Rockland Neighbourhood Association:  Minutes of the Board

Meeting of Board of Directors

Meeting of Board of Directors

January 9th, 2008

Directors Present: Doreen Mueller, Janet Simpson, Dave Clark, John Weaver, Wayne Poohachoff, Steve Peace, John Edwards, Mitch Hammond

Guest: Bea Holland

Regrets: Henry Phillips

Summary of decisions and action items:
ACTION: Change the regular order of Board meeting agenda, to move Committee Reports forward, following the Councillor’s report

ACTION: BH will ask planning staff for the rationale for increasing the maximum number of units allowed within the redeveloped Mansion at 1322 Rockland, and report back to the Board

ACTION: LU(z) committee will draft a letter to City staff recommending that the CALUC process be followed for 801 Langham Court variance request.

ACTION: LU(z) committee will draft a response that reiterates RNA concern over the magnitude of the proposed development at 1322 Rockland.

ACTION: MH will send the previously drafted letter re: Shell Station

ACTION: Request that the Webmaster establish a link on the RNA site to the City web page copy of the Rockland Plan.

ACTION: Reports for each Committee, and biographies for those who plan to stand for office or director, submitted to the secretary by February 1, 2008

ACTION: Review the requirement that all RNA members uphold the Constitution - remove the items in the constitution that are not amenable or enforceable.

ACTION: Notice of AGM to all members by January 30th

ACTION: Nominating Committee recommendations to Secretary by January 30th

ACTION: Invitations to attend AGM extended to Mayor and Council, President of Craigdarroch Castle Society, Representative of Government House



Meeting called to order at 19:10

1.    Agenda:       Motion to accept as amended  (DC/WP)        Carried
New Business
o    Treasurer’s quarterly report
o    Annual General Meeting
o    CALUC
o    1322 Rockland update
o    Appointments for City’s Advisory Committees

Business Arising
o    Conflict of Interest

Motion to change order, so that Committee reports, led by Land Use (zoning) follow the Councillor’s Report   (JS/DC)            Carried

2.    Minutes of December 10th 2007
Motion to approve, as amended   (MH/SP)            Carried
Amend “ACTION: Garden Committee draft a letter to City Staff, requesting a covenant for the Woodland Garden”

3.    Councillor’s Report
•    Appointments to advisory committees
•    Move forward on Jubilee Hospital building permit.
•    Budget deliberations - e.g., Police staffing
•    New Director of Parks and Recreation
•    New Director of Finance
•    Planning Department - hiring process initiated for 2 replacement planners for staff vacancies - Allison Myers is the new Manager, Development Services

DISCUSSION: on recommended changes to the CALUC process (1 year review). Council is committed to the CALUC process, including the review process.

CALUC would like the ability of Neighbourhood and Community Associations to review the planning committee report to council if the developer has significantly revised a plan subsequent to the Neighbourhood or Community Association’s public meeting.

4.    Committee Reports
Land Use (zoning)
•    Ongoing CALUC meetings to generate recommendations on the CALUC process.

•    Rezoning - 801 Langham Court - balconies enclosed 15 years ago. Last year renovation showed that building is now non-conforming, due to Floor Space Ratio. No additional changes contemplated, but want a spot rezoning to legitimize existing structure.

DISCUSSION: Should NA have the responsibility to decide whether or not to waive the requirement for a public meeting? If that is the case, LU(z) has made some conditions for waiving the standard process. Consensus of the Board is that a community meeting should take place.

Motion (MH/DM)  that the LU(z) committee draft a letter to B. Sikstrom indicating that the RNA is not in a position to waive the process, and recommending that the CALUC process, including a community meeting with direct notification to neighbours within 100m, be followed.    Carried


•    1322 Rockland - updated ground plans and the heritage and arborist plans have been received. Costs of main house renovation is estimated at $7m. Adjustments to the plan include:
o    1 additional unit within the main house, 
o    4 additional units in northern condo building (total units change from 29 to 34).
o    Changes to visitor parking 
o    Reduction to the height of southern condo building, and it has been moved south by a few metres to save a tree.

Arbourist's report indicates that the critical root zone of the large Garry oak south of the Coach House falls within the townhouse footprint. Committee has concern that the subsequent location of services will further compromise the mature trees.

At some point, City planning staff have allowed 15 units in the main house vs. the 11 that were previously determined. RNA requests the rationale for this uplift.

ACTION - BH will ask planning staff for the rationale for increasing the maximum number of units allowed within the redeveloped Mansion at 1322 Rockland, and report back to the Board
.
LU(z) reiterates its concern that the number of units that are allowed in the main house conversion (11 or 15) NOT be transferred as additional units in new development.

ACTION LU(z) will draft a response that reiterates RNA concern over the magnitude of the proposed development at 1322 Rockland.

•    Shell Station
ACTION MH will send the previously drafted letter re: Shell Station

Garden
•    JS sent the letter to City requesting a covenant to perpetuate the Woodland Garden.

CAN –
•    November meeting asked to review Mayor's report on homelessness.

Membership
•    Hard copy newsletters sent to 25 households not on the e-mail distribution list.

Communications
ACTION – Request that the Webmaster establish a link on the RNA site to the City web page copy of the Rockland Plan.


5.    Correspondence, Telephone and E-mail
•    Beatrice Miller - non-member wanting to attend Government House reception.

•    Frank Hess - upset that polled votes no longer required. - (as liability insurance is not extended to committee members, just board members, it is not appropriate for the committees to use polled votes.)

•    Joly de Lotbiniere Society appreciates the work done to close the street to motorized traffic.


6.    Business Arising:
•    Conflict of Interest information received from the City. DM will bring to the attention of the new RNA Board at the March 12th, 2008 meeting.

(BH left at 20:50)

7.    New Business
o    AGM
o    Reports for each Committee, and biographies for those who plan to stand for office or director, to be submitted to the secretary by February 1, 2008
o    Nominations – Current Board members declared their intentions to run for the coming year.
o    Successful nominees must be willing to chair a committee, or hold an office.

DISCUSSION - propose that we should have position specifications written for board members, officers, committee chairs.
Lay out all the functions of the board and determine appropriate resources that are required for each (e.g., one person or a committee).
Suggest a Facilitated session with the new board to brainstorm and develop these specifications, along with guidelines for succession planning for transfer of duties to incoming board.

DISCUSSION: RNA Members are bound to uphold the constitution. New and existing directors should get a refresher on constitution and bylaws, and their impact on the structure and function of the Board.

ACTION: Note for next overhaul of the constitution and bylaw to review the requirement that all RNA members uphold the Constitution - remove the items in the constitution that are not amenable or enforceable.

o    Notice of AGM has to go out to all members 15 days before the AGM, that is, by January 30th. -  include membership application and deliver by surface mail as well as through the e-mail list and post to website.
o    Nominating committee has to have list of their recommendations to the Secretary by January 30th.
o    JW has sent Invites to Police Board, and Maureen Miekle; Corey Bond is the Police Officer who will attend. (Therefore Agenda will have to include him)
o    Other invitees - Mayor and Council, President of Craigdarroch Castle Society, Representative of Government House (Herb Leroy?)

8.    Financial Report
Balances as of December 31, 2007
o    General account –     $6891.81
o    Base funding –     $4122.84
o    Garden –         $2011.42
o    Walking Tour -     $1501.22

9.    Close of meeting -
Motion: To adjourn     (DC/JS)                Carried    

Meeting adjourned at 21:30