Email to #Nanaimo Mayor/Council/Managers re new #Colliery Dams DSB info —To: Nanaimo City Council... fb.me/1a1Rc2faT
— TheSidewalkBallet (@1sidewalkballet) May 15, 2013

Port Authority and Private Company Propose 30 Year Nanaimo Boat Basin Plan

Pacific Northwest Marina Group (PNMG) propsal to work with the Nanaimo Port Authority to revitalize Nanaimo’s marina: Marina Nanaimo | Pacific Northwest Marina Group

My note to Mayor, Council:



Subject: Boat basin plan Date: 15 October, 2012  
To: mayor.council@nanaimo.ca 
Cc: GeneralManagers@nanaimo.ca 
Mayor Ruttan and Nanaimo City Councillors, 

Some thoughts in regards to the boat basin marina plan proposed by the Pacific Northwest Marine Group: The obvious: the waterfront walkway and marina add up to a truly successful public space by any standard anywhere in the country. The elements that contribute to this success are many and any plan that adds to the wonderfully dynamic diversity of uses would be welcome. By the same token, to eliminate any element from this alchemy would be potentially a serious mistake. Our terrific little city is not a theme park. If PNMG's plan can't maintain all the elements currently in place: full secure access for Protection Island residents and other locals; full secure access for tug boat operators and commercial fishers -- with affordable moorage rates guaranteed for the duration of the agreement -- you should not support the proposal IMO. 

Frank Murphy

Email to Mayor and Council, Economic Development re: Audain Gallery

From: Frank Murphy 
Subject: Audain Emily Carr collection to go to Whistler 
Date: 3 October, 2012 2:20:08 PM PDT 
To: Mayor&Council@nanaimo.ca 
Cc: GeneralManagers@nanaimo.ca, sasha.angus@investnanaimo.com 

Have we got Mr Audain's phone number?

http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Whistler+world+class+West+Coast+museum/7337147/story.html 

This collection should be on the Island. Nanaimo strikes me as an excellent place for it. Audain and his wife also own some of the very finest EJ Hughes paintings. Let's invite hime over to see the mural… Seriously, this world-calss collection would be a game changer for this little city that so desperately wants to confidently take its place in the wider world. If you don't know the details of the Audain Foundation please research. This should be pursued vigorously and quickly. Give him a call, invite him over... 

 Frank Murphy

Email to Mayor, Council: Oh no! Murphy Has More to Say About Port Place

Date: September 3, 2012 12:43:13 PM PDT

To: Mayor&Council@nanaimo.ca

Cc: GeneralManagers@nanaimo.ca

Subject: Oh no! Murphy has more to say about Port Place.

Mayor Ruttan and Nanaimo City Councilors,

Ok, we have noted that the promised residential component of the Port Place redevelopment has been dropped. The other element of the renewal plan that was promoted by the developer and your Planning Department was a "connector street" to align with the Gabriola Ferry Terminal and would, we were told, make a considerable contribution to "de-malling" the site. Enthusiastically embraced by Council but also not delivered as promised by the developer. It ends abruptly at the edge of the new strip mall and in its place: (wait for it) more surface parking. First Capital have not shown themselves to be good corporate citizens here and your Planning Department have let you down badly.

Frank Murphy

www.thesidewalkballet.com

Email to Mayor, Council, City GMs re Port Place Development Permit

From: Frank Murphy

Date: June 24, 2012

To: mayor.council@nanaimo.ca

Cc: GeneralManagers@nanaimo.ca

Subject: Port Place Development Permit

A quick two cents worth re the Port Place Development Permit on Monday's Council Meeting agenda. You'll be aware that the residential component promised in the first application and that was the basis for Council's enthusiastic approval of that permit has been eliminated. It is now promised for some time in the future. Please remember it is well within your authority to ask for a time out here. I hope you will ask Staff and the proponent the following questions.

What alternatives have been considered and what alternatives could be brought to Council for consideration?

What approaches have worked well elsewhere. (Vancouver's Oakridge redevelopment come to mind and I would suggest you request a briefing from Director of Planning Andrew Tucker on the successes in similar circumstances of Toronto architect and planner Ken Greenberg (Walking Home).

Have downtown merchants and/or their organization the  Downtown Nanaimo Partnership been asked to advise Council on any concerns they may of the impact of this redevelopment?

Also, I hope you'll take the time before you make any decision to walk the site. Approach it from any direction and get a sense of this extraordinary property and the opportunity that exists to, of course, assist the corporate property owner achieve their business goals but at the same time accomplish other objectives: downtown revitalization, economic development, neighbourhood improvement, fully integrating the site back into a multi-use walkable street grid connected to and mutually beneficial to our established downtown core.

The opportunity to redevelop a key inner city site like this comes around once every what, twenty-five years. Please take your time.

Frank Murphy

www.thesidewalkballet.com

Email to Mayor, Council, City GMs re: Vancouver Urban Forum

Date: June 16, 2012 11:59:00 AM PDT

To: mayor.council@nanaimo.ca

Cc: GeneralManagers@nanaimo.ca

Subject: Vancouver Urban Forum

Mayor Ruttan, Nanaimo City Councillors and General Managers,

Last week I attended former Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan's Vancouver Urban Forum. It was as former Vancouver City Councillor Gordon Price said, a feast of ideas. Here's 3 that stood out for me.

1 Municipal government reform. The level of government not only closest to us but the one with the most immediate impact on our daily lives, municipal government should be more inclusive and representative. The forum was subtitled the "Fourth Wave of Urban Reform", the first 3 dating back to Confederation followed by reforms, one in response to the other, in the 1910s and 1960s. 

UBC's Prof. Max Cameron, head of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, made a point which gave me pause: the concept that dates back to Aristotle of the separation of the judicial and legislative powers of a governing body. He points out that elected municipal officials are asked to participate in the Public Hearing Process as both the people who wrote the law and those who adjudicate disputes or applications for variance. A fundamental time proven principle, the separation of these responsibilities at the municipal level might offer a good place in moving toward reform. Sullivan asks the question: "Can we design our democracy better by implementing the separation of powers?"

2 The (mostly) single occupant car vs public transit. Cities around the world are realizing, even from a constitutional equal rights of all citizens perspective, the correct hierarchy of mobility in the city is 1. the pedestrian, 2. the cyclist (and other folks on all manner of self-powered wheels), 3. transit and 4. cars and trucks. I think it's fair to say we're continuing to plan and develop Nanaimo in about exactly the reverse order. I found very interesting, in TransLink's presentation, the insight that one of their proactive contributions to successful transit is the promotion of well designed, more densely populated, walkable neighbourhoods, where both work and amenities are located close to home.

3 Economic development. Harvard economist Edward Glaeser (keynote presenter and author of The Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier and Happier) examines the American Sunbelt cities, where the greatest, sprawling growth of the last 50 years and the worst of the devastating damage of the 2008 economic crisis occurred. (As have many others, notably Richard Florida in his The Great Reset: How New Ways of Living and Working Drive Post-Crash Prosperity) These  economies, booming prior to the real estate crash, were based on 2 elements: appealing climate and the self-generating construction and marketing of residential housing at very low levels of population density. Insufficient attention to  more sustainable economic development along with the prohibitive costs of infrastructure made these economies vulnerable to an inevitable shock: if it wasn't the economic crisis it would have been the rising costs of fossil fuels or any of a number of other factors. In the end they were little more than a Ponzi scheme. Surely a warning a city like Nanaimo should heed.

A fascinating forum and as I'm sure you agree, from where you're looking at it, it's an exciting transitional time for cities large and small.

Frank Murphy

www.thesidewalkballet.com

Guest Comment, Nanaimo Bulletin

Nanaimo Bulletin, October 21, 2011 
To the Editor,

I’ve just finished Gabor Maté’s remarkable book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts – Close Encounters With Addiction and thought I’d share some thoughts in regard to the assisted housing initiatives the city and province are undertaking here in Nanaimo.

Our single-family residential neighbourhoods are part of what can be seen from this vantage point (some 50 or 60 years after their post-war beginnings) as an historic social experiment.

Demographics and economics were among the dynamic elements at work in their creation. Add the miracle of the internal combustion engine and it all seemed to spell salvation from the turmoil and smells and poverty of the inner city.

Nothing characterizes today’s suburban single-family neighbourhood more than its demographic uniformity. Which, in truth, was and is still at least part of its appeal.

Email to Nanaimo Social Planner John Horn

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts
Date:	Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:23:46 -0700
From:	Frank Murphy <frankmurphy@shaw.ca>
To:	john.horn@nanaimo.ca

John: I've been thinking. I'm the first to admit that good does not always follow that but anyway... I've just finished Gabor Maté's remarkable In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and thought I'd share some thoughts.

Before I talk about that though, indulge me for a minute: more with your Urban Planner's hat on than your Social Planner's. I want to offer a perspective that will certainly not be news to you and also will unfortunately offer very little help in the daunting immediate problems you face particularly with the assisted housing initiatives the City and Province are currently undertaking here in Nanaimo. At the same time though I'm sure you'll agree that this perspective has a legitimate place in the discourse. And it's basically this: our single family residential neighbourhoods are part of what can be seen from this vantage point (some 50 or 60 years after their post war beginnings) as an historic social experiment. Demographics and economics were among the dynamic elements at work in their creation. Add the miracle of the internal combustion engine and they seemed to spell salvation from the turmoil and smells and poverty of the inner city. It's probably more than anything the eternal law of unintended  consequences that explains the state of the social experiment in the first decades of the 21st century. Nothing characterizes the suburban single family neighbourhood more than its demographic uniformity. Which was in truth at least part of its appeal, wasn't it. I was an exile from North Vancouver almost 20 years ago. We raised our daughter in the wonderful air and civility of North Nanaimo. Though now that she's grown up and moved to Victoria with a VIU BA and BEd tucked under her arm, we've moved downtown to the more dense and diverse Old City...

Nimbys and Bananas — Email Exchange with Councilor Pattje

----Original Message----- From: Frank Murphy 

 Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2011 12:14 PM

 To: Fred Pattje Cc: Mayor&Council; John Horn 

Subject: nimby's and bananas 

Hi Fred -- a couple of quick thoughts about the "Vision Rally" last night in particular Mike Harcourt's presentation and his comments about the assisted housing projects being introduced into neighbourhoods. I sense your position has hardened on this but let it not be said I didn't offer some perspective. 

Strikes me Nanaimo sure doesn't need another round of "them and us". Neighbourhood concerns about these projects are valid, understandable, and predictable -- not to say they can't be introduced successfully. But for Mike -- an accomplished seasoned and polished politician of the first rank to read that crowd and say essentially "Who's against kicking kittens?" and get a hearty boisterous reaction is pretty cheap stuff. You probably recall the 16th and Dunbar kerfuffle he referred to -- an understatement to say he simplified things in his recounting. 

To the Editor, Sat. Sept 17 2011

The tenure of the current Nanaimo Mayor and Councilors is coming to an end. As the November civic election approaches it might be a good time for this administration to reflect on whether or not they leave the institution — one of the key governing bodies in our democracy — in better shape than they found it. At the end of their watch is our City Hall more or less respected and trusted by Nanaimo citizens?

They might want to consider some or all of the following:

The City's top public servant — then City Manager Jerry Berry — was allowed to walk away from his post with a very rich severance package the details of which, though often promised, were never made public.

The contract to construct a very expensive state of the art City Hall Annex to house City departments and workers has been awarded in a behind closed doors process without consultation with any stakeholders who might be impacted by this decision.

Email thread: Fred Pattje; Nanaimo Old City Assoc.; Director of Planning, Andrew Tucker

From: Dean Forsyth
Date: September 11, 2011 3:01:27 PM PDT
To: alexia penny
Cc: noca@oldcitynanaimo.com, Frank Murphy
Subject: Re: Fwd: RE: Meeting with NOCA

Hi Alexia,

I printed a copy of Frank's email to bring to our meeting. I will also add to our agenda, a short tutorial on director access to NOCA email.

When someone sends email to a director, that director should Cc their reply to noca@oldcitynanaimo.com.

We should all get in the habit of looking at the noca email account every week or so. Lawrence too.

See you soon,

Dean Forsyth
Dean's Computer Clinic Co.
48 Kennedy Street
Nanaimo, BC V9R 2H6
1 800 448-0853 or 250 619-2547
www.ComputerDean.com

On Sun, Sep 11, 2011 at 1:19 PM, alexia penny wrote:
Hi all - have taken the liberty of forwarding this to Barb and Ryan as Frank wouldn't know of their involvement or email addresses and I am sure that this will come up at the next meeting.
Alexia
PS Has anyone pulled a hardcopy for Lawrence?

--- On Fri, 9/9/11, Frank Murphy wrote:

From: Frank Murphy
Subject: Fwd: RE: Meeting with NOCA
To: deanforsyth@gmail.com, "Andrea Blakeman" , bownessreddoor@yahoo.ca, dougcreba@aquariusd.com
Received: Friday, September 9, 2011, 1:01 PM

Hi NOCA board -- I'm forwarding comments from Andrew Tucker and Fred Pattje. I think Andrew should be more supportive of any and all neighbourhood involvement but always useful, I think, to know what he's thinking. Certainly his staffers, in my experience, Chris Sholberg and Gary Noble have always been very helpful... willing to attend evening meetings, etc.

Interesting NY Times article on the relationship between population density and economic development.

Any word on the Selby St Train Station?


- Frank
____________________________________________________________

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Meeting with NOCA
Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:33:17 -0700
From: Andrew Tucker
To: 'Frank Murphy'

Frank,

Just wanted to say that I agree with your views on both counts. An inner city neighbourhood close to the heart of downtown is exactly the type of neighbourhood that one wants to see have redevelopment and infill for the reasons you cite, so long as it is done in a manner that respects neighbourhood heritage and character.

Email to Mayor and Council May 12, 2011

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Jane's Walks
Date: Thu, 12 May 2011 12:27:01 -0700
From: Frank Murphy
To: Mayor&Council , GENERAL MANAGERS


Mayor Ruttan --

The recent Jane's Walks across Canada in honour of the work of urbanist
writer Jane Jacobs reminded me I wanted to contribute a couple of quick
thoughts to issues and projects currently in front of you and your
Council colleagues.

They fall under this general umbrella: Nanaimo faces no greater
challenge than that presented by its large land mass and low population
densities and compounding this problem resources and amenities are
thinly dispersed and not effectively integrated into their immediate
neighbourhoods.

To see what I mean, stand in the parking lot of the small shopping
centre at Dufferin Crescent and Boundary Avenue. Note how Nanaimo
Rregional Hospital is buffered from the neighbourhood by lawns and
parking lots, sending a message to the neighbourhood: we're not really
part of you. Note how the streetscape has been conceded almost exclusive
to the car. Note the low quality poorly placed apartment buildings
surrounded by parking lots. To the pedestrian it's a hostile
environment. The neighbourhood has no centre, little public space and no
amenities to speak of.

I live on Selby Street, across from the E&N Train Station. I very much
appreciate the neighbourhood's mix of commercial, office and residential
uses. It is walkable and has something of an anchor in its Fitzwilliam
Street shopping street. The new Immigrant Welcoming Centre has just
opened down the street, new rental housing has been built in the last
couple of years. Not everyone in my neighbourhood is happy about the bus
exchange being located on Prideaux, but I'm fine with it. I return from
my morning walk and see people arriving by bus and heading to work at
the tailor shop or the restaurants or offices.

This neighbourhood has been informed that the City with the Province
will be building 40 units of "assisted housing" on Wesley similar to
that proposed for the Hospital neighbourhood. There has been no outcry
here, granted the proposed site is not as contentious. This
neighbourhood is better able to absorb a project like this. The lesson
has been learned in other cities that if you want a neighbourhood to
accept projects like social housing, sometimes you have to first fix the
neighbourhood.

The lesson has also been learned in other cities that you have stop
making the planning mistakes that lead to the problems in the first
place. Which brings me to your decision to proceed with the City Hall
Annex without public discussion or neighbourhood consultation, and most
importantly in my view, without a comprehensive plan for the Quennell
Square precinct. Both of these projects bringing millions of dollars of
development and opportunity to this site, but are placed helter-skelter
and amount to another opportunity lost to integrate public capital
projects into their surroundings to the benefit of all involved. This
particular site offers opportunities that would be the envy of every
small city in the country. There are strong ownership positions here by
both the City and the Province. The School District has maintained a
presence here and a private trade school is currently using the
facility. The precinct includes the Law Courts Annex and the City-owned
Franklyn Street gym. Imagine the redevelopment of Quennell Square as the
subject of a country-wide Design Competition, as other cities have done.
Imagine incorporating into this precinct a strong element of education
and training, designing and incorporating the supporting infrastructure
and encouraging the location of private and public education facilities
into this block. Critcal mass where we now have this growing economic
sector, for one example, spread thinly throughout the city. Where we had
dislocation we start to see integration and cross-fertilization. The
site would probably include some public space perhaps the entire site
designed around a central zocolo creating a very desirable, diverse,
residential neighbourhood as well.

While these ideas are hardly radical and are being tested daily in
cities across the country, they are not prominent here. I've never
understood this because anytime I've had a chance to talk with the
professionals in your Planning Office, or sat in a meeting of your
Design Advisory Panel or had a chance to chat with local architects or
for that matter developers, it's ideas like this they discuss. I've
never understood why they don't champion these ideas and why they don't
feel they have a responsibility to promote them and educate both Council
and the public at large in how fundamentally important they are to
reaching our goals to be a healthy, prosperous, inclusive city.

Frank Murphy

Email Thread with Planners Noble, Tucker re Mayor's Memo: Port Place Mall

From - Wed May 26 13:20:25 2010

Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 13:20:24 -0700

From: Frank Murphy

Thanks for taking the time to explain this to me Andrew. I appreciate it.

_____________________________________

Frank

On 26/05/2010 11:52 AM, Andrew Tucker wrote:

Frank,

You are incorrect. The development permit for 9 Nicol Street (DP613) does not require Council approval. It meets the requirements of the Zoning Bylaw with only one minor variance (which is less than 50% of the required standard). The required building setback is 4.5 metres fronting Nicol Street. The proposed building siting is 2.3 m. (7.58 ft.) from Nicol Street. The proposed setback variance is less than 50 % of the bylaw standard so the DP will be signed off by the General Manager of Development Services.

Section 920 of the Local Government Act provides the statutory authority for the issuance of DPs including the option for Council to delegate its authority. Development Permits (DPs) are not like rezoning applications where a change in use or density is requested. Instead, the legislation for DPs does not require any public process in their approval and stipulates that DPs can only address the general form and character of the proposed building and not particulars of exterior design and finish. Case law has confirmed that the discretion of Council is extremely limited with regards to DPs and that Council cannot refuse to issue a DP for design elements.

Under the City’s delegation by-law (Bylaw 7031), the General Manager of Development Services is delegated the authority to approve the DP. The process by which this occurs is that, following acceptance by the Design Advisory Panel, the application is posted for 5 days in the Councillors’ office for their review and information and then signed off by the GM Development Services. Approximately 64% of all DP applications received by the City are approved by the GM of Development Services following posting.

I trust this clarifies the processing of development permits for you.

Andrew Tucker MCIP

Director of Planning

City of Nanaimo

>

From: Frank Murphy [mailto:frankmurphy@shaw.ca]

Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 11:09 AM

To: Gary Noble

Cc: Jeremy Holm; Andrew Tucker; Ted Swabey

Subject: Re: Mayor Ruttan's memo

Thanks Gary --

I want to be sure I have this right. No need to reply on this unless I'm incorrect that:

Your are referring to DP000613 at 9 Nicol Street. It will require Council approval before it can proceed.

- Frank

>

On 25/05/2010 8:44 AM, Gary Noble wrote:

Good morning Frank,

This project has been reviewed and accepted by the Design Advisory Panel. We are awaiting Min. of Environment (MOE) approval under contaminated site legislation. This should be available shortly. With MOE approval the project will be posted for Council review and approval.

Gary Noble MCIP

>

From: Frank Murphy [mailto:frankmurphy@shaw.ca]

Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2010 1:26 PM

To: Gary Noble; Ted Swabey; Andrew Tucker

Subject: Mayor Ruttan's memo

Hi Gary -- Can I ask you to clarify for me something in Mayor Ruttan's reply to my request re consulting architect Franc D'Ambrosio on the Port Place Mall redevelopment and rezoning applications?

The Mayor's memo states that, "The construction of the Commercial Rental Unit on 9 Nicol Street can proceed to construction as soon as the owner would like to start." Does this application not require Council approval? Has it been approved by Council at this point?

Thanks --

Frank

www.nanaimocityhall.com

Email follow-up to Mayor Ruttan: Port Place Mall Redevelopment Plans

Thanks, Mayor Ruttan, for your reply to my request to seek the input of architect Franc D'Ambrosio, author of the award-winning City of Nanaimo Downtown Urban Design Plan and Guidelines, as you review the Port Place Mall redevelopment applications. A quick follow up if you'll permit me.

redevelopment of a site of such importance especially to residents of the city centre and south end neighbourhoods.

Your detailed note helped me understand better a number of the complexities involved in these applications. In honesty, though I'm unable to understand how it could be detrimental to you or your colleagues on Council to include Mr D'Ambrosio's perspective in your decision-making on the

I can tell you – while at the same time I urge you to contact Mr. D'Ambrosio directly – that he has voiced concerns about the redevelopment and rezoning applications.

He has also cautioned me to be respectful of and sympathetic to how difficult and complex these decisions can be for City Councils and Planning Departments. There's a number of conflicting interests at work and it falls to you folks to make the best decision possible.

Among Mr. D'Ambrosio's concerns is this redevelopment proceeding in the absence of a comprehensive plan that includes the future redevelopment of the waterfont lands to the immediate south of this site.

An auto-oriented mall that one might find in suburban neighbourhoods risks segregating this site from the charming winding European-style street grid to its immediate north. There's such an exciting opportunity here to take a great step forward in the planning and development of our downtown.

I have great respect for the investment being made here in our downtown by First Capital. I continue though to wonder if this shopping mall model is in their or the City's longer term best economic interest . Is the highest and best use for this site an expanse of “free parking”?

You refer in your memo, Mayor Ruttan, to “...the interconnection of Terminal Avenue and Front Street with a new access road has formed a fundamental starting point for the redevelopment plan...” Perhaps you could ask Planning Staff to clarify this for me. Are we establishing here a privately owned road? Are privately owned roads good public policy?

Lastly, some anecdotal feedback on how important this site is to Nanaimo residents and how involved they feel they've been able to be in this process. The 3 neighbourhood associations that represent the thousands of shoppers that frequent Port Place have expressed concerns re difficulty finding information and opportunities to provide input, as well as reporting large numbers of queries from their members. Also on the new website NanaimoCityHall blog (You may not be eager to accept feedback from a blog. They have not in general distinguished themselves as sources of reliable, objective information, though we have higher aspirations for this one.) by far the highest readership and number of links clicked has had to do with the Port Place Mall redevelopment applications.

I will, as you suggest, continue to follow this process with great interest.

Mayor Ruttan's Reply to Request to Consult Architect D'Ambrosio on Port Place Plans

May 10 ,2010

I want to acknowledge receipt of your email and request to retain Frank D’Ambrosio for a third-party review of the Port Place Mall redevelopment plan.

As you may or may not know, the redevelopment plan includes the following applications:

1.Rezoning to permit a high-rise residential tower (application received: 2009-Jun-02).

2.Development Permit to authorize the construction of a freestanding Commercial Rental Unit on 9 Nicol Street (application received: 2009-Jun-02).

3.Development Permit for the overall mall redevelopment plan (application received: 2009-Jun-02).

This is an extremely complex redevelopment plan, especially given the owner’s attempt to accommodate existing anchor tenants (i.e. Thrifty Foods, London Drugs) and the practicality of retaining significant on-site infrastructure, such as the above-ground parkade. The owner has made a concerted effort to balance the needs of the tenants and existing infrastructure against the City and provincial policies and regulations in the creation of the redevelopment plans.

Many trade-offs have been made by the owner to address elements of the City’s downtown Urban Design Plan and View Corridors policies, and to deal with provincial access requirements. In particular, the interconnection of Terminal Avenue and Front Street with a new access road has formed a fundamental starting point for the redevelopment plan and goes a long way to addressing the “de-malling” of the site.

The review of these applications has been underway for a considerable amount of time, with one application currently approved and all been considered by the City’s Design Panel on several occasions. I have been advised that both Staff and the Design Panel are recommending that Council approve the developments as proposed. It is my understanding that the overall development permit application and rezoning application will be ready for Council’s consideration in the near future. The rezoning application, in particular, will allow for input from the public, as part of the Public Hearing process. The construction of the Commercial Rental Unit on 9 Nicol Street can proceed to construction as soon as the owner would like to start.

We are extremely appreciative of the owner’s vision for the mall and their commitment to the City’s downtown redevelopment. I am confident that both Staff and Council’s Committee system have provided the necessary evaluation and adequate review process for this project.

I am not supportive of a third-party review at this time. The application has been through a full and proper technical review and it is time for Council to consider the merits of approving the application as presented. Thank you for your interest in this project and I would encourage you to keep involved as Council considers the owner’s request for rezoning and development permit approvals.

John Ruttan

M A Y O R

ECS/hp

Prospero: DP613/DP614

ec: Council Members

Al Kenning, City Manager

Douglas Holmes, Assistant City Manager and General Manager, Corporate Services

Andy Laidlaw, General Manager, Community Services

Email re Port Place Mall to Mayor Ruttan; Council; Planners Swabey, Tucker. May 10, 2010

Mayor Ruttan

Nanaimo City Councillors

Director, Planning Andrew Tucker

GM, Development Ted Swabey

____________________________

I am an enthusiastic fan of your award winning document Downtown Design Guidelines. (The Planning Institute of BC's 2009 highest honour) This plan and its guidelines approved and adopted by Council were to serve as a "living" document that was to be implemented when redevelopment was initiated in the downtown core.

I've been following with interest the opportunity that's arisen to work with the property owner (First Capital Realty Inc.) on the redevelopment of the Port Place Mall property. I appreciate the fact that this property owner has made a considerable investment in our city, having purchased the strata ownership of the commercial space in the Port of Nanaimo Centre and holds other Nanaimo commercial properties including Longwood Station and a portion of the Terminal Park shopping plaza. I'm sure you agree that the chance to redevelop a site of this key importance to the City might come along once in 25 years. It's so important for all concerned, including of course the developer, that we get it right.

I recently inquired as to the status and timelines of the redevelopment and rezoning applications and Director, Planning Andrew Tucker informed me that they are on hold as the proponent wishes to make alterations to both sets of plans already submitted. I also asked if Victoria architect Franc D'Ambrosio whose firm authored the Downtown Design Guidelines had been brought into the process of these redevelopment and rezoning applications. Andrew replied that Mr. D'Ambrosio was not currently under contract with the City and had not been consulted.

It occurred to me that I could approach Mr. D'Ambrosio and ask his thoughts. To my great pleasure Mr. D'Ambrosio was willing to discuss this. I found him to have a sincere and knowledgeable interest in the success of our downtown and a unique and detailed appreciation of both its problems and its potential. He wondered if, given the delay in these applications, it isn't time for a sober second thought.

With respect, and as formally as is possible using this channel, may I request that architect D'Ambrosio be approached by Mayor Ruttan and/or Director of Planning Andrew Tucker for his uniquely well-informed input into the development of this key site?

Thanks in advance for your attention to this.

Email to Planners Swabey, Tucker Apr 26 '09

Andrew and Ted - Can you tell me -- or tell me how I can find -- the status and the timelines of the Port Place Mall redevelopment? It's sparking a lot of interest on the new blog NanaimoCityHall. Also, can you tell me if there's been feedback on the development proposal from Franc D'Ambrosio's firm in regards to how it does or doesn't reflect the approach recommended by the Downtown Design Guidelines?

Have a look -- It would be great to hear from you on the blog.

Thanks -

cc/mayor.council.nanaimo.ca

Submitted on 2010/04/29 at 12:03 pm

Email thread with Planning Director Andrew Tucker in response to my questions -

Thanks Andrew – This is helpful and appreciated. I have a number of questions — a number of them no doubt of the dumb variety — and I don’t want to scattergun them at you. Is there, in the interest of not taking up a lot of your valuable time, someone I can ask for instance -

Who sits on the Design Advisory Panel? Who Chairs it? How can I access agendas and minutes? I see on the City website its schedule of meetings for 2010. Are its meetings as I assume all City Panels and Committees and Commissions are, open to the public?

Frank

On 29/04/2010 9:47 AM, Andrew Tucker wrote: > Frank,

There are currently three applications in stream for the Port Place Mall and the adjacent property located at 9 Nicol Street. The details of all three applications are available on the City’s website using NanaimoMap under the Development theme. > The Development Permit (DP) application for 9 Nicol Street is for a two storey stand alone commercial building with access from Esplanade and Nicol Streets. This application became delayed as the applicant sought to resolve access issues with the Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure. The City supports a right-in/right-out off Esplanade and a right-out only onto Nicol/Terminal. > The DP application for Port Place Mall is for the first phase of redevelopment which includes demolition of the western portion of the mall to create a private road connection through the mall property to the Gabriola Ferry and the creation of a “High Street” with a two storey commercial building along the northern edge of the street. > Both DP applications have been considered by the City’s Design Advisory Panel (DAP) and recommended for approval. The applicant has advised that they are wishing to make modifications to both sets of plans already submitted so we are awaiting revised plans before determining if the application will require reconsideration by the DAP. If the modifications are substantial then the applications will go back in front of the DAP before consideration by City Council. > The Rezoning application is to facilitate the longer term redevelopment of the site. The longer term vision put forward by the property owner is for increased residential components along Cameron Road and on the SE corner of the site. The Cameron Road is proposed as an 8 storey building whereas the SE corner of the site is proposed as a high rise tower in accordance with the Downtown Plan. Given the applicant’s desire to make modifications to the plans submitted to date, this too will await revised plans. > With regards to Franc D’Ambrosio, he was the consultant for the City’s Downtown Design Guidelines. He does not have any ongoing contract with the City to provide design advice and has therefore not commented to the City on the development proposals. > Andrew Tucker Director of Planning City of Nanaimo

Memo From Mayor Ruttan re Port Place Redevelopment

EMAIL TO: Frank Murphy [frankmurphy@shaw.ca]

FROM: Mayor John Ruttan, CITY OF NANAIMO

DATE: 2010-May-18 FILE: DP613/614

RE: Port Place Mall Redevelopment

I want to acknowledge receipt of your email and request to retain Frank D’Ambrosio for a third-party review of the Port Place Mall redevelopment plan.

As you may or may not know, the redevelopment plan includes the following applications:

1. Rezoning to permit a high-rise residential tower (application received: 2009-Jun-02).
2. Development Permit to authorize the construction of a freestanding Commercial Rental Unit on 9 Nicol Street (application received: 2009-Jun-02).
3. Development Permit for the overall mall redevelopment plan (application received: 2009-Jun-02).

This is an extremely complex redevelopment plan, especially given the owner’s attempt to accommodate existing anchor tenants (i.e. Thrifty Foods, London Drugs) and the practicality of retaining significant on-site infrastructure, such as the above-ground parkade. The owner has made a concerted effort to balance the needs of the tenants and existing infrastructure against the City and provincial policies and regulations in the creation of the redevelopment plans.

Many trade-offs have been made by the owner to address elements of the City’s downtown Urban Design Plan and View Corridors policies, and to deal with provincial access requirements. In particular, the interconnection of Terminal Avenue and Front Street with a new access road has formed a fundamental starting point for the redevelopment plan and goes a long way to addressing the “de-malling” of the site.

The review of these applications has been underway for a considerable amount of time, with one application currently approved and all been considered by the City’s Design Panel on several occasions. I have been advised that both Staff and the Design Panel are recommending that Council approve the developments as proposed. It is my understanding that the overall development permit application and rezoning application will be ready for Council’s consideration in the near future. The rezoning application, in particular, will allow for input from the public, as part of the Public Hearing process. The construction of the Commercial Rental Unit on 9 Nicol Street can proceed to construction as soon as the owner would like to start.

We are extremely appreciative of the owner’s vision for the mall and their commitment to the City’s downtown redevelopment. I am confident that both Staff and Council’s Committee system have provided the necessary evaluation and adequate review process for this project.

I am not supportive of a third-party review at this time. The application has been through a full and proper technical review and it is time for Council to consider the merits of approving the application as presented. Thank you for your interest in this project and I would encourage you to keep involved as Council considers the owner’s request for rezoning and development permit approvals.

John Ruttan

M A Y O R

ECS/hp

Prospero: DP613/DP614

ec: Council Members

Al Kenning, City Manager

Douglas Holmes, Assistant City Manager and General Manager, Corporate Services

Andy Laidlaw, General Manager, Community Services

Email Thread With Architect Franc D'Ambrosio, Andrew Tucker re Port Place Redevelopment

I would gladly contribute my time to meet with the ADP and/or with Council and/or with Planning staff for the purpose of, in the context of the redevelopment of the Port Place site, discussing, clarifying and interpreting the downtown guidelines we authored. I think that the compartmentalization of the different areas of the site into separate applications is antithetical to the integrated-use and comprehensive development planning approach that was envisioned as the guiding process for the revitalization of downtown and the repair of the city's street geometry.

________________________________________

Is it possible that short-term financial concerns and a lack of initiative is allowing both developer and Council to take the easy way out? I am the first to acknowledge that comprehensive planning and urban design is a more complex and careful approach to city-building. However the results have a far better chance of rising above the status- quo mediocrity, ugliness, and poor performance that is more likely to result if bottom-line driven dated suburban strategies continue to be accepted by citizens and their elected representatives. 

________________________________________

I think Council must become aware of the potential to either take a great step forward in the planning of downtown, or a step backward that would see the disruptive and auto-oriented suburban mall typology continue to dominate the south end of downtown and continue to segregate the downtown from this area and importantly, from the future redeveloped waterfront. On that note, I am surprised that an overall plan that would integrate the downtown plan with the waterfront is not being undertaken while deliberations for a cruise ship pier are occurring...

________________________________________ 

...the principles, ideas, approach and goals [contained in the Downtown Design Guidelines] for a redevelopment plan certainly can be taken as important determinants in the design of a more effective, heterogeneous, and positive urban design for the proposed project. I would also respectfully submit that the resulting plan could also be more economically successful.

As I read it now, the proposed plan, while marginally improving on some minor cosmetic aspects of the strip- mall typology, is still a suburban mall, surrounded by parking and 'pad' commercial buildings complete with fast food outlets and drive-thrus. I see only tokens of 'urbanism' in a small portion (stage-set) of storefronts and diagonal parking, privatized and disconnected from adjacent public streets.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Port Place Mall
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:56:34 -0700
From: Franc D'Ambrosio <fdambrosio@fdarc.ca>
To: Frank Murphy <frankmurphy@shaw.ca>

Thank you Frank. I am interested and have made some calls.
I am told by City staff that the application is on hold as of last week. Can you confirm that?
I too find it curious that (if?) the ADP has endorsed the application.

Perhaps this is an opportunity for a sober second thought?

I would gladly contribute my time to meet with the ADP and/or with Council and/or with Planning staff for the purpose of, in the context of the redevelopment of the Port Place site, discussing, clarifying and interpreting the downtown guidelines we authored. I think that the compartmentalization of the different areas of the site into separate applications is antithetical to the integrated-use and comprehensive development planning approach that was envisioned as the guiding process for the revitalization of downtown and the repair of the city's street geometry.

I know Trevor Boddy and am familiar with his initiative in Surrey. I think that the interest being shown by you and your group, and by people like him and I for the City of Nanaimo, indicates that the direction we see being taken as being ultimately detrimental to the City and to the costly effort and direction that has been espoused by Council for the last number of years.

The Planning Institute's highest award given for the Nanaimo Urban Design Plan and Guidelines last year is an indication that we got it right and that, on paper at least, Council and staff were moving in the right direction.

Is it possible that short-term financial concerns and a lack of initiative is allowing both developer and Council to take the easy way out? I am the first to acknowledge that comprehensive planning and urban design is a more complex and careful approach to city-building. However the results have a far better chance of rising above the status- quo mediocrity, ugliness, and poor performance that is more likely to result if bottom-line driven dated suburban strategies continue to be accepted by citizens and their elected representatives.

I think Council must become aware of the potential to either take a great step forward in the planning of downtown, or a step backward that would see the disruptive and auto-oriented suburban mall typology continue to dominate the south end of downtown and continue to segregate the downtown from this area and importantly, from the future redeveloped waterfront. On that note, I am surprised that an overall plan that would integrate the downtown plan with the waterfront is not being undertaken while deliberations for a cruise ship pier are occurring...

I think that while the redevelopment plan for the mall, as shown in our urban design plan and guidelines, may not be able to be literally executed, the principles, ideas, approach and goals for a redevelopment plan certainly can be taken as important determinants in the design of a more effective, heterogeneous, and positive urban design for the proposed project. I would also respectfully submit that the resulting plan could also be more economically successful.

As I read it now, the proposed plan, while marginally improving on some minor cosmetic aspects of the strip- mall typology, is still a suburban mall, surrounded by parking and 'pad' commercial buildings complete with fast food outlets and drive-thrus. I see only tokens of 'urbanism' in a small portion (stage-set) of storefronts and diagonal parking, privatized and disconnected from adjacent public streets.

I will stop my polemical rant now as I have to get back to work.

Please keep me advised and let me know if there is anything I can do.

Regards,

Architect Franc D'Ambrosio
MAIBC MRAIC LEED ap

Principal
D ' A M B R O S I O
a r c h i t e c t u r e + u r b a n i s m
___________ http://www.fdarc.ca
2960 Jutland Road Victoria BC Canada V8T5K2
t 250.384.2400 f 250.384.7893 e info@fdarc.ca

On 29-Apr-10, at 1:38 PM, Frank Murphy wrote:

Hi Franc - I thought this might be of interest as your name comes up... I'll be pursuing this through the Design Advisory Panel which has inexplicably recommended approval. I'm mystified but my understanding is it has not gone to council yet though merchants are leaving the mall and work looks to be ready to proceed.. Happy to keep you up to date on this if you like...

If you haven't seen this -- here's Trevor Boddy's invite to council and staff.

Frank


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Port Place Mall
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:45:33 -0700
From: Frank Murphy <frankmurphy@shaw.ca>
To: Andrew Tucker <Andrew.Tucker@nanaimo.ca>


Thanks Andrew - This is helpful and appreciated. I have a number of questions -- a number of them no doubt of the dumb variety -- and I don't want to scattergun them at you. Is there, in the interest of not taking up a lot of your valuable time, someone I can ask for instance -

Who sits on the Design Advisory Panel?
Who Chairs it?
How can I access agendas and minutes? I see on the City website its schedule of meetings for 2010.
Are its meetings as I assume all City Panels and Committees and Commissions are, open to the public?

Frank


On 29/04/2010 9:47 AM, Andrew Tucker wrote:

Frank,
There are currently three applications in stream for the Port Place Mall and the adjacent property located at 9 Nicol Street. The details of all three applications are available on the City’s website using NanaimoMap under the Development theme.
The Development Permit (DP) application for 9 Nicol Street is for a two storey stand alone commercial building with access from Esplanade and Nicol Streets. This application became delayed as the applicant sought to resolve access issues with the Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure. The City supports a right-in/right-out off Esplanade and a right-out only onto Nicol/Terminal.
The DP application for Port Place Mall is for the first phase of redevelopment which includes demolition of the western portion of the mall to create a private road connection through the mall property to the Gabriola Ferry and the creation of a “High Street” with a two storey commercial building along the northern edge of the street.
Both DP applications have been considered by the City’s Design Advisory Panel (DAP) and recommended for approval. The applicant has advised that they are wishing to make modifications to both sets of plans already submitted so we are awaiting revised plans before determining if the application will require reconsideration by the DAP. If the modifications are substantial then the applications will go back in front of the DAP before consideration by City Council.
The Rezoning application is to facilitate the longer term redevelopment of the site. The longer term vision put forward by the property owner is for increased residential components along Cameron Road and on the SE corner of the site. The Cameron Road is proposed as an 8 storey building whereas the SE corner of the site is proposed as a high rise tower in accordance with the Downtown Plan. Given the applicant’s desire to make modifications to the plans submitted to date, this too will await revised plans.
With regards to Franc D’Ambrosio, he was the consultant for the City’s Downtown Design Guidelines. He does not have any ongoing contract with the City to provide design advice and has therefore not commented to the City on the development proposals.
Andrew Tucker
Director of Planning
City of Nanaimo

From: Frank Murphy [mailto:frankmurphy@shaw.ca]
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:57 PM
To: Andrew Tucker; Ted Swabey
Subject: Port Place Mall

Andrew and Ted - Can you tell me -- or tell me how I can find -- the status and the timelines of the Port Place Mall redevelopment? It's sparking a lot of interest on the new blog NanaimoCityHall. Also, can you tell me if there's been feedback on the development proposal from Franc D'Ambrosio's firm in regards to how it does or doesn't reflect the approach recommended by the Downtown Design Guidelines?

Have a look -- It would be great to hear from you on the blog.

Thanks -

- Frank Murphy

From: Franc D'Ambrosio <fdambrosio@fdarc.ca>

Date: Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 10:02 PM

Subject: Re: Nanaimo's Downtown Design Guidelines

To: Frank Murphy <frankmurphy@shaw.ca>

Thank you for your email. I am pleased that this blog is a forum for public discussion and that there is some public interest in acting on the Urban Design Plan recommendations. I would be interested in seeing the proposed Port Place redevelopment plans as I have read that the planning department is supportive of the proposal. Where can I see the drawings? The website for the project is not up yet.

I was disappointed that neither the City Planners or the mall owner/ developer have contacted me in the interest of  discussing the intentions and the principles illustrated in the document we produced. I know that I expected that we would be asked to assist in interpreting some of the work and help integrate its' intentions with any development strategies contemplated for the subject areas.

I will wait to see what they have proposed before I comment. Same goes for the contemplated downtown waterfront pier that could be located in the area that was intentionally excluded from our scope of work and, as far as I know, has yet to be the subject of a comprehensive urban design plan to integrate that important land area with the downtown.

I look forward to following your debates and discussions.

Best Regards,

Architect Franc D'Ambrosio

              fdambrosio@fdarc.ca