Let's start with the processes that can be improved:
1) The minor variance / building permit issuing system is dysfunctional and can easily be improved. The staff at the two groups have quite different views of the function of minor variance. At the committee of adjustment there is an expectation that building plans are at close to 100% building permit stage when the consents and minor variances are applied for. The building permits branch are struggling with what a minor change to an approved plan is. The current process delays projects unnecessarily. As a consequence novel and appropriate land use ideas are not being pursued by owners and developers due to the cost and time necessary to achieve the goal.
2) The fire departments, the province and city want to encourage the use of fire sprinklers in low rise residential buildings. Both the regulations and information flow at the city caused us delays and costs. It made it necessary to apply for a site plan approval with a 4" water service and then reducing it to 2" once all the engineering was completed.
3) Currently 60% of older people (empty nesters) live in a home designed for a family. The rest live in condos, nursing homes, adult residences and apartments. There are many reasons why older people don't move out, to downsize. They like:
- their neighbourhood,
- to garden,
- knowing their neighbours
Our building was designed to fit into existing neighbourhood and allow people to age in place. We have large private terraces for gardening. But to make this work we need to layer the units so that there are no stairs within the units and a private elevator to get to the unit. The current interpretation of the regulations controlling elevators makes it twice as expensive to install an elevator for small privately owned multiple units and adds an annual cost. The act was never intended to regulate elevators that are for "private use". This is a case of the bureaucracy being overly protective.
Next post will list the things that can be improved in the design to reduce costs and complexity of construction.
