Sign of development
There are a couple of property developers in Burnaby, both of whom fall into BC Liberal camp, who are fearful of putting up BC Liberal signs on the chain link fences enclosing their properties under development.
Spray panting, cutting and knocking over signs is a far to common problem in political campaigns, both from political opponents and local teens. Fear of putting signs up on properties under development due to retribution by the city seems overblown.
Former Burnaby Citizens school trustees Kathy Corrigan and Mondee Redman may have deep roots with the ruling party over on Canada Way but it is doubtful that property developers would be punished by the city bureaucrats for supporting the opponents of the BCA/NDP-affiliated politicians.
It seems surprising that developers are concerned of such actions. Does anything like this actually happen in 21st century B.C.? This is not ante bellum New York City.
Left of centre politicians are successful enough in Burnaby holding 19 of 22 public offices at the three levels of government. City hall interfering in development permits over support for the BC Liberals seems a bit over the top.
The developers should take the risk and put their signs up for the candidate of their choice.
Spray panting, cutting and knocking over signs is a far to common problem in political campaigns, both from political opponents and local teens. Fear of putting signs up on properties under development due to retribution by the city seems overblown.
Former Burnaby Citizens school trustees Kathy Corrigan and Mondee Redman may have deep roots with the ruling party over on Canada Way but it is doubtful that property developers would be punished by the city bureaucrats for supporting the opponents of the BCA/NDP-affiliated politicians.
It seems surprising that developers are concerned of such actions. Does anything like this actually happen in 21st century B.C.? This is not ante bellum New York City.
Left of centre politicians are successful enough in Burnaby holding 19 of 22 public offices at the three levels of government. City hall interfering in development permits over support for the BC Liberals seems a bit over the top.
The developers should take the risk and put their signs up for the candidate of their choice.
posted by Robert Burnaby at 7:52 PM
8 Comments:
This has to be one of the more sillier observations made.
Firstly, it is the Council as a whole who votes on rezoning and that is very much exposed to public view.
If the developers figured that they were denied approval because of political reasons, it would put the council in serious legal trouble, esp. if the developers met all of the criteria for approval.
Who ever came up with the postulation that developers are afraid of allowing signs on the chain link fences is really messed up. The signs are there because the property is vacant and is done with permission of the property owners.
If Corrigan, Redman or any other even began to use alleged influences on how the city approves rezoning or development permits, they too would be exposed to legal action.
It's not amazing how someone with too much time on his hands can come up with idiotic ideas such as this.
Interesting post... Questions:
1) What is the source of your info? Is this your personal interpretation and conclusion from the observation or did you have conversations with several developers and their staff?
2) I would suggest the reason there is no signage on development sites is for marketing purposes and NOT b/c they fear retribution from city hall. The units in those projects have to be sold and they dont want to offend potential buyers (and workers, inspectors, suppliers, etc). It's the same reason why shops and vendors rarely put up political signs- they need as many customers as they can get! Yes, every developer is pro BC Liberal, but they can show support and put signs at their home and let their projects be politically neutral.
People vote, not businesses; accordingly I think homes are the appropriate place for signs.
Also, the UDI which represents lower mainland developers ranked Burnaby ranked #1 out of all lower mainland cities as the most developer friendly! Burnaby is run by people who are ideologically pinko crazy socialists who should never serve provincially, but they actually run city hall with a very professional pro-business and pro-development approach (relatively speaking). Richmond for example ranked last.
The above poster has all points correct.
The reasoning for some locations having signs (Bosa Bros. development at the corner of Kingsway and Willingdon) and not others (Imperial and Kingsway) is simply the decision of the land owner to allow the signs on the chain link fence. Can be atrributed to marketing, but most people when purchasing interest in the project be it a condo or business development aren't particularly interested in the political orientation of the developer (since many have not supported the NDP).
The writer of the subject is being silly. He's also forgetting one thing.
If even the bureaucrats who process the development permit got into some favourtism and somehow denied a permit because of the political orientation of the developer, they along with the city could easily be exposed to legal action on part of the developer against the city and the individuals who processed the application.
While because of the antics of Team Burnaby Burnaby ended up with an entire council from the same civic group, the city's public service is very much a professional one.
There are Liberal signs on construction sites.
My fave is on the SFHome Renovation at the corner of 10th Ave and Cumberland.
The sidewalk is all ripped up, the pro-developer city has failed to install a 'sidewalk closed' sign, and pedestrians have to walk onto the somewhat busy roadway to get around the site.
Then you walk smack into a large Harry Bloy sign on the redeveloped property. It's a total mess.
It's an interesting neighbourhood.
A few doors down, a family is having their own "When Harry met Janey" sign war in the front yard. It started with the little plastic signs, and last week escalated to two larger signs.
You gotta love politics!
You can joke about this issue, but I am personally aware of a call made by a senior city official to a developer with respect to this very issue about BCLib signage.
Your tax dollars hard at work eh...
How totally inappropriate...what is one supposed to make of this?
Isn't there a tacit threat implied in such a call..? Or at least the perception of one..?
Let's face it, we have a civic NDP party in charge; they're just afraid to brand themselves as such.
Fortunately, it doesn't have much bearing on their job to run the city, except for when this garbage comes up. Maybe it wouldn't happen if the Mayor's wife wasn't running...
"You can joke about this issue, but I am personally aware of a call made by a senior city official to a developer with respect to this very issue about BCLib signage."
Sure. Anyone can write something like that.
"How totally inappropriate...what is one supposed to make of this?"
There's nothing to make of.
"Isn't there a tacit threat implied in such a call..? Or at least the perception of one..?"
Probably joking around, and you bought it.
"Let's face it, we have a civic NDP party in charge; they're just afraid to brand themselves as such."
Umm no, they have made the public aware that they are NDPers. Anyone who has followed Burnaby politics knows the BCA is NDP affilated and knows that a membership in the BC NDP is required to join the BCA.
"Fortunately, it doesn't have much bearing on their job to run the city, except for when this garbage comes up. Maybe it wouldn't happen if the Mayor's wife wasn't running."
It doesn't happen anyway. If it has, provide written auditable proof.
Otherwise this is just another one of those silly "could it be that"
statements written by a BC Liberal who obviously doesn't have the time to do the foot work needed to get John Nuraney re-elected.
This sounds like Harry whining again. Corporations like Bosa have an image to portray...maybe neither John nor Kathy turn their crank? Maybe signs have outlived their life and the city should be asked to ban them on private property too?
"This sounds like Harry whining again. Corporations like Bosa have an image to portray...maybe neither John nor Kathy turn their crank?"
Kathy Corrigan does not turn anyone's crank..
Well except Derek's...
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