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(11-09-2018, 05:09 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: [ -> ]
(11-09-2018, 03:32 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: [ -> ]There are several issues with this solution.

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It’s more of a reductio than a serious proposal. The point is to try to get people to think about whether opposing this increase in City services really makes any sense — would anybody really opt-out in order to get $27 back, if it imposes on them a real obligation to clear their sidewalk all winter? I say they wouldn’t, which if true proves that the city should be clearing sidewalks. That is, anybody who wouldn’t opt out is in favour of having the City clear their sidewalk, even if they think and say that they aren’t.

Having said that, I think you could maintain a list of addresses and have the plows skip them. It certainly wouldn’t save money, and might even cost a bit more, but if it allows the program to be implemented it might be worth it. I doubt you would have anybody on the list after the first couple of seasons. The first fine to a property would negate the $27 savings, and with only a small number of properties to enforce, enforcement could be rigorous.

The bylaw would have to be changed to specify that the standard for clearing by opt-out people is the same as for the City service. Actually, here’s a fun idea: instead of being a true opt-out, allow people to direct their City sidewalk clearing fee to anybody they want, including themselves. If they don’t meet the requirements of the contract, they are fired and don’t get paid (i.e., they have to pay the fee after all).

I really don't agree, but I have no new arguments to add.

I respect it's not a serious proposal, but I think you're underestimating the number of stubborn people in the city, I think there are plenty who would take the 27 dollars back on principle alone.  And there are plenty of commercial/condo developments who already pay a contractor to do much of the work, who would probably still save money by having the contractor do it.  And again, anyone who doesn't have a sidewalk would obviously ask for the 27 back.
Quote:Kitchener is more than tripling the number of bylaw officers it will have patrolling the city's streets this winter to make sure sidewalks are shovelled.

At a cost of $170,000 a year, the city is hiring four contract bylaw officers, who will fan out across the city from November to April, on the lookout for snow-choked sidewalks.

(11-10-2018, 01:05 AM)Spokes Wrote: [ -> ]
Quote:Kitchener is more than tripling the number of bylaw officers it will have patrolling the city's streets this winter to make sure sidewalks are shovelled.

At a cost of $170,000 a year, the city is hiring four contract bylaw officers, who will fan out across the city from November to April, on the lookout for snow-choked sidewalks.


Funnily enough, "tripling" suggests they had one before...they had zero patrolling.  Now they'll have...presumably not zero, but also probably not 4, given that some of them will still have to respond to complaints instead of patrolling.

Of course, I'm just being pedantic about the meaning of the word patrol.

FWIW, the snow pilot that was cancelled I believe would only have cost 250k over two winters (plus 500k for a machine that we need to purchase anyway),....so this grand gesture to save the city money has saved us.... -90k over two winters.  And results in us knowing absolutely nothing about the effectiveness of our public spending.

I hate certain members of city council with a passion.
(11-09-2018, 06:40 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: [ -> ]I really don't agree, but I have no new arguments to add.

I respect it's not a serious proposal, but I think you're underestimating the number of stubborn people in the city, I think there are plenty who would take the 27 dollars back on principle alone.  And there are plenty of commercial/condo developments who already pay a contractor to do much of the work, who would probably still save money by having the contractor do it.  And again, anyone who doesn't have a sidewalk would obviously ask for the 27 back.

And those stubborn people would either get the job done or be fined more than $27. I doubt anybody who is contracting could save money — even the incremental cost of dealing with the sidewalk when the contractor is there anyway would probably be more than $27. The problem with no-sidewalk properties is a more fundamental problem. I’m honestly not sure what to do about that. But as I said it’s more of an ad arguendum than a real proposal so I feel OK sweeping that under the rug. Tongue

I should also mention that I think the city should deal with the plow rows at driveways. The problem happens when the plowing happens, so having a pickup truck follow the plow and clean up the plow rows at driveways and pedestrian crossings is by far the most efficient and appropriate way of dealing with it.
I just walked downtown this morning. There is a fraction of an inch on the sidewalks in my part of the city, so obviously no property owners have cleared their sidewalks, but it was appreciably more difficult to walk with that trivial amount (I was pushing a stroller with two kids in it). Once I reached downtown, though, it was like a weight had been lifted off- all the sidewalks had been cleared. This was before 8:30. I was really impressed, and grateful.
(11-10-2018, 10:36 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]I just walked downtown this morning. There is a fraction of an inch on the sidewalks in my part of the city, so obviously no property owners have cleared their sidewalks, but it was appreciably more difficult to walk with that trivial amount (I was pushing a stroller with two kids in it). Once I reached downtown, though, it was like a weight had been lifted off- all the sidewalks had been cleared. This was before 8:30. I was really impressed, and grateful.

As a property owner downtown who pays a special assessment on my property tax for sidewalk clearing, I'm happy to help.  I was quite happy this morning to wake up and see sidewalk plows in action.

Of course, to be fair, because downtown is pedestrian focused apparently we pay for a very high level of service, multiple plows in action continuously during the storm in a fairly small area.  Of course, thanks to the density of downtown, that's still really efficient to provide, and thus costs me about 5 dollars a year.
Hello all,

On this most timely of days, I will point out that I have a finished prototype of my reporting app. I have not yet figured out the bylaw reporting, and I'm not quite open to talking about this publicly yet, but if you have interest in trying the app, I can provide the android APK, and you can side load it and give me feedback. (Especially UX feedback). And if you have ideas about bylaw reporting, feel free to DM me.

App can be found here: https://transfer.sh/cAJ1x/clearwalks-v0.1.apk
Hmmm. Maybe if I run this on an old Android device (without a SIM) and connect by wifi to the hotspot on my fruit phone … need to check this out.
(11-10-2018, 08:12 PM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]Hmmm. Maybe if I run this on an old Android device (without a SIM) and connect by wifi to the hotspot on my fruit phone … need to check this out.

Because it is a sideload?  Or an iOS user?

I will probably be able to get it in the internal play store this weekend.

I also have an iOS version but getting apps out for iOS is a little trickier.  I plan to get it in the app store but I am away next week so it will probably be then following week.
By the way I should add feel free to test out submitting reports. I don't have bylaw notification working now and I plan on blowing away the db before I launch more broadly.
(11-10-2018, 09:47 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: [ -> ]
(11-10-2018, 08:12 PM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]Hmmm. Maybe if I run this on an old Android device (without a SIM) and connect by wifi to the hotspot on my fruit phone … need to check this out.

Because it is a sideload?  Or an iOS user?

I will probably be able to get it in the internal play store this weekend.

I also have an iOS version but getting apps out for iOS is a little trickier.  I plan to get it in the app store but I am away next week so it will probably be then following week.

You will make an iOS version, too? Awesome! Then I don't need to worry about how to run the Android version. Smile
(11-10-2018, 10:02 PM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]
(11-10-2018, 09:47 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: [ -> ]Because it is a sideload?  Or an iOS user?

I will probably be able to get it in the internal play store this weekend.

I also have an iOS version but getting apps out for iOS is a little trickier.  I plan to get it in the app store but I am away next week so it will probably be then following week.

You will make an iOS version, too? Awesome! Then I don't need to worry about how to run the Android version. Smile

Yeah, sorry I should have been clearer, I just wanted to get any feedback I could about the app, for testing purposes, it's much much easier to release an Android app. I built it with https://flutter.io because I wanted an iOS and and Android app.
#SnowmobilityWR or was it #SnowbilityWR...I can't remember.  Either way, this was the view from my window both Saturday and Sunday mornings, left side is property owners responsibility, and right side is city downtown clearing zone.

[attachment=5754][attachment=5753]
Just for interest, here is the city snow removal machine making another pass.  He's using a brush on the front to removed all the snow, as opposed to leaving the layer of snow that a plow blade would leave.  I think the main advantage of this is less salt use.

[attachment=5755]
I have gotten the app in the internal Android test store, if you're interesting, you can PM me with your Google Account to test it out.