http://www.buffalorising.com/2010/04...-overhaul.html
http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/04/2...-outdated.html"Our zoning reform effort will act as the foundation for the new place-based economic development strategy for Buffalo's neighborhoods in every section of the city," the Mayor said. "The new Buffalo zoning ordinance will be known as the Buffalo Green Code. It will embody 21st century values about economic development, sustainability, and walkable, green urbanism."
Is the $2-million dollar price tag worth it?"I don't believe you can overstate the importance of updating our zoning codes," said developer Howard Zemsky, who has turned numerous aging buildings into office space, apartments and other uses.
What does this mean to the City of Buffalo?
I know nothing about codes/planning, but I've heard people complain about the outdated building code. This sounds like a good thing, right?
Someone who knows something please enlighten me, thanks!
Someone who can't balance a budget probably shouldn't be in a position to spend someone else's money.
I think it is mostly about PR.
If they REALLY wanted to 'Go Green' they should:
- Remove the restrictions that prevent groups like ReUse from Green Demo.
- Build dense public housing as condos and stop subsidizing single family homes
Besides, going 'Green' take a bigger investment on the front end but pays off over time. Changing zone laws is not going to do anything that I can see to help lower the initial costs.
Check Out My Blog
www.creedthoughts.gov.www\creedthoughts
I think this is the actual website:
http://www.buffalosmartcode.com/
Let’s face it, for most people, zoning is confusing, complicated, and just plain dull. But zoning laws have a fundamental impact on the value and quality of our city and neighborhoods. The City of Buffalo now has an opportunity to reform decades-old zoning codes to attract investment and create development that citizens actually want.
This is an educational and outreach effort, intended not only to help demystify the concept of zoning, but to build awareness and consensus around the issue of form-based zoning in Buffalo. The focal point of the project is a presentation and lecture which is being shown to local leaders and community groups. An online version of the slideshow is also part of this website.
Someone who can't balance a budget probably shouldn't be in a position to spend someone else's money.
Ty Lefty
Especially since Buffalo ReUse is and has been for several years the only licensed green demo company in WNY.
WNY's link to the latest deals,printable coupons AND money saving tips!
www.buffalobroad.com
this is false.Originally Posted by leftWNYbecauseofBS
I am sorry to say it, but your wrong.
'Go Green' is the new motto of our society... switch to energy efficient appliances, lights... use less energy. Buy appliances and toilets that use less water... 'Conserve' Buy cars that are tiny, but get great gas mileage... force EPA and fuel mileage down the throats of automakers...
Do whatever it takes to conserve resources...
right? Cause youll 'save money' Right?
WRONG AGAIN.
id say, atleast HALF the population in the area has switched to almost all CFL bulbs... people, in general are alot more concious about their electricity usage...
Has your bill decreased? Yes... for now, but you will notice that you bill is every so slowly creeping back up in price.
Why? Because your losing LESS electricity, so because of that the power companies are making LESS money, to offset, they charge MORE money for LESS 'product'
Gas company is doing this now... ALOT of people went out and dropped thousands of dollars on new energy efficient furnaces, did 'green' upgrades to their homes to 'save money'
However, the price of fuel continues to increase, infact if I recall, the gas company even admitted to raising rates BECAUSE people didnt use as much gas as they have in previous years...
A bare bones, 'work truck' Ford ranger in 2001, was $9,000.
today, that SAME truck with 5 thats FIVE catalytic converters on it, is $17,000...
Sure it might get slightly better gas mileage, but will that ever offset an almost double in price? No.
Sure efficency is a good thing, dont get me wrong, but heres another one.
On straight gasoline, my truck gets 17mpg... (not NYS gas)
However, on NYS gas, it gets 13mpg.
In my car, on straight gas, I averaged 28mpg. on NYS gas, gas thats cut 10% with ethenol, I got 22-24mpg.
That may not seem like a big difference, but your buying MORE gas to go the SAME distance, and thus burning MORE fuel, to go the SAME distance... thus polluting MORE to go the same distance... However NYS mandates we cut our fuel with 10% ethenol to make it 'cleaner'
After gas peaked at over $4 a gallon, demand for gasoline fell off a cliff. however the price, didnt follow suit. at all... and while demand for gasoline still hasnt reached the highs it was at before, gasoline prices continue to increase. And at the CURRENT price structure, when oil hits $140 a barrel again, gasoline in Buffalo will be $7 a gallon, thats SEVEN dollars....
Go Green:?
I say screw green!
Going green has absolutely NOTHING to do with the enviroment.. yet EVERYTHING to do with money and control. Anyone who buys into this 'go green' crap is an idiot in my opinion... our govt pushes upon us to 'go green' yet BURN toxic waste in open pits in the desert of THIS country...
If you 'go green' and go paperless with your bills, and pay them online, your not saving anything, but saving the company money, they pocket the difference while charging US more money for less service.
Last edited by FMD; April 23rd, 2010 at 11:01 PM.
Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.
"Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938
1 - You are a nutbag
2 - I never defined the payoff as 100% money.
While I see your point on utilities raising prices, you do not account for Green programs that remove utilities all together. Wind and Solar, when done right, can remove the need to buy power. Additional to this, there is something to be said about recycling. Especially building materials.
Also, to some it is not just about saving money. For me, it has nothing to do with saving money. It is about being responsible to the Earth and using common sense. If you do not have a desire or ability to be or use it...that is your problem guy.
I am not some crazy environmentalist either, those people bug me. I am just someone who using less resources where and when you can makes sense.
Anyways...you're an paranoid idiot but I felt I should at least respond to you
Check Out My Blog
www.creedthoughts.gov.www\creedthoughts
I think the zoning changes are long overdue and form-based zoning seems like a good concept that will create development we actually want and that will enhance the city.
IMO tThe name is off base though... I don't understand why they stuck "green" in there. This isn't directly about the natural environment. It's about urban design.
Remove the need to buy power? your right, you can line your home with solar panels, and wind turbines... and generate your own. Biggest problem with that is the start up cost. We looked into seriously doing this a couple of years ago, and the equipment needed to achieve this, would cost tens of thousands of dollars and it would be decades before I got any sort of 'return' on my investment. (there again, a money issue)
We have the largest naturally producing power plant on the east coast of the US, yet pay more than anyone else in the region for power... Niagara Falls is a non polluting 'natural' way to produce power, yet we, the residents who live in the vicinity of that plant, pay outragous fees for power, reason being is, the majority of us dont get to use the power generated by that power plant, no instead we get the ultra dirty power from the coal plant on the River, and the gas plant on Lake Ontario...
Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.
"Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938
WHY SHOULD..it be any different from the WATER situation..here in WNY?
Yeah you're right, that was the Buffalo Rising title. The Buffalo News was just "Buffalo plans to update zoning". Probably would've kept the thread more on topic.
So... can anybody talk about what the updated code provides?
Someone who can't balance a budget probably shouldn't be in a position to spend someone else's money.
My basic understanding of it is that Form- Based code puts a higher emphasis on the actual building and design, instead of just on how it's used. Use-Based code that we have now only is concerned with building use (residential, commercial, industrial...) and people density. But there is no control over what the actual building will look like. The result in the city has been suburban-type development that sometimes destroys the urban/pedestrian feel of the neighborhood, even though it conforms to the current zoning codes. Form-based code would approve the actual design (3-story brick and glass building with side parking vs. 1-story aluminum building with front parking, etc....)
Keep in mind, the code doesn't exist yet. The announcement was to start creating a new zoning code, and that will take 2 to 3 years to complete.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote