Regina #yqr #yqrcc Join undergraduate students from GES 346 Urban Planning to hear their project ideas for how to build a more attractive Regina. April 2, 10-11am in the Ad Hum Pit. All are welcome! This is a come & go event.
Yay!
Vote on Flores' amendment to introduce a tax subclass to deal w/ nuisance & derelict properties: Carried 6 to 5.
Wait? What? Carried????!!
Mayor, Froh, Turnbull, Radons, Flores & Zachidniak vote in favour. #yqrcc
Third reading of the 10% transit fare increase.
There is no discussion at this point. Just a vote.
It passes 6 to 5. Froh, Turnbull, Flores, Radons & Zachidniak vote against.
You transit fares will now go up. #yqrcc
Edmonton's property subclass on neglected properties includes a tax rate 3x more than regular residential rate for boarded up/abandoned/unsafe properties. Edmonton's property subclass led to hundreds of thousands of $ & they are now exploring including commercial (so non-residential!) 6/6+1 #yqrcc
Status quo on this really doesn't account for the struggles associated with having a derelict/nuisance property as your neighbour or in your community. It doesn't account for the health & safety issues/costs, the illegal activity associated with these spaces, & the economic/social loss. #yqrcc 6/6
It highlights the significant costs of these spaces. It also highlights a commitment to intensification and the need to better utilize/transition core lands for housing, services, and commercial functions. #yqr #yqrcc 5/
These sites are not paying enough to cover the costs to their community or the city. Developing a property subclass to deal with these properties, and including an increased property tax level, recognizes a loss of vibrancy and safety in core communities. #yqrcc #yqr 4/
The property subclass is necessary to ensure that nuisance and abandoned properties and buildings are dealt with in ways that recognize their costs to safety, health, economic stability, and social well being. #yqr #yqrcc 3/
A new subclass, while an increase in admin resources, will allow the city to create an increased tax level for these properties. #yqrcc #yqr 2/
Today, Regina City Council will debate whether to continue status quo with derelict and nuisance properties or whether to introduce a new property subclass. #yqrcc #yqr 1/
Our transportation options sure feel limited these days (I’m privileged to have a private vehicle which many don’t). Really hoping the transit hike doesn’t pass & we can start looking ahead to ensuring accessibility in winter months. #yqr #yqrcc
Pulled out this t-shirt for a seminar on cycling equity today. I’m missing biking (I generally don’t bike in winter) & I’m finding walking tough these days with all the ice. Tomorrow, Regina City Council will debate a 10% increase to public transit. #yqrcc #yqr
There are a number of councillors who have made it clear publicly that they will vote against this proposed increase. For the others, you are 100% correct - it's about building choice in our transportation system. An effective, affordable system is a win for everyone.
The 2nd agenda item is the proposed 10% public transit fare increase. This increase will disproportionately effect those who currently struggle the most with affordability and doesn't align with our commitments to building an equitable and sustainable city. It also stands to lose riders #yqrcc
I'll be speaking today at #yqrcc on two important agenda items. First is the Growth Plan Review as part of the OCP. While I welcome a strategic sequencing of new neighbourhoods tied to infrastructure provision, I feel the update falls short on intensification. Here's my delegation:
Also, charging more for surface parking lots and derelict housing GENERATES MORE REVENUE that you can put toward covering the cost of whatever extra staff you need to enforce this. And maybe have some mad money left over for municipal improvements. #yqrcc /5
The beauty of implementing a tax class where you can make derelict properties and surface parking lots more expensive to hold onto is it shifts the incentive structure we currently have & makes property owners WANT to develop they're land. Less wheedling necessary. /4 #yqrcc
Further to this thread, I now have an more complete list of organizations receiving Community Investment Grant Program Funding. It's 146 names long & it doesn't even include community associations.
I'm going to post the list I have so far to bsky right now. Hold on to your hats. It's enormous… /1
This list produced fear across #yqr. Each line contributes to sense of place & quality of life. These are the things that affect whether people want to stay in this city or not and whether people feel like they belong. #yqrcc 4/4
It would make living in #yqr 100% worse. Requests to find cuts without understanding the complexity of budgets, programming, grants, recreation needs, and/or delivery of services looks like this. This is a list of things that contribute directly to well being in our city. #yqrcc 3/
It would mean the loss of grants (including overnight warming centre), children's summer programming, commitments to reconciliation, winter city initiatives. It would mean a loss of safety standards (from roads to firefighting), elimination of programs, reduced staffing/inspections/repairs. #yqrcc 2
The cuts in Appendix M13 are haunting. If this budget cut were to go ahead it would mean the loss of the downtown clean up team, heritage incentives/grants, the Cathedral Neighbourhood Centre, the Floral Conservatory, Neil Balkwill Arts Centre, the Massey Pool, outdoor rink programs. #yqrcc #yqr 1/
The video of Rashovich asking admin to game out a 5% budget reduction is pretty long so I've added chapter titles to help with the jumping around. youtu.be/BXC7FNft0G4?... #yqrcc
This was about three years in the making but our piece on zoning and craft breweries is live! A pan Canadian study examining how land use planning affects the place of craft beer. It’s open access too! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #craftbreweries #geography #urbanplanning #placemaking
Calling all designers, planners and creative types! Today is the last day to register for the Finding Middle Ground Regina housing competition. You’ll have until November to finalize design. Open to all Canadians. #housing #HAF #designcompetition #infill www.regina.ca/home-propert...
Vote for consent to move to third reading… (needs to be unanimous; if it fails, 3rd reading goes to next council meeting): Fails. Clrs Flores & Zachidniak vote against.
So this delays passage of Safe Public Spaces bylaw to next council meeting. #yqrcc
Tabling motion failed. Councillors were not given much time to think through the implications of this provincially drafted act. I'm worried about its adoption on our most vulnerable (as delegations eloquently noted). The unhoused in #yqr must negotiate yet another round of cruel regulations. #yqrcc
Read the thread for context but I just need to stress that we discovered yesterday that, almost by accident, the City Of Regina is BUILDING A BASEBALL STADIUM ON THE YARDS.
The project is in the budget. It's happening.
You thought this was coming to council for approval?
SURPRISE! #yqrcc
Yay - another P3 & minimized debate! What could possibly go wrong?!