Angela Reid - Council Candidate

[DuctDoc]

I guess you could say I'm among the minority of Kelowna residents actually born and raised in Kelowna. I've seen many changes to our community over the past years, some for the better and some for the worse. I could mention things like the gross urban sprawl, or I could talk about the real lack of community Kelowna may suffer from, but instead I'd just like to make a quick comment on Miss Reid.

I've had the privilege of knowing Angela personally for the past four years and she is nothing short of amazing! I've watched her tireless efforts to affect a real change in our society and our way of thought. We all hate the pine beetle right? Well how many of us actually went out and tried to find a cure? I remember after one specific phone call, Angela told me she was exploring some experimental options to get rid of the little pests.

I guess my point is, with Angela you actually get what you see. Green is not just political policy, it is a way of life! She practices what she preaches and has a track record of accomplishments a mile long. Angela has been and still remains to be one of the biggest champions of the environment especially within the Okanagan. Why wouldn't you want a person like this helping shape our future community?

ps. try running up knox mountain a couple of times at 5 in the morning before getting to saving our planet! Hats off to you Miss Reid! We need ya!

[angelanagy]

1 As a farmer, where do you stand on the issues of development vs viable farmland
2 When it comes to burning, are you in favor of burning until a viable alternative is available
for the agricultural community
3 I would like to find a different method of disposing of prunings, however due to volume of such
prunings and with the replant requiring pullouts etc, there has to be a different and economical
way to deal with this problem. I would like to see burning kept to a minimum or phased out not
just outlawed, where do you stand on this issue?

4 When it comes to pesticides are you strictly organic, or are you willing to find out more about
target use and reduced risk pesticides? Once again where do you stand on this issue

Thanks for the questions. My family farms land in East Kelowna, Rutland and the Mission, and I'm a big advocate of local food and local agriculture.

1. I would like to see remaining farmland preserved for the production of food. So much prime land has been built over in our community and we should be finding creative ways to help ALR land owners to find more value in their land and promote the purchase of locally grown food. Some interesting models I've seen are agricultural land trusts.

2. I'd prefer not to see the burning, and would like to see a better effort to collect and chip prunings, but until these options are readily available, then I'm not aware of another solution besides burning. However, rather than sending fire trucks and limited crews to inspect burning, I'd like to see smaller trucks and bylaw officers doing this job.

3. We already pick up yard waste from homes, so why not expand this service to collect prunings? We have the capacity to create valuable Ogogrow from this "waste" and turn it into something that provides nutrients back to the soil. A gradual phase-out of burning that provides education and support to producers would be my favoured approach.

4. I definitely favour organics and would like to see as much money spent researching best practices and innovations in the organics sector as is spent finding new pesticides. However, my family has been farming conventionally for a long time, using the target-use method, and some years they hardly spray at all. We should definitely be educating farmers about these methods that will reduce their input and labour costs as a means to also reduce the amount and harshness of pesticides used.

At the same time, I'd like to see support services to help farmers who want to transition to organic. My family has recently started farming a small piece of land organically (after three years of me giving organic farming books as Christmas gifts!), but they have found the information and support available quite limited, for a method of farming that is new to them.

[gts1968]

WOW! Some great questions here. Whats even greater than the questions are the reply's from Angela personally. And answered in such timely fashion. Good Luck Angela.

[honkonbobo]

Good luck Angela!

As a Kelowna resident I feel lucky to have someone with new ideas and a solid political platform to vote for. I believe you will represent Kelowna for the better of our community, and establishing strong leadership that stands out world-wide.

You have my vote and good luck!

[damngrumpy]

I am a farmer also, and I have all kinds of information about reduced risk pesticides, and lures, etc
I too share an interest in organic production, even though I farm conventionally. I would like to see
more about it. As a member of the BCFGA I support using the best product to do a specific job.
I am happy to see guthion and related products being phased out by 2012.
I believe the industry must look to value added product where ever possible
As for burning, The phase out should begin over a five year period, while we put other methods of disposal into play. At present there is an environmental farm plan administered by the BCFGA.
If more people took advantage of the program there is some monies available to purchase flail
mowers etc.
And as someone who answered my questions directly, I will in fact be voting for you in this election
and as a farmer and a member of the farm community, I will in fact be voting for you as will two
other members of this family

[Ardshael]

Hi Angela,

I was wondering what your stance is on a few issues:

1) What is your stance on the CD zone for the downtown core? You mentioned that you support growth in the urban centers. Does this mean you support highrises?

2) What sorts of ways do you feel that a municipality can help improve energy efficiency and environmental performance? Would this come through regulation, incentives, or another form? I'm a builder and while I really like some of the green technologies and concepts available they are often too costly to implement in order to be competitive. I implement as many as I can but not as many as I would like.

3) What are your thoughts on the industry situation in Kelowna? Do you feel we need more, less or stay status quo? I noticed someone mentioned bringing in green technology industries. Is this something you would support and work on doing?

Thanks for your time and the effort you've put in to answering questions.

[drdaddio]

There is a lot to be said for focus. When asked about his most important skill, the world’s second richest person, Warren Buffett, replied that his “ability to focus” was number one. This quote is old news, but what is missing in this simplistic reduction of the core values of success is a more human angle. If you want a more grounded principle to guide your life by, the “ability to focus” must also be founded in passion.

But perhaps a passionate belief driving your purposeful focus is not enough. If we examine the record of political extremes we can plainly see the dark side of this process. We should be smart enough to recognize that the experiments of both the extreme right (ie: the financial crisis we now find ourselves in) and the extreme left (ie: Moscow’s entrenched failings) are fatally flawed. Hitler focused on his passions. Enron executives focused on their passions. Stalin focused on his passions. Wall Street executives focused on their passions. Passion is a hollow fruit if taken from a twisted tree.

Perhaps it is time to find a middle ground. Perhaps it is time to recognize that the way we run our affairs in the public realm is exactly the same way that psychologists will tell us to run our personal lives; holistically, balanced, and centered. The Green movement breaks these divisive extremes down, not only because it is centered, but because it is a paradigm based on inclusive positives rather than exclusive negatives.

So what do we make of a candidate that has demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is passionately focused on the Green movement? What do we make of a woman that would take the extraordinary time commitment to sidetrack her municipal passions to also run in a federal election? Yeah, this might seem like political suicide to those that are mired in the shadows of this dark side, the ladder-climbing wannabees that are only thinking of themselves. However, her actions are in reality a crystal clear message to not only the entire electorate, but to all of those candidates she unnerves as well! There is a woman in your midst that has one simple agenda; to help us to grow beyond our present culture and awaken to a new paradigm. And she will accomplish this with every opportunity that presents itself. If you hear the Green brand often enough, even if that means having others adopt it, however glibly, it will eventually pay dividends for us all.

For those of you that know her personally, you also know that prosperity, passion, and purpose are prerequisites for membership, OK, survival, in Angela’s family. If you have ever had the pleasure to witness Angela in action with her brothers and sisters you will have also had a free clinic in what passion is made of. ‘Nuf said!

If you want to elect a councilor that has demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt what her focus is, and done so with an intensity and integrity that only comes with a positive passion that is palpable, then you would be wise to vote for Angela Reid.

[jrbuilder]

I am also on the Angela bandwagon, she has very strong leadership skills and I think she will be a great addition to council.

[angelanagy]

1) What is your stance on the CD zone for the downtown core? You mentioned that you support growth in the urban centers. Does this mean you support highrises?

2) What sorts of ways do you feel that a municipality can help improve energy efficiency and environmental performance? Would this come through regulation, incentives, or another form? I'm a builder and while I really like some of the green technologies and concepts available they are often too costly to implement in order to be competitive. I implement as many as I can but not as many as I would like.

3) What are your thoughts on the industry situation in Kelowna? Do you feel we need more, less or stay status quo? I noticed someone mentioned bringing in green technology industries. Is this something you would support and work on doing?

Thanks for your questions. Here are my responses:

1. I think there are a lot of really nice things about the CD Zone, but I do not support it in its current state. Growth in urban centres is important, but I don't believe high rises are the best model for this. I would prefer to see buildings of 4 to 8 stories along major transportation corridors and areas with existing or planned services and amenities to increase density in a way that is supported by existing infrastructure. High rises are not as energy efficient as shorter buildings, create a disconnect between people resulting in a lost sense of community (which we already suffer from in Kelowna), and have been shown to increase crime rates.

2. There are a multitude of opportunities to increase energy efficiency and environmental performance, and I would like to see a combination of regulations and incentives to help builders incorporate these practices. An example of a regulation that I think the City should consider is requiring a basic LEED (or higher) standard, or high EnerGuide standard for ALL new construction (commercial, industrial, residential). Incentives and the support of education programs for builders and other stakeholders (inspectors, etc), not familiar with these concepts could be provided to help our community make the transition. I appreciate that some technologies are more costly than others, and we should ensure that the variety of lower cost options for energy generation and conservation are sufficient to meet the demands of green building standards.

3. As far as industry in the Okanagan, I would love to see a thriving eco-industrial network (EIN) and the creation of eco-industrial parks (EIP). EINs are a way that existing industries can work together more effectively to reduce overall waste, energy consumption, transportation and many other opportunities. This is something I am investigating in my own business, but there could be a role for the City, the Chamber and the Economic Development Commission.

EIPs would see more industry in the City, but industry that is intelligently designed, located and based on the resources, talents and opportunities that we have an abundance of here locally. It would add more value to agriculture and forestry products, create eco-efficient green manufacturing jobs, and help to diversify our economy in a way that is healthy for people and the environment.

I am on the Board of Directors of the Okanagan Environmental Industry Alliance, and our mandate is to help build the local environmental products, services and technologies industry in the Okanagan Valley.

[mechanic_virus]

Please list 5 of your top priorities, and how you would deal with each issue if it were completely up to you.

[Moira Mctavish]

I am totally in favour with which, I find, that Angela Reid stands for. It is about time that someone with integrity and honesty is in City Council. Someone who will stand up for the correct usage of our soon to be extinct green spaces. I find that Angela shows intelligence and maturity beyond that of some of our previous councilors. What I do find offensive is that some of the comments are directed at how pretty she is. Grow up!! This is one smart young women that we have here, who will lead Kelowna in a direction with forethought for the future. If being pretty, then means that she has the brains to do her job well AND with honesty and integrity, Angela Reid has my vote. It is time for a change to put someone into council like Angela Reid. Vote for honesty and integrity.

[angelanagy]

Please find my responses to the OMREB questionnaire, which I was unable to respond to by the deadline:

Election 2008
OKANAGAN MAINLINE REAL ESTATE BOARD
Municipal Candidate Questions
CANDIDATE NAME: Angela Reid
Your Email: [email protected]

Affordable Housing
1) CMHC has defined “Affordable Housing” as: housing, a residence, a place to live, that is spacious enough by some minimum standard of SF per capita, includes an essential package of amenities (kitchen, bath, bed and common living spaces) and a basic package of utilities (heat, hydro, water) that people earning a total family income which is average for the community, can live in and it will cost them no more than approximately 1/3 of their total, family, gross, annual income.

If we take an average total two-income family gross annual income of $60,000, this definition of affordable housing would allow for a maximum of $20,000 per year or approximately $1,600 per month for housing and related utilities.

Using this definition and these figures, please describe the form of housing you imagine would be involved.

There are a variety of housing options and strategies that could be involved, and I believe a diversity of options will best meet the needs of Kelowna. Examples could include general rental units in condos or townhomes or rental units owned by the City and/or non-profit housing groups where rents are charged based on income. Smaller than average square footage spaces, such as condos between 300 and 500 square feet, which are for sale, would provide affordable property to purchase for students, singles, young couples and seniors. Finally, a percentage of affordable units using any one of these models could be incorporated into other developments in the City.
2) Do you feel that secondary suites are a rezoning issue, a health and safety issue, or the right of every homeowner to have?

I believe they are mostly a rezoning issue, but health and safety standards are very important factors that could play a significant role in encouraging neighbourhoods to support more secondary suites.

3) Would you support your municipality being involved in subsidized housing initiatives such as “density bonusing” in return for cash to be used by the municipality to provide housing at a reduced market rate?

Yes, I would support this, however, it would be on a case-by-case basis rather than a blanket policy for all developments to be eligible for this kind of density bonusing.
4) Would you politically support a proposal that involved removing a marginal parcel of land that is already surrounded by development (under 10 acres) from the ALR if it were used to build affordable housing?

No, not unless the marginal parcel of land was being replaced by a better piece of agricultural land within the City currently not protected by the ALR. It is very important to the long-term future of our community to protect agricultural land for several reasons.

First, the bounty of orchards, vineyards and farms is one of the key attractions for tourists to the valley, which contribute significantly to our local economy. Second, as energy costs rise and the transportation of food from other parts of the world becomes less economically viable, the ability to produce local food will become more and more valuable, providing better incomes for farmers, and more local, healthy, safe food choices for residents of Kelowna.

Finally, there are many areas of the City, along existing transportation corridors and close to existing amenities and services, that should be used for creating more medium-density developments before we need to start looking at Greenfield sites that are an important part of our history, our existence as a tourist-attraction and for the future of local food production.

Development Cost Charges

5) Are you aware of the percentage of on-site and off-site servicing expenses that are paid for by a Developer?

Yes, I’m aware that developers pay these servicing expenses, but I believe the on-site charges vary based on the development and the off-site charges vary based on the infrastructure that will be required to service the development.

6) Do you support the use of gifting agreements with Developers as a way for municipalities to obtain land not covered or paid for by Development Cost Charges (DCCs)?

I would prefer that the OCP define the long-term vision for the community and that we don’t deter from this too often. However, it is possible that under special circumstances, there may be merit in considering this form of agreement.

City Policy and General
7) Kelowna Only: Currently, development permits are mandatory with all rezoning applications, even when the application is within the Official Community Plan (OCP). As a result, a new business must either buy land and apply to have it rezoned, or buy zoned land encumbered with a development permit, which may not be the use they intend. Would you support a municipality having a bank of zoned land that does not have development permits attached to it as a way of saving time, money and resources for all?

No. The process in place to ensure that the community has adequate opportunity to comment on future developments, and also so that the City is able to plan appropriately for long-term infrastructure and servicing requirements.

8) When a Council passes a new policy, should there be a “Grandfather” clause for any applications in progress when appropriate?

Yes, when appropriate.

9) How would you suggest your municipality can balance water conservation and quality with cost efficiency?

If the City does not look forward 20 to 50 years, what may appear to be a balanced approach today, maybe become much more expensive in the coming decades if we have to start rationing or importing water. Kelowna is situated in a semi-arid desert ecosystem. Combine this with the fact that climate change is melting the glaciers our watersheds depend upon, and we will have some significant challenges if we are not proactive in implementing conservation strategies.

I would support a study that looks at the current rates of water usage, the future consumption based on “business as usual” water use and projected population growth, and then a scientific assessment of how much water we can realistically used. At this point, we should have a clear picture of how much we need to conserve if we want to continue to grow. Canadians use more water per capita than in any other country in the world, so we know we have significant opportunities for conservation.

Water conservation strategies will save money in the long-term and allow us to grow well into the future. Sliding rates based on time and volume of use, grey-water recycling and rain water usage are all strategies that have worked in communities that face similar challenges.

10) Do you support improvement and expansion of public transportation as a way of improving traffic flow and air quality, and how could the municipality be involved?


Yes! Part of the way the City can be involved is by promoting development in areas that are already serviced by transit, to increase ridership without the need to dramatically increase the service and infrastructure. Better promotion of discount programs for businesses that purchase transit passes for employees in lieu of parking passes, as well as better promotion to the general public are also ways the municipality can be involved.

11) Kelowna Only: There has been a lot of focus on the visual impact of homes located on the hillsides for the residents living in the flats. Should there be equal concern given to residents living on hillsides as to the visual impact of development undertaken in the flats and near the lake?

The visual, ecological, social and economic impacts of development should all be considered. Ensuring replanting of mature trees in all developments, equivalent to those that were removed, will help to create a more aesthetically pleasing visual impact, but also neutralize some of the environmental impacts. Developing in areas that are ecologically sensitive, such as the lake front or unstable hillsides with high erosion risks, should be discouraged.

[angelanagy]

Please list 5 of your top priorities, and how you would deal with each issue if it were completely up to you.

Howdy,

Wow, five top priorities when there are so many! The first thing I will need to do is check my priority list against what is already happening at City Hall and try to prioritize based on timeline, cost and feasibility. However, if it were completely up to me and what I know today, here are my priorities and how I would deal with them:

1. There are a lot of things our City will need to spend money on to make improvements in the level of service residents receive in all sectors. Out of all the taxes that are collected at the federal and provincial levels, municipalities receive about 6%, while at the same time absorbing problems caused by cuts to federal and provincial programs. So, I would lobby the federal government for consistent funding for municipalities to enable budgeting for long-term projects and planning, hiring staff, and infrastructure improvements.

2. The City of Kelowna is required under provincial legislation to be carbon neutral by 2012 as part of the province's Climate Action Plan. This is great. However, only a small percentage of Kelowna's overall emissions come from City operations. The bulk come from personal transportation and commercial, residential and industrial buildings/operations. By reducing our overall dependency on fossil fuels and imported electricity, Kelowna residents and business will benefit as energy costs rise in the future, and as tougher emissions legislation is enacted.

To help Kelowna down this path, I would focus on two things. First, require that all new residential, commercial and industrial buildings be built to a high level of energy efficient and environmental design, whether LEED, Built Green or similar criteria. The long term operational savings for the owners of these buildings will far outweigh the small initial investments.

Second, I would like to see a significantly enhanced public transportation network, comprised of better bus service (more frequent trips with extended hours) and a city-wide network of cycling paths and sidewalks that encourage walking and cycling in a safe environment. New developments should be primarily in locations where these types of services are available.

3. Promote a variety of strategies to address the lack of affordable housing for skilled professionals, the homeless and those in-between. There are many housing options that could be involved, and I believe a diversity will best meet the needs of Kelowna. Examples could include general rental units in condos or townhomes or rental units owned by the City and/or non-profit housing groups where rents are charged based on income. Smaller than average square footage spaces, such as condos between 300 and 500 square feet, which are for sale, would provide affordable property to purchase for students, singles, young couples and seniors. Finally, a percentage of affordable units using any one of these models could be incorporated into other developments in the City.

For the homeless, studies have shown that keeping a person on the streets is more expensive than housing them, when emergency health care and policing costs are tallied. I would like to see more aggressive efforts to end homelessness in ten years, following the successful examples of programs such as those in place in Seattle and Portland, whereby people with mental illness and addictions are treated in a system that provides the stepping stones required to get them off the streets for good.

4. Identify opportunities to improve grassroots democracy by reaching out to the community more often, and at the same time, improve transparency and accessibility. One example is fewer in-camera meetings for issues such as land development where council should be held accountable to the voters.

5. Protect remaining ALR land, the lakeshore and environmentally sensitive areas from development. One of the keys around ALR land is ensuring the land is productive and that producers are provided venues to sell their locally grown food. Higher tax rates for non-productive land to discourage investors sitting on the property and a year-round farmers market are examples of policies that could help meet these goals.

[mechanic_virus]

Thanks, Angela!

[Grannyr]

Hey Angela.

One question regarding your signs. First of all why so large, that isn't very environmental.
Secondly. were these your federal election signs with a paste on For City Council?
If they are I must ask if those signs will be declared as a federal election expense and therefore will be part of your federal rebate?
If the answer is yes, then I am coming to realize that every tax payer will be contributing to those signs whether they choose to vote for you or not.