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Richmond's Driveway Party shifts out of neutral

City should open its books more: Kevin Lainchbury
Driveway Party
Driveway Party members Kevin Coles and Kevin Lainchbury at Coles' driveway in the Shellmont neighbourhood.

Humour, of course, preceded any serious notions to run for Richmond city council, considering newly-minted Driveway Party members Kevin Coles and Kevin Lainchbury initially floated the idea of a cat for mayor, last month.

But the long-time Richmondites — whose personas are to spitball over beers on Coles’ driveway — felt they received a positive reply from the online community to take a more serious stab as candidates.

As such the two friends from Shellmont have released more details about their key priorities for the upcoming municipal election in October.

Lainchbury, 52, a former Richmond First school trustee candidate and small business owner, has painted a target squarely on the City of Richmond’s transparency and specifically how the Richmond Olympic Oval and other municipal entities are managed.

Lainchbury charges there are too many potential conflicts of interest with city manager (Chief Administrative Officer) George Duncan, who directs a number of city-run subsidiaries, including the Oval and Lulu Island Energy Company — a matter the city claims otherwise with an independent legal opinion.

“I would support an audit” of the city, said Lainchbury, when asked what he would do.

“If we could see where the money is going, a lot less money would be going,” said Lainchbury.

Neko cat
Neko, Kevin Coles' cat will not legally challenge incumbent Mayor Malcolm Brodie

The driveway is situated just off Steveston Highway, near No. 4 Road. As such, it is a stone’s throw from a new 23,000-square-foot house on prime farmland.

“That. That’s my number one issue,” said Coles emphatically, pointing in the direction of the house, noting council failed to adopt the provincial regulations on house sizes in the Agricultural Land Reserve.

But the root of their cause is getting the city “back to basics,” said Lainchbury.

“We don’t want Ovals and energy companies,” he said.

“Sounds like we don’t want a lot of things,” Coles chimed in sarcastically.

One of their few mottos on their website is: “Less development and more developing a community!”

Both homeowners, who say they lean slightly right-of-centre, admit their teenage children will not be able to live in Richmond due to housing costs.

And while Coles said he wouldn’t want townhouses fronting his own backyard, densifying neighbourhoods to some extent is required.

“House sizes are definitely an issue,” he said.

Coles added he has concerns about council’s relations with developers.

“I don’t think anyone who is a developer should be on council,” referring to Coun. Derek Dang, a realtor who develops residential sites (including one with Coun. Ken Johnston) and Coun. Linda McPhail, whose family runs commercial real estate and development firms Farrell Estates and the McPhail Group.

While Lainchbury said he holds regard for his former Richmond First colleagues, he alleges too many instances where Coun. Bill McNulty has gone back and forth on an issue among different groups, citing temporary modular housing, which Coles described as a “no brainer decision.” Likewise, Coles motions his arms like a windshield wiper when speaking of Coun. Chak Au.

Term limits were raised by Coles, stating Coun. Harold Steves, “while vital” should step aside to “refresh” council.

When pressed on other civic issues the two agreed on a sign bylaw for official languages, want the Highway 99 bridge built with transit and disagree with the Onni-Steveston boardwalk rezoning deal.