-----Original Message-----
From: John Callan <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]>
Date: February 15, 2000 8:10 PM
Subject: Re: architecture in NY is an interrupted art - 1916?


>"Obviously if one is striving for greatness in new design, those
>things will be left for some with less lofty ambitions."



Out here in the southern centre of British Columbia, a wonderfully brave bit
of anarchy was performed some 10 years ago when the 900 residents of a
sub-region of the Regional District (a Regional District is something like a
County, with legislated powers similar to a Municipality), just next to the
sub-region (like a Township) I live in, decided to vote by referendum to opt
out of the Building Inspection and Building Code system administered by the
Regional District.   The referendum for "Area G" was perfectly legal and
done in the right manner and was passed.   Thereafter, the Region's Building
Inspector had no right to do business in that little part of the world.   No
building permits were required, no fees collected, no inspections required
or performed.   The residents just told the Inspector to keep out, and he
has ever since.   Also, there is apparently no mechanism for the Regional
District to reinstate the system without calling another referendum.

A few years later, the little sub-region I live in, "Area B", did the same
thing.   Now there is a little pocket of culture, a semi-isolated valley
with a population of 3600, where anyone can build any chicken house they
wish, and do what they want with it too.    Through a clever reading of the
Law, these folks are preserving their local heritage by de-legislation,
putting the feel of the place back to the pioneer settlement days of the
early 1900's in the only way they can.   Out here, settlement came so
recently, that some people still remember what it was to be responsible for
their own actions.   They also hate paying taxes !

The Public Health legislation is Provincial, as is Electrical Inspection, so
the Health Inspector still rules happily here.   There are no new outhouses
in plain view.   The Electrical Inspector keeps everything going his way
too, and there are no e-fires.

In spite of the freedom of expression offered by the lack of building
legislation now in place, it is curious to see that almost every new
box-thing looks just like any other new North American box-thing.   However,
there is sure an atmosphere of delight at the independence available.

In another matter entirely, as far as building preservation is concerned,
the Regional District began the process to access Provincial money for
building restoration and preservation.   It commissioned the required study
(expensive) to identify and priorize the "Heritage Resources", and then
never bothered to take the second step of passing legislation to give itself
the power to collect the money from the Province.   It just sort of forgot.
This is quite unrelated to the Building Inspector story, but indicates the
curious easy-going way that lurks beneath the outer appearances of normal
life and culture here.   I love this e-list for its reminders that life is
not homogenous, and it is good to see discussions of certified trade skills
and heritage restoration codes going on at the same time as our locally
successful anarchic referendums.

Did the millennium happen yet?
Cuyler