#!markdown
The best advocate is an advocate that is informed on both sides of an issue.
This allows for a conversation to take place that is based on as much fact as
possible, and not emotion.
IMO the best way forward is to present a united informed group of riders
within the NSMBA context to carry on this conversation. AlanB is but one voice
but we need to have other supporting voices and energy provided to this cause!
I will do my part as much as I can. In order to be informed… we need to read.
Yea, boring… but, out of effort comes results. So everyone that wants to help
needs to go through the link from AlanB on the Overview of the Upper Lands.
<http://westvancouver.ca/home-building-property/major-projects/upper-lands-
study-review>
So here are my notes of important details we need to be aware of:
The PDF of “Guiding West Vancouver's Upper Lands - newsletter”- is about the
open houses and general info…
The About The Upper Lands (ATUL) – On Overview IS KEY to our informed
participation inside this process:
1\. ATUL Map 1 – Key here is that most all mountain biking trails are, or
funnel, into BPP land. There is a paragraph here about “Possible 1200 Foot
Contour Variation” This is KEY for our interests!
2\. ATUL Map 2 – This shows the overall study area circumference and the line
going through the middle at a diagonal is the 1200ft line… (which is not red
like the legend says it is). This 1200ft line has its genesis in a 1950’s
community plan as being the arbitrary line for development based on snow and
water/services costing provisioning. Times have changed, the snow line is
higher… the DWV could change the 1200ft line or vary it… a trade off for
something else… what could that be? Maybe our mountain biking trails… hint
hint!
3\. ATUL Map 3 – Preamble indicates: “Most municipally owned lands above the
1,200 foot contour line are designated as Conservation and Recreation. Private
lands that are not surrounded by municipally owned lands above the 1,200 foot
contour are designated as General Urban.”
4\. ATUL Map 4 – This is a very important map. Preamble indicates: “Most of
the land below 1,200 feet is zoned RS-2, which is single family housing at
just over 2 (2.17) units per acre.” Now you see why the historical 1200ft
level is important. Review Map 2- see where 1200ft is? See where the mountain
biking trails are?” Yea… collision of uses! Map 4 shows this all very well:
the green Community Use, the yellow Residential Use. See where are trails are,
and where they end up? This is why we are an important piece of this overall
conversation. The KEY PART to this map and our interests is the DOTTED LINE
indicated in the Legend as the “1200ft Contour Variation”. More on this in my
synthesis.
5\. ATUL Map 5 and 7 – Sensitive Ecosystem map stuff… review for awareness
understanding that this is a consideration obviously in the whole plan.
6\. ATUL Map 6 – This is important… this indicates what can be built on what
slope gradient. The flatter the slope, the more development (duh)… so steeper
crazier trails… mmmm… but… all, if not most, mountain biking trails lead to
the flatter slope… leads into the proposed development… a problem we have.
Synthesis: Looking at the maps; understanding the future that development WILL
HAPPEN; reading about the 1200ft Variation; and it is obvious that there are
trade off conversations that will occur.
To protect our lower trails from development due to the zoning, ownership, and
slope gradient… and the reference from DWV that there could be possible “above
1200ft contour development concessions”… to save lower slopes that are of
value to the overall community- we need to be a united group advocating for
our quality of life of what makes these lands so special, not only for us, but
for the wider mountain biking community in general.
Not only that, but we spend money. They are building a little shopping center
at the lower hairpin- where we no doubt will spend money on water, bars,
coffee, tea… ect. We will help make the community system work. We will only be
there in the future if our trails existed taking us to the bottom!!!
Let DWV discuss with BPP the 1200ft Variation… but for DWV to be interested in
doing that… WE MUST SHOW DWV that these LOWER LANDS have COMMUNITY VALUE… but
also, there is the economic spin off of COMMUNITY VIABILITY of the shopping
centers and overall area.
Be a part of our voice. The DWV is giving us this OPPORTUNITY.
Do not waste it. You will regret it.
Feb. 22, 2014, 12:14 p.m. - SneakyBastard
#!markdown The best advocate is an advocate that is informed on both sides of an issue. This allows for a conversation to take place that is based on as much fact as possible, and not emotion. IMO the best way forward is to present a united informed group of riders within the NSMBA context to carry on this conversation. AlanB is but one voice but we need to have other supporting voices and energy provided to this cause! I will do my part as much as I can. In order to be informed… we need to read. Yea, boring… but, out of effort comes results. So everyone that wants to help needs to go through the link from AlanB on the Overview of the Upper Lands. <http://westvancouver.ca/home-building-property/major-projects/upper-lands- study-review> So here are my notes of important details we need to be aware of: The PDF of “Guiding West Vancouver's Upper Lands - newsletter”- is about the open houses and general info… The About The Upper Lands (ATUL) – On Overview IS KEY to our informed participation inside this process: 1\. ATUL Map 1 – Key here is that most all mountain biking trails are, or funnel, into BPP land. There is a paragraph here about “Possible 1200 Foot Contour Variation” This is KEY for our interests! 2\. ATUL Map 2 – This shows the overall study area circumference and the line going through the middle at a diagonal is the 1200ft line… (which is not red like the legend says it is). This 1200ft line has its genesis in a 1950’s community plan as being the arbitrary line for development based on snow and water/services costing provisioning. Times have changed, the snow line is higher… the DWV could change the 1200ft line or vary it… a trade off for something else… what could that be? Maybe our mountain biking trails… hint hint! 3\. ATUL Map 3 – Preamble indicates: “Most municipally owned lands above the 1,200 foot contour line are designated as Conservation and Recreation. Private lands that are not surrounded by municipally owned lands above the 1,200 foot contour are designated as General Urban.” 4\. ATUL Map 4 – This is a very important map. Preamble indicates: “Most of the land below 1,200 feet is zoned RS-2, which is single family housing at just over 2 (2.17) units per acre.” Now you see why the historical 1200ft level is important. Review Map 2- see where 1200ft is? See where the mountain biking trails are?” Yea… collision of uses! Map 4 shows this all very well: the green Community Use, the yellow Residential Use. See where are trails are, and where they end up? This is why we are an important piece of this overall conversation. The KEY PART to this map and our interests is the DOTTED LINE indicated in the Legend as the “1200ft Contour Variation”. More on this in my synthesis. 5\. ATUL Map 5 and 7 – Sensitive Ecosystem map stuff… review for awareness understanding that this is a consideration obviously in the whole plan. 6\. ATUL Map 6 – This is important… this indicates what can be built on what slope gradient. The flatter the slope, the more development (duh)… so steeper crazier trails… mmmm… but… all, if not most, mountain biking trails lead to the flatter slope… leads into the proposed development… a problem we have. Synthesis: Looking at the maps; understanding the future that development WILL HAPPEN; reading about the 1200ft Variation; and it is obvious that there are trade off conversations that will occur. To protect our lower trails from development due to the zoning, ownership, and slope gradient… and the reference from DWV that there could be possible “above 1200ft contour development concessions”… to save lower slopes that are of value to the overall community- we need to be a united group advocating for our quality of life of what makes these lands so special, not only for us, but for the wider mountain biking community in general. Not only that, but we spend money. They are building a little shopping center at the lower hairpin- where we no doubt will spend money on water, bars, coffee, tea… ect. We will help make the community system work. We will only be there in the future if our trails existed taking us to the bottom!!! Let DWV discuss with BPP the 1200ft Variation… but for DWV to be interested in doing that… WE MUST SHOW DWV that these LOWER LANDS have COMMUNITY VALUE… but also, there is the economic spin off of COMMUNITY VIABILITY of the shopping centers and overall area. Be a part of our voice. The DWV is giving us this OPPORTUNITY. Do not waste it. You will regret it.