Paulin, Marty

When I was a child I lived in a 6 plex - MURBs are an additional way to solve our housing crisis, along with basement apartments and "In-Law/Granny suites" however we have to make certain they fit in the neighbourhood. The same goes for Condo Towers - they are great at increasing housing density but that doesn't mean they belong on every corner. We have to look at utility availability, traffic patterns, parking availability & existing land use i.e existing type of housing etc. to make certain the community can support any proposed increase in housing density.

As long as a builder (regardless of size) follows established safety and design parameters in keeping with Govt. regulations and maintaining harmonious neighbourhood design, I see no issue with small independent builders/contractors constructing infill and new smaller housing developments. (My father built our house on the farm).

We can't line every major roadway with condo towers, the roadways, utilities and traffic patterns won't support it. That being said just as Vaughan has built the community of condos at Jane and Highway 7 that take advantage of mass transit availability, Richmond Hill's proposed condo community at Yonge and Hwy 7 will take full advantage of the Yonge North TTC subway extension and will help solve our housing crisis and allow younger residents to enter the housing market and seniors to downsize (freeing up single family dwellings for residents who wish to upsize.

I go through the gruelling process of applying for a temporary building permit for the Richmond Winter Carnival every year. I sympathize with anyone who has to suffer though the process. A large developer has staff dedicated to obtaining the necessary approvals, a smaller builder wants to get on with the task of building. There is currently an unnecessary bureaucratic maze - the process needs to be streamlined. That being said, enforcement design, construction and safety standards have to be maintained.

You can't have both sides of the street lined with parked cars all the time. It's a safety hazard for drivers and pedestrians and it's somewhat unsightly. Imagine an Richmond Hill Fire Truck attempting to drive down a narrow street with vehicles parked on both sides, add snow piled on the sides of the street like we had this past Winter to add to the chaos.

People need a safe place to walk or cycle and a proper space to temporarily store their bicycle (if they are a cyclist) when using public transit. It's not unreasonable for space to be made for bike lockers, cycle paths etc. That being said, there has to be proper enforcement of the use of cycle paths to prevent the abuse by E-bike and E-Scooter riders.

As Chair of the City's Roadwatch Committee, I have had lots of citizen interaction discussing this very issue and we discuss Traffic Control, Pedestrian, Cyclist and Motorist safety and enforcement. That being said, the City's Traffic Engineering staff are playing a proverbial cat and mouse game coming up with new traffic calming and traffic pattern changes hoping to modify driver behaviour only to find their solutions being circumvented by dangerous and aggressive drivers which endangers pedestrians. We also have to take a good second look at the City's Micromobility policy. Currently there is a deficit in enforcement with E-Bike and E-Scooter drivers blatantly ignoring proper standards of behaviour.

Downtown Richmond Hill is a gem - we have to maintain some of the small town charm that sets us apart from the ""Big City"" where we maintain a sense of community.I grew up in Niagara On The Lake - today it's lost much of the small town charm that was there when I was a child. Families should be able to walk safe sidewalks to patronize local businesses and grab a coffee, grab breakfast at 3Coins or an ice cream as they walk down the street, (greeting their fellow citizens). Heritage Village Day was a great event where the traffic came to a halt and local community groups and businesses came together to share in what remains of the original "" downtown/small town"" of Richmond Hill. Fortunately the downtown can still be saved with prudent support from the City and residents.

The police can't be everywhere - Neighbourhood Watch and the Block Parent programmes are good tools that are currently under utilized. Citizen crime prevention education has to be enhanced. I attended (and spoke at) an Elgin West Ratepayers meeting with Yor Regional Police addressing these issues. Along with Deputy Mayor Godwin Chan, the Roadwatch Committee held a very successful/well attended Community Safety Fair at Langstaff Community Centre where we provided citizens with information on Community Safety and Security and the educated citizens on the resources available to them to enhance their families health, safety & security. York Regional Police have their COR (Community Oriented Response) and other teams available to help educate children, parents and business owners - we need increased City Support of Community programs& events to spread the message."

I have multiple Ring Cameras at my house and I signed up with York Regional Police to share my video content should they request it. My son had someone break into his car on our driveway and we shared the video with police. It's unfortunate we have to go to this extent to make our homes, streets and driveways safe - but as the old saying goes ""Ya gotta do what ya gotta do"" - we should increase spreading the word that citizens should share their security camera video ONLY when requested by police. Keep in mind the police are driving around now with automated license plate readers (in their vehicles) that constantly scan both driving and parked vehicle license plates.
We've all seen CCTV footage on the evening news of a crime taking place which aided the authorities in apprehending an alleged criminal. This type of footage is valuable in crime prevention, law enforcement and exonerating the falsely accused.
What I am not in favour of are the so called gunshot sound detectors that notify police that a gunshot may have taken place."

We need green spaces - especially if the City plans on increasing housing and condo density. People need a space for recreation. As Chair of the City Roadwatch Committee we've attended multiple events and numerous City Parks and Rec locations. As well, my sons learned to skate, swim and play baseball at community facilities - it provided them a safe place to learn valuable skills and interact with other members of the community. The City just re-paved the streets in the subdivision where I live - it costs money to maintain infrastructure - a balance of taxes, fees and development charges spreads the cost across the spectrum of residents, developers and businesses. In the USA, cities float bonds to help with infrastructure and facilities. Unfortunately in Canada it's not really allowed. As the old saying goes "The money has to come from somewhere".

There is definitely a need for increased affordable housing in the community. If waiving or reducing development fees on a case by case basis will spur the growth of affordable housing, I am for it.

"People need green spaces, recreation spaces, libraries and public squares. There's more to life than Netflix or holding a game controller. This is especially important as housing density is increased - not every resident will have a backyard or proper recreation space. Pet owners need a space to walk their pets. It's very important for young people to have a safe spot to meet and ""blow off steam/expend some youthful energy"".
As well, young families need park space for their children to play. I still remember using the swings and slide in the park as a child.
Children need a safe space to learn how to ride a bike and to ride their bike/trike.
The City also has a severe lack of places for residents to play Pickleball. This has to be remedied."

"We need more green spaces and streetscapes lined with trees. Trees help provide shade & trees and grassy/green spaces help reduce rainwater runoff (stormwater management). We should not be paving everything everywhere. It's a homeowner's pleasure to sit under a tree on a hot day. As well, let's not forget the fun of birdwatching and watching the antics of squirrels and chipmunks as they run around and/or climb the trees.
Tree's are mother nature's air filter - helping to reduce CO2 and creating air for us to breathe and help moderate our climate."

I have watched Council meetings and have attempted to wend my way through the legalese of some City documents. Not everyone is a lawyer. The city should be producing a regular on-line newsletter (residents can subscribe to receive the report via email) of what is being decided by Council written in easy to understand lay terms. Not everyone has the time or inclination to watch Council meetings. It is fortunate that there are some online forums & resident groups that are currently filling the void.