11 rentals not having licences, including still advertising and operating South Chesterman #30. WTF!!!
TVR is (apparently) down to 15 properties they're operating, and View West- also owned by the same person as TVR, is still going? Total BS. Isn't this what we all paid double business licence fees for?
But tofino can save save us all...they forgot the 't
unrelated but....... 50-70 people?
http://www.westerlynews.ca/community/where-would-all-the-workers-stay-without-pooles-land/
This year bylaw officers act like they’re on a paid beach vacation
When you see these bylaw officers lounging around town or relaxing on a log on the beach, please let them know that you’re a Tofino TAX PAYER and that you're disgusted by their work effort
is it any wonder with about 250 legal vacation rentals, and how many illegal units, there is a rental housing crisis in Tofino. To hell with anyone wanting to rent so they may work in the community.
welcome to the swindle zone........
By now almost every single one of us are of two minds about tourism and Tourists. grateful for tourism as an economic generator; and sorely pissed off about dealing with all of these people in one way or another.
that's what identity politics seems to be all about: polarization of ideas about one's identity.
who one thinks they are appears to get in the way of moving forward managing the future so all of us who make up the community arent so frustrated.
it's about time that the OCP is reviewed. apparently its been disregarded and subverted by tourism casino's good work at promoting tourism. the District Council appears to have helped in every way without taking anything else into account.
the else is what we pay for.
and so far we've given away quite a bit of our own money to a few resorts and hotels - allegedly by mi$take. tsk tsk..
someone has given away the community as well.
with over 225 licensed VR's and B&B's guess what? housing - rather than a place to live - is not. its a cash cow for many many people who have no intention of ever living here or being part of the community.
that's reality. that's what 225 licensed VR's and B&Bs did.
how about a moratorium on licenses? or the owner has to live there to get a business license.
this might free up some council time to create a new direction. like sewer, water, infrastructure, and traffic function. or housing function. business function.
how tourism functions here. the academic approach to solving real problems isn't a solution. so far, that approach means that you hire somebody to study the problem even though they have no idea how to solve it.
housing comes to mind. any kind of housing that isn't a cash cow.
finish Gibson Street.
blah blah blah
Vacation Rentals are more regulated in Ucluelet and yet there are housing issues there also.There are large acreages for sale in Tofino but few buyers as development is discouraged here.Many homeowners in Tofino say the only way they can afford their homes is by renting them out as Vacation Rentals.
The catch 22 is that those houses people wish to be able to afford and make them affordable by renting them as VRs would not have been so high priced if housing was not allowed to be a hotel business.
amen cash 22
If Ukee has housing problems, part of problem is Tofitians moving to Ukee to find housing....
Tofino has lots of land, as identified in the OCP, but it is not available for rezoning and development because of councils and administrative onerous prohibitions, high mindedness, and supposed water/sewer problems. Mere decent development, will not be tolerated. Tofino has design criteria, view corridors, ammmenities and on and on....Tofino Council always demand s the best and highest standards, to the point that nothing can happen..
Meanwhile, it is obvious, council would rather have make shift illegal campgrounds scattered about the town, and illegal tourist accommodations. Council winks at flagrant abuse of it,s sacrosanct OCP, and openly permits violations of its. Zoning bylaws, that end up driving up prices in the process having used up the water/sewer capacity that could have gone to legal commercial and residential development and generated more taxes and housing for the town......
vacation mentals
do you know how many old time 'locals' that once lived on Chesterman Beach and wishing to retire had to move away as they could not afford the $10,000+ property taxes ... only to have their properties bought up by richer & richer people ... supply & demand ... Tofino has been discovered and will only continue to get more & more expensive not because of vacation rentals - those property owners are simply trying to hold onto their properties - the ones that are sold are bought by wealthy people that would let the home sit empty when they're not there ... the taxes all accommodation providers charge include a tourism tax that goes directly into the pockets of the District to be used for tourism related ventures & upgrades ... the wheels are turning , the Prime Minister is holidaying here ... movie stars are coming here ... musicians & hockey players own here ... the onus should not be on those that can afford to be here to provide to others wishing to live here ... it should be the District ... they are sitting on a pretty valuable chunk of real estate themselves ... how about a couple of apartments instead ? or out by the community hall ?
why hasn't the District adopted Whistler's zone system ? Everyone knows that Chesterman is without a doubt a tourist 'zone' ... allow VR's there and no where else ... hows that ? but no ... they say it's not fair for other area home owners ... wtf ? you can't have it both ways ... no housing or still no housing because the beach will ALWAYS be too expensive !
there is so much jealousy, bias & hypocrisy in this town its unbelievable !
5:33 you are wrong. The "tourist tax" you talk about does not apply to accommodation providers with less than 4 units. I'm sure that the illegal VRs with 4 or more units are cheating us the taxpayers out of that money as well!
Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne on twitter Aug 6 - 2017
"We need a new word in our daily lexicon: overtourism. It's real, let's prevent it."
with 225 + extra tourist accommodations in many places which should not have tourist accommodations i.e. residential enclaves, the decision to license and allow the shituation is exactly the reason we perceive we have too many tourists.
meanwhile Mrs. Mayor, many years have gone by with no foreseeable solution to sewage treatment, traffic clog, the incredible in balance between slurping up food and drink and any other semblance of cultural activity, housing of any type whatsoever,(tiny homes! tiny homes!) and responsible tax contributions(by the illegal accommodation properties).
so the responsibility to deal with this is suddenly cast upon the amorphous and mysterious 'we.
does this mean its councils job to stop all of this? or does this just mean "oh goodness, the place is a mess"... someone should clean it up?
it's getting to the point where the DOT needs to hire its own psychiatrist to deal with the denial problem.
643 you are leaving out a few of councils accomplishments: there is a new water tank at bars mountain to replace the old one.
a remarkable job is being done by the free shuttles picking up and dropping off surfboards and surf shop customers.
I just hope RMI money pays the free service instead of all of us who don't own surf shops!
Mayor Osbourne, "We" don't need a new word for "overtourism". "We" do need a new word for what council should be doing. Let's call it "leadership".
I know it will seem a novel concept. My definition does not include pandering for votes on twitter, by reflecting back to people what they are saying to you. It is tougher than that. It involves actually doing something, at this point, almost anything. Mayor Osbourne you are government. You have already been elected. You wanted the job and the job is to govern. Just start with one thing to address any one of Tofino's many obvious and serious problems.
Take a chance Mayor Osbourne, show some "leadership".
9:31 don't forget those cute, colourful directional signs that tell folks where Industrial way is, so they can get to the Brewery for their grog. That is an accomplishment. Isn't it.
And what about the fantastic, world class parking scheme and traffic plan. Most communities would die for that, and we got it. It's just killer. It's killing us isn"t it
@931
The Community pays the price for incompetence
Tofino Mayor Osborne announced on FB the free shuttle bus ridership stats for July.
in the comments section Josie stated:
" I'm curious what people would think if pay parking was extended to other lots or on-street in order to help extend the shuttle program into more months of the year "
for the environ-mentals, yes, consuming large amounts of booze is tantamount to respecting the environment...butt not ur brain,
and trucking in specialty food items for the foodies....
the cute directional signs are a stroke of genius...designed by out of town pros.
ha ha ha, watch election time.... the sam egang of thieves will be elected again.
We need to admit that the DOT has done a good job managing water during these past few heavy tourist years
RE managing water....In a few years the benefits of water conservation will have dried up, like the Colorado River disappearing in the desert sand, before it gets to the Gulf of California. Soon we will be bathing in Dixie Cups, causing an environmental disaster worse than the current plastic straw mania.....
Ten years have gone by since Tofino did anything to increase water supply. Longest stretch, since it began it's first water systems 65 years ago, without any increase in supply. Maybe the problem will go away on it's own in a few years, the way that those pesky parking and traffic problems we had a few years ago just up and vanished. Or the way all those affordable housing units, and available rental units, that people were clamouring for a few years ago, suddenly became unnecessary. Maybe we can conserve our way into requiring no water at all. It can all come into town in plastic bottles if needed anyway.
Ya! great job on the water supply issue.
It's getting harder to identify the sarcastic comments from the straight up ones. Maybe commenters could add a notation to identify the comments we should only take in jest.
Overtourism??
Let's prevent it?
Is she out of her mind?
Tell that to the airline companies/tourism boards/cruise ship companies so on and so on.
BC saw another record year. What drew all the players on Council here is the same reason others are coming. You can't close the gates.
Surely she is in jest.
How do you decide who can be a tourist Mayor Osborne? You do not own Tofino. All people are allowed to come here.
Tackle with simple solutions rather than creating unnecessary drama and sound bites. You are wasting valuable tax payers dollars.
@10:37 Surely she is in jest.
Tofino Mayor Osborne announced on FB the free shuttle bus ridership stats for July.
in the comments section Josie stated:
" I'm curious what people would think if pay parking was extended to other lots or on-street in order to help extend the shuttle program into more months of the year "
TOFINO WAKE UP !
we don't even have sidewalks and you're contemplating pay parking on the dirt.
thats why nothing real gets done about the most pressing problems.
let RMI money pay for tourist free shit...not the taxpayer.
remember we've already gifted millions to resorts and illegal accoms.
and how did that help the community?
and since tourism casino decided to over-ride the management of tourism in favour of numbers........
Contravene uses permitted $500
New Bylaw Notice enforcement.
Now I hope this means these tickets could be issued daily to those with infractions.
More than 6 guests permitted in B&B $500
More than 3 sleeping units permitted in B&B $500
Additional cooking facilities within bedroom $100
More than 6 guests permitted in STR $500
More than 3 sleeping units permitted in STR $500
Additional cooking facilities within bedroom $100 (this another bylaw subsection)
More than 1 secondary suite $500
No parking space provided for STR $50
More than 1 STR permitted per lot $500
No onsite permanent resident $500
@ 3:31
I believe that's the case, yes.
LOOK!!! Now they're even renting illegally on facebook!! Call the Worms at Bylaw! Call bible-boy john! Save our homes for those that deserve them! https://www.facebook.com/mike.dauphinee.9/posts/1105728916231092
The Dot what can you say. Aaron has become a minion for the rich and Josie is a slave to popularity and political correctness. This town is turning to shit. Pick on the little guy and shake hands with the devil. Greed...
Hey 8:57
Leave the religious slurs out. There is plenty to comment on without bigotry
8:58, Well said. Slagging someone who is really, truly trying to help people instead of trying to climb to the top of the pile like so many greedy others is inappropriate.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/tofino-nixes-27-acre-housing-project-despite-housing-crunch-1.4260394
Just read the CBC article....Tofino "there you go again"......
shame on council, all this time and you fail yet again....Reasons for rejection
1) Tofino doesn,t have enough water....Councils have done nothing to alter that equation for ten years. Meanwhile hundreds of tourist commercial units came into existence, many completely illegal, to gobble up what is supposed scarce supply, Backdoor tourism is growing rapidly...Any thing through the front door..."No". Just put another sign beside the existing water use restriction sign at 6 mile, It should read "No water for development, waste your time and money at your own risk".
2) Developers wanted a 48 room hotel ...Councils concern was that they didn't want commercial activity in residential neighbourhoods.... We are talking about 27 acres on the main street of Tofino, in what is described as the "Village Core" wedged between two gas stations....Plenty of room to do both, some commercial and residential. Council prefers the illegal VR environment driving us crazy in residential neighbourhoods instead. Times have passed by councils vision....Tofino council wants VRs that don't pay commercial taxes...That's the way of the future....
3) Design did not display "rural , eclectic, west coast look or feel". Whatever that is?... seems like it could have/ should have been identified long before now.... again, two years wasted. What do we want anyway...
Chinatown look?... false front old west saloon look?, hitching posts?, phony 19th century fisherman's wharf look?, How about bylaw in oilskins and pirate hats?, Disney, Fantasyland look?, bicycle racks that look like breaking waves?, wild sea grasses and wood sculpture sprouting in intersections?, or our own version of the Brazilian Shantytown look... 21st century surfboard rental operations washing out soiled wetsuits to dry on the main drag, with people sleeping in cars in the alley because there is no housing.... Now that is what I call eclectic....anything goes
4) Density is too much.....Low density does not get you affordability. Ya!... council wants low density rental accommodations to house surfshop workers and VR chambermaids
The pattern repeats itself yet again. Same Same.
Another two years of wasted time. I suspect the problems are 1) There is no one on the district council or staff that can negotiate to "Yes". Every instinct is to achieve a "No". 2)Proposals like this are beyond their comprehension. They get nervous, "Are we making a mistake" and "no" is the way out for them..... Besides we have no water.. Oh ya, right we have no water. So there!
Thank you 10:11
Complete bloody idiots !!
How is a community supposed to grow ?
Because like it or not it IS!!!
PLEASE DO NOT RE-ELECT THESE BACKWARDS THINKING PEOPLE !!
!0:11, those guys making the proposal had no clue about building out here. When asked what they were going to heat the buildings with the reply was natural gas....
Hi Ralph, are you on holidays? It would be every interesting to get OUR communities' feedback on Council's rejection of the of the WOODSMERE HOUSING PROJECT. thank you.
Oh my god I can't believe the idiots on council....
Woodsmere would have single handily provided Tofino with:
A tax base over a million dollars (think sewar, hospital, school, roads....)
There would be instantly no housing shortage, 40% increase in housing
The current school would probably have been expanded to K-12
Our water system would have received an upgrade
Local bus service could now be contemplated
Swimming pool, ice rink.... recreation services like most places in BC
Do I dare stop???? Honestly, this is one of the dumbest things I have seen from our elected council....
Greg Blanchette on facebook
"i'm at the Botanical Gardens (a UNESCO-designated overtourism refuge)"
2:11 You've been sniffing glue. and I suspect you are you are either the developer or the developer's agent. there is not enough water to service that scale of proposal. especially putting first a hotel next to the co-op Gasbar. and how, pray tell, is the developer suddenly going to be turned into Santa Claus giving the community the promise of a whole bunch of toys? none of this was intended to be owned housing.. just rentals.. 300 and some odd? sure... look in my ear... see my fingers wiggling?
2:11 Like your approach, maybe with a move to more housing as the proposal proposes, we could get back to being a community.
10:49, Like the sign at the 6 mile but maybe it should say tourists welcome all others FO.
10:11 Natural gas, propane, whatever. You take it as a sign of the developers stupidity. Why does the question even arise.... This was an OCP amendment about a particular issue. "Use"...Questions about heating systems are irrelevant and "Stupid". Maybe, some one is setting out snares
The cost of water improvements necessary to approve such a proposal would pay for themselves over time with the added users paying their bills. Probably in the order of $300,000.00 per year when built out. Besides a proposal like this would not happen overnight. It would likely take years, maybe 10 years to phase in. Seems like no one on council can think strategically. Or is council saying they will do nothing about water for the next ten years. Like the last ten... Oh my God we are so screwed....
Their Royal Highness's, the Tofino Council have decided for us on Woodsmere. They decided that we prefer to eat cake.
ToFino's portion of the Kennedy lake water upgrade cost: $25M
cost of the sewer system:$30M
a new hockey rink:25M
the housing shortage may be solved long before this project got its feet of water.
better schools?
And this project was going to pay for all of this?
pie-in-the-sky
9:42 You are part of the problem... Move on, move away, go back into hiding
I have nothing to do with the developer or in anyway associated with a developer. So get this through your head and realize that you can't stop growth.... you can't stop this place from growing. Get over it and move.... now!
The developer is taking on all the risk and it could easily turn into bankruptcy and then some little shit on the sideline says, " Told you so..."
We can't afford a real sewer system, hospital, school system, water system, road system, engineering system.... people pay for these things through taxes. Governments borrow money based on people living here...... does anyone understand business?
You must be on council.... and sniffing the glue as i don't know why anyone would even contemplate that idea, when i could go to Pooles land and eat mushrooms : >
to 10.24. I suspect you have no idea what those things cost you are just spouting. Besides, Tofino is on course for sewage treatment. Tofino cannot afford a rec center because Tofino is too small, catch 22... And besides, the main besides, Water from Kennedy Lake will require a regional scheme and extensive cooperation between diverse communities and interests, and is unlikely to happen anytime soon without a lot of support from senior gov't. In the meantime there are many cost effective things Tofino can do to improve its water system to increase the supply of available water in those few summer months when there is shortage.... Such as raising the level of dams, increasing storage through resevoirs etc. But I have not heard of any such initiatives. If such plans exist, let us all hear about it now. If such plans don't exist, even as options......Why??//
You are correct. The Woodsmere's proposal was a phased development that was market driven and based on water availability. Phase 1 consisted of 116 PURPOSE BUILT RENTAL UNITS made up of Bachelor units, 1 bedroom units, 2 bedroom units and 3 bedroom units. All engineering studies were completed and water modelling confirmed that there was sufficient water for phase 1 - 116 Purpose Built Rental Units - Phase 2a consisting of- 48 Unit Motel and part of Phase 2b(estimated) 62 Unit Rental Apartment/Condo Building, 3-12-Plex Townhouses (36 units) and 26 Row Townhome Units. Phase 3(estimated) consisting of 158 residential units including 62 Unit Rental/Condo Building, 34 Duplex Units, 46 Row Townhouse Units and 16 Single Family Lots. The bottom line is that Tofino could have had 116 Purpose Built Apartment Units being constructed now if the Town of Tofino staff and Council would have supported Woodsmere's development proposal. All future phases would have being built based on market demand and water availability!!!
Nothing changes if nothing changes
This town is truly screwed :((((((
I'm gonna come back and visit in 10 yrs
What will I find?
Nothing!
water modelling? done by which paid engineer? smoke....&....mirrors
The comments on corruption are right on. As long as it is someone local (a very loosely interpreted word in Tofino) and siding with local government you're fine. Do whatever you want, the rules really aren't meant for us, right? And why the persecution of licensed properties paying taxes when there are so many unlicensed? Sure, many have issues, but maybe you should go after the unlicensed first, you know the ones completely ignoring the law, and then deal with the licensed problems? Oh wait, that would require work and thought.
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