Front drive garages to be thing of the past?

[speedog]

Front drive garages to be thing of the past - Calgary SUN story (link (http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/03/13/plans-to-outlaw-front-garages-and-boost-trees-will-cost-homeowners)).

Our family owns and lives in a bungalow in one of these older neighborhoods (mid-50's - Highwood) where front drive garages are most definitely not the norm and our previous home (bungalow) was in a similar even older neighborhood (mid-30's-teens - Mount Pleasant). Huge elms, green ashes, manitoba maples and fir trees line the fronts of our streets and know pretty much everyone on the block by first name - in contrast, my sister-in-law and her family live in Tuscanny for over 15 years in the same home (font drive) and know virtually no one on their street. The difference - could be the design of the community as front drive communities tend to foster that come home, park it and stay inside kind of thing. The dog needs walking - drive to the dog park, not walk down the street where you might bump into another human being.

But there are negatives associated with no front drive garages - alleys can be a bitch during the winter. Lots of trees means lots of autumn clean-up and as well, bird crap on vehicles. Alleys can also become eyesores due to neighbors using them as storage areas for their junk.

Personally, I'd still take the rear drive alley entrance garages though - our neighborhood seems so friendly and busy even during the winter with people out walking and even just out relaxing during a nice summer evening in the front yard, something I've never seen in Tuscany or the likes. Problem is - is this what Calgarians want or is this proposed policy a sign of an out of touch city hall?

[project240]

I have to say I agree with the article.

We lived in Hawkwood for 3 years and literally saw our next door neighbour outside maybe 4 times during the 3 years.

I would be outside BBQ'ing on the weekend and would see people watchng me from their 2nd level kitchen (walkout) but they'd never come outside.

We would walk our dog in the neighbourhood and granted, we would bump into the same few other people out walking their dog or getting some exercise, but the majority of people didn't go outside from what we noticed.

I found the neighbourhood to be depressing, not just Hawkwood, but many newer developments throughout the city.

[Unknown303]

I live in Woodbine with front garages in our neighborhood and in the five days I've lived here have already met 2 of my neighbors just from them walking around. Some communities have nice people living in them, and some don't.

[dirtsniffer]

^ word, I grew up in woodlands and knew everyone on either side for about 10 houses

[speedog]

Another problem with this proposal - will new starter homes be affordable? Rear drive garages will mean that houses have to be pushed forward on their lots to at least provide some fenced in yard space or that houses will have to become smaller or that lots will have to become larger (affecting price points).

Our 1384 square foot 3 bedroom bungalow (4th bedroom down - double garage out back) comfortably fits the need of our family of five, but so many today seem to need that 2500+ square foot home for three people. What are people willing to make compromises for if this policy comes to be - smaller homes or increased prices? Or will the public raise this issue with city council members so as to make it known that it is not acceptable in Calgary?

Of note, out first home in Mount pleasant was a 690 square foot two bedroom bungalow (single garage out back with additional single parking pad) that suited our needs quite well until child number two came along. Of note, our current home sits on a 60x110 lot, first one was on a 37.7x120 lot - are 60x110 lots even affordable any more?

[superflychief]

Knowing your neighbors has nothing to do where the placement of your garage is. I used to live in Cougar Ridge and didn't know any of my neighbors at all. House was a front garage. Now I live in Copperfield and I am friends with and regularly hang out with quite a few of my neighbors. It has more to do with people just not wanting to be social then where their garage is. If you want to know your neighbors, talk over the fence, talk as you go get your mail, talk as you shovel the drive etc. Everybody having kids also helps getting to know people.

[botox]

Front garage here and we know plenty of neighbors around the block. Even had a barbecue and invited a whole bunch of them. If someone wants to be social they will, if not they'll just stay inside their cozy home and watch people from inside. Front garages definately make the neighborhood busier because of the traffic, but at the same time you get to see them and wave hi and have some small talk with them. If the garages were in the back that would never happen.

[xnvy]

I'm kinda split on this thing. The two neighborhoods I lived in both are based on front drive houses. In Douglas Glen I got to know everyone around me but in Cranston I rarely see the neighbours and the only contact we really ever have with them is just a hi/hello.

[Penis McNickels]

Originally posted by project240
We lived in Hawkwood for 3 years and literally saw our next door neighbour outside maybe 4 times during the 3 years.

I live in the aforementioned neighbourhood, Tuscany, and just this winter I was out shovelling snow with my daughter and so was a long term neighbour across the street with her kids.

I waved and said hi and she asked me if I was new in the neighbourhood and I told her, "yeah, I moved in here back in 2005." Then we both felt awkward and went back to shovelling our walks.

[Ven]

I'm excited to ditch this alley house and get into a front drive home soon. Of course I'm in the N.E. where most people use the alley as a dump. For example looking out my window I see 2 pallets, 2 tires, piles of broken wood so old they turned grey, fences that were never finished and now are rotting, appliances, and my favorite; my new comer neighbors who have managed to pile a pyramid of empty 4L milk jugs higher than the stacked stove and microwave they've left on the deck for over a year. Then there's the sneaky illegal dumpers that use the alley for they're garbage. Last year 2 couches, assorted rolling chairs, tables, and boxes or random crap. But lets not forget how fun it is in the winter trying to traverse that tundra. And in spring with the pot holes and mud. Summer brings great dust clouds which end up in the house. Ya, you keep you fucking alleys and shove them up your ass. :D

[Ven]

Originally posted by Penis McNickels


I live in the aforementioned neighbourhood, Tuscany, and just this winter I was out shovelling snow with my daughter and so was a long term neighbour across the street with her kids.

I waved and said hi and she asked me my name. I said, " It's Penis. Penis McNickles. It's a pleasure to meet you." Then we both felt awkward and went back to shovelling our walks.

[Abeo]

I've lived in:
-Highland Park (rear alley), got to know one neighbor well
-Canyon Meadows (front driveway), got to know a number of neighbors well, and lots of people in the neighborhood with familiar faces would say hi
-Tuxedo (rear alley), introduced myself to two neighbors and chatted, haven't talked with them again. One neighbor and I shovel each other's sidewalks, but its an unspoken thing.

I think the differences in my experiences is being in areas of renters vs owners. Most homeowners just don't care about meeting the new renters.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by superflychief
Knowing your neighbors has nothing to do where the placement of your garage is.

This just sums it up. However, I personally hate the front garage look. Usually there's more garage than house, and I like the look older neighborhoods have. With sidewalks, and green space between the side-walk and road, especially with trees planted down it.

Another added bonus (for some, not others), is the "complaint" that the roads will be narrower.... that's not a bad thing, narrower roads means less little shitheads using them as their personal racetracks. As much as I hate driving down my street when there's snowbuildup (you can just barely fit two cars passing eachother because of the street parking), it also forces cars to slow down, and navigate carefully.

[bignerd]

Front drive here. Know/n quite a few of our neighbors for a long time, we have all lived in the neighborhood for about ten years. Don't think the garage makes a difference, but does make you more visible to your neighbors I think being front drive (as someone said, more cars driving on street but then neighbors see you out working on car, cleaning garage etc...).

I like not having an alley, only time our garage or anyone I know of with a garage has had it broken into was when it was a an alley garage.

Detached garages are nice though in that they are bigger I think, as long as you have enough back yard to accommodate one.

[speedog]

Originally posted by Penis McNickels
I live in the aforementioned neighbourhood, Tuscany, and just this winter I was out shovelling snow with my daughter and so was a long term neighbour across the street with her kids.

I waved and said hi and she asked me if I was new in the neighbourhood and I told her, "yeah, I moved in here back in 2005." Then we both felt awkward and went back to shovelling our walks. So why do you not know your neighbor? Is it as a result of urban design or is it something else? I would dare say it's something else - I would dare say that people are afraid to get to know other people. A sense of community - it just doesn't exist for the most part these days. How many of you have ever attended a community function or are even aware that there are community events? Our last community event attended - this past Saturday night, the Highwood Chili Cook-off, over 10 years running now. Great event but ended way too early mostly because of all of the young families in attendance - but the party just moved to a close-by neighbor's home.

Other past events attended, our block's Stampede block party (12 years running), Thursday and Sunday night pick-up shinny at the community rink, bicycle polo during summer evenings at the rink, lawnchair theatre at the community centre, Christmas craft sale, community bbq's at the outdoor community pool, community Stampede breakfast. Question is - do newer communities even do this stuff and if they do, what percentage of community members in these communities are even aware of the stuff going on in their community - certainly, IMHO community design isn't going to get people to know their neighbors, getting to know one's neighbors is something that takes some real effort.

[lilmira]

Houses don't stop people to socialize, people do.

The thing is, back in the days, there wasn't much to do by yourself for entertainment, so you hang out with people literally. Now, people hide in their own corners doing whatever they do without physically interacting with each other face to face.

Nothing to do with house in my opinion.

[GQBalla]

as long as the back alleyway is all paved and the garage is still connected to the house i wouldn't care.


i don't think having the garage location will make a difference.

all my neighbours seem to stick to themselves. I wave hi or say hello.

The only time my one neighbour talked to me was to threaten me he was going to tell my dad i smoked (back than i was 16 and i said whatever)

The only time i spoke with the elderly neighbour was when i brought home a motorcycle and he said it was nice. ( i wave to him everytime i see him though)

[Feruk]

I think it's all based on your neighbors. There have been some communities that I've known my neighbors in, some that hated me for having parties, and some that I haven't seen anyone out front of their house.

I grew up in Edgemont, and the trend I found there was more ethnic than anything else. I knew or regulairly talked to most of my white neighbors. However, of 3 ethnic (Chinese and Fillipino) neighbors, one set turned out to be running a grow op, one had the husband kill his wife, and one set (next door) you only EVER saw as they drove in and out of the garage. Obviously not very social.

[88CRX]

Originally posted by lilmira
Houses don't stop people to socialize, people do.

The thing is, back in the days, there wasn't much to do by yourself for entertainment, so you hang out with people literally. Now, people hide in their own corners doing whatever they do without physically interacting with each other face to face.

Nothing to do with house in my opinion.

Exactly!

I wonder how much time and money was wasted to come to the conclusion that front driveway homes cause people to not be friendly with each other and makes neighborhoods ugly. LOL. Maybe they should just ban garages in new communities all together, then everyone needs to take transit and everyone will be able to socialize on the bus every morning. Plus it keeps cars off the road! A+ idea.



Ald. Shane Keating says the customer’s dollar should determine what streets look like, not city policy. “I’m opposed to a cookie-cutter plan for the entire city,” said Keating. “Double sidewalks are fine, trees are fine, but you can’t make the entire city look like 70-year-old streets in the downtown core.”

[Mibz]

Separate to the socialization issue, has anybody driven through areas like Parkland and Midnapore where trees line the streets? The streets are FUCKED. Sidewalks are FUCKED. Curbs are FUCKED.

Roots cause havoc to all of it. One area of Parkland along the ridge has the worst section of road I've ever traveled and they haven't done anything about it in over a decade. I'd hate to have that in front of my house.

Trees are pretty, but I'll be fucked if I give up an attached garage and proper roads for them.

[Unknown303]

I think it's BMW owners that don't talk to their neighbors.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by Unknown303
I live in Woodbine with front garages in our neighborhood and in the five days I've lived here have already met 2 of my neighbors just from them walking around. Some communities have nice people living in them, and some don't.

oh god! there goes the neighborhood... :cry:

haha, you should come over for a beer and play some pool someday!

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by ercchry


oh god! there goes the neighborhood... :cry:

haha, you should come over for a beer and play some pool someday!

Yeah now you have my big ugly Jeep rolling through your hood.

[TimG]

City council should look at banning fire pits before they look at banning front drive garages.

[lilmira]

Another thing that I notice, a lot of the trees in the hood don't last long before they even get big. Either people don't take care of their trees or builder give them shitty trees or trees that are not suitable for the climate. It's like no one cares about their own landscaping.

[88CRX]

Originally posted by lilmira
Another thing that I notice, a lot of the trees in the hood don't last long before they even get big. Either people don't take care of their trees or builder give them shitty trees or trees that are not suitable for the climate. It's like no one cares about their own landscaping.

Easy solution.

Force people to pay a landscape tax, then the city will care for everyone’s ‘tree’ allowing it to grow 50’ tall.

No cars, no garages, no fire pits, narrow roads, lots of sidewalks and large healthy trees. Think of how happy the children will be!

[lilmira]

Lol, mandatory block party every weekend with home owners taking turns hosting.

Residential streets shut down in the weekend to "encourage" everybody to walk

Ok, who wants to vote for me in the next election?

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Feruk]

Originally posted by TimG
City council should look at banning fire pits before they look at banning front drive garages.
:thumbsdow No way, fire pits are awesome.

[projekz]

Originally posted by Penis McNickels


I live in the aforementioned neighbourhood, Tuscany, and just this winter I was out shovelling snow with my daughter and so was a long term neighbour across the street with her kids.

I waved and said hi and she asked me if I was new in the neighbourhood and I told her, "yeah, I moved in here back in 2005." Then we both felt awkward and went back to shovelling our walks.

I'm in Tuscany as well and I have been living here since 2005. I know my neighbors a bit but apart from the occasional "hi", I barely talk to them.

We were really close to the one neighbor until he passed away last November. Everyone else keeps to their own. Works for me because I hate people anyways lol.

[TimG]

Originally posted by Feruk

:thumbsdow No way, fire pits are awesome.

having a neighbour with a fire pit is the same as being forced to stand beside a chain smoker in a confined space.

my entire house (and everything in it) ends up end up smelling like smoke when they have a fire pit going. There's no difference between a fire pit and someone deciding to burn leaves or garbage in their backyard.

I'm not even going to start on fire pits in areas where the houses are so close together and the grass is extremely dry.

And don't give me the excuse that fire pits stop when a fire ban is enacted by the city. it's not like things went from lush and green to kindling suddenly.. the risk of fire was very high for weeks before the city imposes a fire ban.

how is this awesome?

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by TimG


how is this awesome?

It's awesome for the person having the fire :rofl:

Seriously though, I fucking LOVE my firepit, and have a fire every week during the summer. I'm also a good neighbor though, and my firepit is at the very back of the yard, where the wind RARELY blows towards my neighbors houses, and it's also a normal sized one, with a 10'x15' gravel pad around it. I also keep my fires down to a normal size, and don't redneck them up.

My neighbor, on the other hand isn't as courteous. His pit is set right in the middle of his grass (that he never waters), right behind his house where the wind always blows the smoke towards mine, and he's always burning shit he shouldn't be that reeks.

But you know what? That's part of city life. If you don't like it move.

[Mibz]

My last neighbour used to smoke meat 2 or 3 times a week. I loved him for it. My house smelled delicious :D

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by Mibz
My last neighbour used to smoke meat 2 or 3 times a week. I loved him for it. My house smelled delicious :D

I hope my neighbors feel that way once I get a smoker setup.

[rage2]

Well since this is a car forum, alley access garages suck. It adds dust to a cleanly washed car everytime you park. You can get it paved, but you'll piss off a shitload of neighbors (all their property taxes increase). In winter, plowing is non existent in alleys. Then there's all the kids that walk around alleys doing random damage because they're bored. Alley access sucks. Front garages are all attached. Makes heating a lot cheaper too.

Since my cars, and my friend's cars are in front of the house, neighbors that are car guys automatically strike up a conversation. I know my across the street neighbor pretty well because it's a car/bike family.

Socialization is a funny story though, for years I didn't talk to any neighbors except for the families beside me and across the street. It wasn't until the first block party was held that I understood why. After introducing myself to most of the neighbors, one guy finally admitted that they all thought I was a drug dealer because I was young looking, asian, and went through a ridiculous number of nice cars. I explained I was in IT, and turns out, one of my neighbors worked as a tech at Bell, and I've worked with him before on the phone troubleshooting our circuit at work, so they confirmed I wasn't full of shit. Since then, neighbors routinely stop by and chat if I'm outside.

Yea, had absolutely nothing to do with a front garage at all. :rofl:

[Silviawannab]

They didn't actually ban front garages, they are just mandating trees at least every 30 feet. Am I wrong here?

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by TimG
City council should look at banning fire pits before they look at banning front drive garages.

City council should look back to when they decided to make new lots 40 feet wide and build houses so close that all you could fit in the front was a garage and a door, and 25 of your neighbors overlook directly into your backyard and get pissed off if your kids make too much noise and complain about smoke from a fire pit.

[Abeo]

Originally posted by rage2
Well since this is a car forum, alley access garages suck. It adds dust to a cleanly washed car everytime you park. You can get it paved, but you'll piss off a shitload of neighbors (all their property taxes increase). In winter, plowing is non existent in alleys. Then there's all the kids that walk around alleys doing random damage because they're bored. Alley access sucks. Front garages are all attached. Makes heating a lot cheaper too.


I like working on cars, so I'd have to say attached garages suck. I don't want bondo dust, paint fumes, noise from the compressor, etc in my house. And to get a triple attached you need a huge ass house, whereas you just need a big enough yard with alley access (or, enough room to have a driveway going to the back yard, which I'd prefer over an alley, but hard to find especially with shrinking lot widths).

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Abeo


I like working on cars, so I'd have to say attached garages suck. I don't want bondo dust, paint fumes, noise from the compressor, etc in my house. And to get a triple attached you need a huge ass house, whereas you just need a big enough yard with alley access (or, enough room to have a driveway going to the back yard, which I'd prefer over an alley, but hard to find especially with shrinking lot widths).

Best solution is front double "daily driver" garage, with alley in the back for seperate fun garage. There's a few neighborhoods like that around, but still doesn't address the fact houses with garage front look hideous (IMO).

Rage is right about the dust though. Can't keep a car clean to save my life. A neighbor got a petition going to have the alley paved, and everyone was onboard until they saw the tax increase. Then another neighbor started a petition to cancel it, and it passed by ONE FUCKING VOTE. (I still blame my inlaws, as they voted against it)

[rage2]

Originally posted by Abeo
I like working on cars, so I'd have to say attached garages suck. I don't want bondo dust, paint fumes, noise from the compressor, etc in my house.
I use my garage for parking so that isn't a problem haha.

[Anton]

Originally posted by rage2
Well since this is a car forum, alley access garages suck. It adds dust to a cleanly washed car everytime you park. You can get it paved, but you'll piss off a shitload of neighbors (all their property taxes increase). In winter, plowing is non existent in alleys. Then there's all the kids that walk around alleys doing random damage because they're bored. Alley access sucks. Front garages are all attached. Makes heating a lot cheaper too.


This. I'm actually surprised that people are preferring alleys on Beyond! I used to just leave my car in the front of the house in the summer so it wouldn't get dusty/muddy from driving in the alley to the garage.

Also, when friends come over, it's much more convenient for them to park on your driveway rather than parking a block away because everyone else is parked on the street. Just my opinion though.

I'm actually currently looking for a (town)house in inner city and I'm only looking at places that have a front attached garage...which makes it rather difficult. Had a townhouse in Marda Loop and absolutely HATED the back alley thing.

[cloud7]

Originally posted by Silviawannab
They didn't actually ban front garages, they are just mandating trees at least every 30 feet. Am I wrong here?

I think UDI's point is that front driveways are not compatible with trees every 10 m. I don't think the City is banning front drive garage per say, but making it difficult for most streets. Let's not forget that it was City design standard that made the mess to begin with... with 3.5 m easements for utilities, they basically got rid of the 'row of tree' look that they now desperate wants back. Banning Front garages and Front Garages = Not talking to neighbours is just BS and the media trying to sensationalize the story.

When I was growing up, we had a single detached garage access from the lane that we don't really use... other than to store a car that we don't use. Our lot frontage was wide enough to comfortably park 3 cars, so there was no need to park in the garage. With garages accessed from the lane, a lot of people that normally would park in the front garages will just park on the street. Go to any new neighbourhood with starter homes with back lanes and you'll know what I mean.

I love my front double garage... Only thing I hate is that I need a garage that fits 3-4 cars.

[ercchry]

i have a front garage and a huge ass tree in the front, also have a huge as tree in the back and many smaller bushes, and a hedge along one side of my house :dunno:

EDIT: the one thing i have noticed about this tree filled community though is that the root systems from the billion trees around here have destroyed the road. its like driving in a third world country around here :nut:

[speedog]

Here's the actual proposed policy - link (http://www.calgary.ca/_layouts/cocis/DirectDownload.aspx?target=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.calgary.ca%2FPDA%2FDBA%2FDocuments%2Fcalgary_planning_commission%2Fagenda%2F2012%2Fm2012-006.pdf&noredirect=1).

Our first home in Mount Pleasant was a class A type of scenario and our current home in Highwood is a class B type of scenario (60 feet or 18.3 meters wide). Prefer class B because trees are farther away from sidewalk and sidewalk is right against street.

[Toma]

I HATE neighborhoods with no alley.

Garbage collection is ghetto.

No front lawn.

As for Garage up front. Meh, whatever. I much prefer a rear garage.

I don't want every tom dick and harry coming by to see what I am working on, what neat tools I have, and for punks to scope out my cool toys. No thanks.

I guess it boils down to what you use your garage for.

Tinkering, or storing your Mercedes ;)

Best bet would be small one up front, 1000 square footer out back

:thumbsup:

Do trees have to be every 30 feet, or can you double up to leave a span for your garage driveway?

As long as they return the back alley, I don't care about the rest.

And developers bitching about $3k??? fuck off lol. at $350k+, it's nothing. Take a pay cut. :dunno:

[rage2]

Originally posted by ercchry
EDIT: the one thing i have noticed about this tree filled community though is that the root systems from the billion trees around here have destroyed the road. its like driving in a third world country around here :nut:
Wait till it hits the sewage system. I can't stand big ass trees near houses. The roots will eventually eat up the sewage system, and it's $10-20k to fix. My parent's house in Varsity suffered from this, I lived in the basement, and wake up to ankle high sewage everytime a storm rolls through. Nothing like your neighbor's morning shit bubbling out of your basement drains to start the day.


Originally posted by Toma
Tinkering, or storing your Mercedes ;)
haha, the garage is for parking not working or storing. My theory still holds true, white people don't use their garage to park cars. :rofl:

[Toma]

Well, "Average" tree at 10 meters is fine. What's so hard about that? No one has a 30 foot wide front garage.

But it is dumb. I dunno what lot sizes are anymore, used to be 25, 37 and 50 feet wide.

I think a "tree standard" should be one per LOT frontage, not some random distance. :dunno:

[Penis McNickels]

Originally posted by speedog
So why do you not know your neighbor? Is it as a result of urban design or is it something else? I would dare say it's something else - I would dare say that people are afraid to get to know other people. A sense of community - it just doesn't exist for the most part these days.

I'm an introvert, that does not mean I am shy; I just don't care to go out of my way to meet people.

However, I have gotten to know some of my other neighbours and have gotten along just fine. I house sat for one neighbour and have taken the family out on outings with another neighbour and their family.

But for me, it could be a garage thing. The neighbour I didn't know, lives across the street. The neighbours I know well are on the same side and we see each other in the backyard all the time. I only hang out in the front yard for yardwork.

[Abeo]

Originally posted by rage2

haha, the garage is for parking not working or storing. My theory still holds true, white people don't use their garage to park cars. :rofl:

At what point of disassembly does a car become car parts?

I'm pretty sure my garage has a car in it, if I put it back together...

[benyl]

Originally posted by Toma
No one has a 30 foot wide front garage.


My garage is 34ft wide, front attached...

I had neighbors in Royal Oak that had 5 cars and all parked on the street or the driveway. Their garage was full of shit. There were about 6 out of 20 houses that way.

[88CRX]

Originally posted by cloud7


I don't think the City is banning front drive garage per say, but making it difficult for most streets.

LOL

Exactly.... so their indirectly banning them.

[masoncgy]

Originally posted by rage2

Wait till it hits the sewage system. I can't stand big ass trees near houses. The roots will eventually eat up the sewage system, and it's $10-20k to fix. My parent's house in Varsity suffered from this, I lived in the basement, and wake up to ankle high sewage everytime a storm rolls through. Nothing like your neighbor's morning shit bubbling out of your basement drains to start the day.

That and the overhanging branches on the roof drop all sorts of crap on the shingles or the branches themselves rub on the roof and your shinges deteriorate quickly. Your gutters also need to be cleaned like 4 times a year to keep them running properly.

I have this issue with my rental place in Temple. Nice tree... lots of shade... but I think it's too close to the house and eventually the weeping tile will be fucked. I might just have it cut down and dug out. The neighbors have enough trees to make up for it... lol.


Originally posted by rage2
haha, the garage is for parking not working or storing. My theory still holds true, white people don't use their garage to park cars. :rofl:

hahaha... I used to park two vehicles in the garage until I met my wife. Then it was one. Then zero. She likes crap... boxes and boxes of it... ugh.

[speedog]

People bitching about the trees - if the right kind are planted then it's not a big deal. Populars like are prevalent in may 70-80's neighborhoods - yupp, will definitely fuck up the sewer and such. Our 50's neighborhood has green ash and elms for the most part with a smattering of fir, manitoba maples and mountain ashes - the elms and maples secret the saps/whatever out and make a bit of a mess, but the tradeoff is great summer canopies over our streets. The trees also have to planted carefully so as to not grow into your house - my gutters, cleaned twice a year (spring and fall) and we have four huge trees (two green ash, two fir) in our front yard, an apple on the side and an elm in the back.

[cloud7]

My current house has no trees and I am loving it. Don't have to pick up 6 bags of leaves each Fall. Don't have to worry about watering or trimming. Don't have to worry about roots. My parent's old house had 14 big trees on the lot. It was a pain in the ass to maintain when growing up.

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by cloud7
My current house has no trees and I am loving it. Don't have to pick up 6 bags of leaves each Fall. Don't have to worry about watering or trimming. Don't have to worry about roots. My parent's old house had 14 big trees on the lot. It was a pain in the ass to maintain when growing up.

A bit off topic, but why do so many people clean up leaves? I just run mine over with the mower and the pieces disappear in a week.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by speedog
People bitching about the trees - if the right kind are planted then it's not a big deal. Populars like are prevalent in may 70-80's neighborhoods - yupp, will definitely fuck up the sewer and such. Our 50's neighborhood has green ash and elms for the most part with a smattering of fir, manitoba maples and mountain ashes - the elms and maples secret the saps/whatever out and make a bit of a mess, but the tradeoff is great summer canopies over our streets. The trees also have to planted carefully so as to not grow into your house - my gutters, cleaned twice a year (spring and fall) and we have four huge trees (two green ash, two fir) in our front yard, an apple on the side and an elm in the back.

:werd: Use the proper trees and you don't have to bitch so much.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by Unknown303
:werd: Use the proper trees and you don't have to bitch so much. Developers select what kind of trees are planted, as well as where and how many. If you, as a new homeowner, don't take proper care of the tree for x years then the developer will replace it and charge you for the new one.

Most people aren't willing to shell out the money required to replace or even just remove trees until the damage has already been done. I don't blame them.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by Mibz
Developers select what kind of trees are planted, as well as where and how many. If you, as a new homeowner, don't take proper care of the tree for x years then the developer will replace it and charge you for the new one.

Most people aren't willing to shell out the money required to replace or even just remove trees until the damage has already been done. I don't blame them.

I blame them.

[bspot]

Front garages make for the ugliest streets. Also, driveways are a waste of land. With a rear garage you barely need a driveway.

Plus with a rear garage your neighbours aren't 30 feet away on the back side, the alley spaces them away from you and the garage blocks them looking at you while you rub one out in your hot tub.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by bspot
Front garages make for the ugliest streets. Also, driveways are a waste of land. With a rear garage you barely need a driveway.

Plus with a rear garage your neighbours aren't 30 feet away on the back side, the alley spaces them away from you and the garage blocks them looking at you while you rub one out in your hot tub.

You don't thinks that rear access takes up land?? Do you work for Aperture?

[ipeefreely]

Originally posted by rage2
Well since this is a car forum, alley access garages suck. It adds dust to a cleanly washed car everytime you park. You can get it paved, but you'll piss off a shitload of neighbors (all their property taxes increase). In winter, plowing is non existent in alleys.

I always thought it was funny that Edmonton has 98% of its alleys paved and Calgary has less than 10% maybe!?! :nut:

Edmonton also plows the alley regularly so you can make it out of the alley and get stuck on the street! :rofl:


Originally posted by Toma
I HATE neighborhoods with no alley.

Garbage collection is ghetto.

No front lawn.

As for Garage up front. Meh, whatever. I much prefer a rear garage.

I don't want every tom dick and harry coming by to see what I am working on, what neat tools I have, and for punks to scope out my cool toys. No thanks.

:thumbsup: But I have a corner lot so it like my garage is on the front anyway! :facepalm: :cry:

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by ipeefreely


I always thought it was funny that Edmonton has 98% of its alleys paved and Calgary has less than 10% maybe!?! :nut:

I think it's considerably less than 10% here in residential neighbourhoods.


Side-attached garages are best. Developers should make lots wider and less deep to accommodate this.

[ALBERTA_IS]

In my opinion rear detached is much better for the following reasons:

I can't stand looking at vehicles parked all over the place. Everyone in my area has at least 2 cars in the driveway and a garage full of shit.

Front attached garages are so small your lucky to fit 2 cars in there on a good day.

If someone breaks into the garage they can't back a truck in and empty out my entire house like a front attached.

I have not seen any 32x22 attached garages under $800k so it really works for me and what we wanted to spend.


My alley is paved and I have a very nice view out front of a green space and pond. My neighbors have the same thoughts when it comes to keeping our vehicles off the the road in front of our houses. Makes it nice to annoy a scotch and cigar without some douchebags van parked in front of you house!

Alex

[bspot]

Originally posted by Unknown303


You don't thinks that rear access takes up land?? Do you work for Aperture?

The alley isn't my land. I didn't have to buy it, and I don't pay property taxes for it. You buy your front driveway, and also fix it when it cracks.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by bspot


The alley isn't my land. I didn't have to buy it, and I don't pay property taxes for it. You buy your front driveway, and also fix it when it cracks.

Unless you want your alley paved.

Seriously though. This entire thread is exactly why they shouldn't be passing the bylaw (or whatever it is). Obviously the public is divided on the issue, so they need to tweak it, to allow developers to have some communities with no-front garage, and some without. Or just NOT pass it at all, and let the market dictate.

You want more trees councilmen? Stop letting developers make the smallest lots they possibly can. No one wants big trees when they live on a postage stamp.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by bspot


The alley isn't my land. I didn't have to buy it, and I don't pay property taxes for it. You buy your front driveway, and also fix it when it cracks.

But you said that it's a waste of land... You can either not pay to have a shitty dirt back lane or you take some pride in your property that you own and upkeep your front driveway. :dunno: If the alley gets paved then guess what your property taxes go up, so either way it costs you if you want to have the same condition of driveway.

Either way this strikes me as an option the buyer should really have. You should be able to decide if you want to be in a community with front or rear garages, and no matter which one you choose you also have to choice to socialize with your neighbors or not.

[speedog]

Originally posted by bspot
The alley isn't my land. I didn't have to buy it, and I don't pay property taxes for it. You buy your front driveway, and also fix it when it cracks. No, the alley is not your land but you would be delusional if you believe that not one cent of the property taxes you pay goes into maintaining that alley behind your home even if it is a gravel alley. Our rear gravel alley gets graded twice a year and I'd bet that even our guinea pig is smart enough to know that those graders aren't doing it for free, hell our gravel alley even got plowed this year with only 3cm of snow down.

[cloud7]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish

Developers should make lots wider and less deep to accommodate this.

Developers are making lots the way they are making them to get more units per land area. The lots that are wider but shallower are apparently less efficient.

[bspot]

Originally posted by speedog
No, the alley is not your land but you would be delusional if you believe that not one cent of the property taxes you pay goes into maintaining that alley behind your home even if it is a gravel alley. Our rear gravel alley gets graded twice a year and I'd bet that even our guinea pig is smart enough to know that those graders aren't doing it for free, hell our gravel alley even got plowed this year with only 3cm of snow down.

How much does it cost to grade/gravel an alley? I'll gladly pay my $100 a year or whatever it is to not live on an ugly street with neighbours staring in my back yard.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by bspot


How much does it cost to grade/gravel an alley? I'll gladly pay my $100 a year or whatever it is to not live on an ugly street with neighbours staring in my back yard.

Depends on the frontage (or backage? lol). We have a 50' wide lot, and OUR cost alone would have been $560/year for 15 years. My neighbor would have been FFFFUUUUUUUUUcked. He doesn't even have a garage, but has about 150' of alleyway frontage.

I think the estimated cost to pave the whole alley was $280,000

Edit: found my post from when I got the cost notice.

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&postid=2353699&highlight=alley#post2353699

[AE92_TreunoSC]

I'm buying a front garage next house so I have ensured parking.

I hate having people park in front of my house, its a huge peeve, so much that I simply left an old vehicle of mine to prevent neighbors from parking there.

I have a corner lot with rear garage and no front sidewalk, its really nice aside from my peeve.

[speedog]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


Depends on the frontage (or backage? lol). We have a 50' wide lot, and OUR cost alone would have been $560/year for 15 years. My neighbor would have been FFFFUUUUUUUUUcked. He doesn't even have a garage, but has about 150' of alleyway frontage.

I think the estimated cost to pave the whole alley was $280,000

Edit: found my post from when I got the cost notice.

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&postid=2353699&highlight=alley#post2353699 No actual additional cost to gravel/grade an alley as per what bspot was asking - the gravel/grading is paid out of the collection of regular property taxes. Paving an alley such as to what you're speaking to is basically a local improvement and that is an additional cost above and beyond regular property taxes.

[Tik-Tok]

You're right, I read his post wrong, lol.

[autosm]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
As soon as you get rid of front drive garages people start parking all over the street instead, houses get shifted forward making it feel even smaller and your neighborhood turns into a congested ghetto.... no thanks.

Good for the city finances though, they can probably set up a half dozen more snow routes and collect way more revenue for snow clearing this way.


This



Relatives live in McKenzie town and everyone parks on the street.

Probably the same people at the city that thought the red bridge was a good idea.

[dj_patm]

Originally posted by autosm



This



Relatives live in McKenzie town and everyone parks on the street.

Probably the same people at the city that thought the red bridge was a good idea.

Hey, the red bridge was a good idea.

This is however is stupid :drama:

[masoncgy]

Originally posted by dj_patm
Hey, the red bridge was a good idea.

http://alltheragefaces.com/img/faces/png/misc-seriously.png

[Toma]

Originally posted by rage2


haha, the garage is for parking not working or storing. My theory still holds true, white people don't use their garage to park cars. :rofl:

LOL!!! Maybe you are right.

I CRINGE every time I have to "waste" a garage spot on just parking a car lol

:D

[Inzane]

Originally posted by rage2
haha, the garage is for parking not working or storing. My theory still holds true, white trash don't use their garage to park cars. :rofl:

^^ Corrected. ;)

[riceboi]

When I was shopping for a house 10 years ago, one of the realtors told me that neighborhoods without backalley have much lower break-ins rate than their counterpart....I guess lack of access is a plus in this case...not sure if the city has any stats on this.

[Jeff TYPE R]

Originally posted by rage2
Well since this is a car forum, alley access garages suck. It adds dust to a cleanly washed car everytime you park. You can get it paved, but you'll piss off a shitload of neighbors (all their property taxes increase).

Please elaborate. I need this shit NOW, fuck the neighbours' property taxes. Do you have a surefire way of making the city pave the back alley?

My garage is slowly filling with mud.

[msommers]

I'll never own a home with a front-attached garage. I think they're boring and ugly. Well, maybe never. But the conventional front-garage home people think of is nothing I want.

Example:

http://www.janetleehoward.com/files/2011/04/Front-House-web.jpg

The exemption:

http://www.acaciahomes.net/showhomes/gallery/large/showhomes-02.jpg


:D

[speedog]

Originally posted by Jeff TYPE R


Please elaborate. I need this shit NOW, fuck the neighbours' property taxes. Do you have a surefire way of making the city pave the back alley?

My garage is slowly filling with mud. Discussed in this old thread (http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&postid=2341741#post2341741) - you'll need to get a petition signed by 70% of the affected property owners.

[speedog]

Originally posted by msommers
I'll never own a home with a front-attached garage. I think they're boring and ugly. Well, maybe never. But the conventional front-garage home people think of is nothing I want.

Example:

http://www.janetleehoward.com/files/2011/04/Front-House-web.jpg

The exemption:

http://www.acaciahomes.net/showhomes/gallery/large/showhomes-02.jpg


:D Problem is that example two is not something that would be found in almost every current Calgary community that is filled with front drive garages.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by speedog
Discussed in this old thread (http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&postid=2341741#post2341741) - you'll need to get a petition signed by 70% of the affected property owners.


And then after the city estimate is done, someone else can start a petition to stop it. Which also requires 70% of the affected property owners.

That's what happened to me, 90+% voted to get it paved, then the cost came out and 70.3% voted to have it stopped. Passed the stoppage by one fucking vote.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by Jeff TYPE R


Please elaborate. I need this shit NOW, fuck the neighbours' property taxes. Do you have a surefire way of making the city pave the back alley?

My garage is slowly filling with mud.

Yea. PAY FOR IT. All of it. Your neighbors will thank you too. :rofl:

I like what they have going on in Quarry Park, rear attached garages.

I have a rear detached garage in the alley. I don't even use it. I park on the street in front of my house. :nut:

[G]

Originally posted by max_boost


I have a rear detached garage in the alley. I don't even use it. I park on the street in front of my house. :nut:

That has to do with the inner city infill mentality of holding the spot otherwise you will never be able to park there again.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by G


That has to do with the inner city infill mentality of holding the spot otherwise you will never be able to park there again. haha

Yeah my street is really good actually. Been here 7 years now and the neighbors are all great. There have been many times I park both my cars on their side and they park on my side, whatever no big deal. I have a remote starter so I like to leave the cars outside to pollute the air. :D

[rage2]

Originally posted by Jeff TYPE R
Please elaborate. I need this shit NOW, fuck the neighbours' property taxes. Do you have a surefire way of making the city pave the back alley?
Surefire way is to pay off the neighbors to ensure a 70% vote.

I know someone that had only 50% willing to sign up, with the rest split between can't afford, and go fuck yourself. So he paid for the can't afford guys in full, and fucked over the go fuck yourself guys with a nicely paved alley and increased taxes. :rofl: