Meeting of Board of Directors
March 8th, 2006
Directors Present: Henry Phillips, Linda Foubister, Janet Simpson, Dave
Clark, Doris Schuh, Susan Bartol-Drinker, Frank Hess, Ethelyn
McInnes-Rankin, Doreen Mueller, Wayne Poohachoff, John Weaver
Regrets: none
Guests: Councillor Bea Holland, Susan Wood, Lloyd Ollila, Mitchell
Hammond, Peter Underwood
Meeting called to order at 19:02
President Henry Phillips led off welcoming the new board and guests and
proposed some guidelines around conducting meetings. Some general
principles: all meetings are open, and the agenda is driven by the
board, We will try to circulate background information and committee
reports ahead of meetings.
Action: contact Don Hamilton for web site solutions where
password-protected area could be used to post and view documents.
1. Agenda: Motion to accept (as amended): (SBD/DS) Carried
2. Susan Wood
• Proposal to print the Rockland Review as part of a new community
magazine
• Changing her Platinum Magazine to Moss Rock Review
• Fairfield Community Association will submit about 5 pages of content
• First few issues are B&W, but within a few months, Colour cover
• Robert Amos cover art
• 15 writers, all Fairfield Based;
• Funded by advertising and publishing fees from contributing community
associations
3. Revised rezoning application for 1322 Rockland
• EMR requested that discussion be limited to 15 minutes given the full
agenda
• Reviewed background and current status of the application
• MH asked on what information did the LUC and Board base their letter
to the City dated December 15th 2005?
• DM The December proposal was not well distributed to the
Neighbourhood.
• SBD answered that it appeared to be the same information submitted by
the proponent to the Planning Department on February 10th, a copy of
which Wei Tu delivered to the Board by hand in early March
• Council’s Committee of the Whole will receive the report of the
Planning Department on March 16th. The RNA letter will be part of the
associated information package that goes to Council
• There was discussion as to whether there should be an additional
letter from the RNA Board to Council before the March 16th meeting
Motion (FH/DM) (including 2 friendly amendments)
Whereas Rezoning application No. 05-5, 1322 Rockland Avenue was
postponed by Committee of the Whole on April 28, 2005;
And
Whereas, Committee of the Whole instructed the proponent to revise the
preoposal to reflect the Rockland Neighbourhood Plan with emphasis that
more than “tinkering” with the project was required;
And
Whereas the new proposal presented to the planning department, dated
February 10, 2006 has not substantially altered the previous proposal
thereby continuing major deficiencies and discrepancies from the
Rockland Plan;
Therefore be it
resolved that the Board of Directors of the Rockland Neighbourhood
Association respectfully request the Committee of the Whole to reject
the application and close the file on this project.
Discussion: back off on the strong language. RNA Board does not have
any of the facts.
Defeated (2 abstentions, 2 for and 7 against the motion.)
Comment: MH: Feb 6th new board elected, now March 8th; pivotal issue,
and a strong message from the board would send a signal. Please, use
the time between now and the 16th to review the content of the revised
application.
Motion (JW/PK)
Whereas Rezoning application No. 05-5, 1322 Rockland Avenue was
postponed by Committee of the Whole on April 28, 2005;
And
Whereas, Committee of the Whole instructed the proponent to revise the
preoposal to reflect the Rockland Neighbourhood Plan with emphasis that
more than “tinkering” with the project was required;
And
Whereas the new proposal presented to the planning department, dated
February 10, 2006 has not substantially altered the previous proposal
thereby continuing major deficiencies and discrepancies from the
Rockland Plan;
Therefore be it
resolved that the Board of Directors of the Rockland Neighbourhood
Association respectfully request the Committee of the Whole to reject
the application.
Discussion:
• EMR - Need the appointment of LUC before we move forward.
• DS – can’t vote on something without having direct access to the facts
• LF: The information package that accompanies the Planning
Department’s report to the Committee of the Whole will include the
letters from MH and from the Board.
• LF - Speaking against the motion – believes there is substantial
change (48 to 30 units). Last year some residents spoke in favour of
the 48 units and it would be a disservice to them to act hastily.
Defeated (1 abstentions, 5 for and 6 against the motion.)
20:47
4. Implementing Lloyd Ollila’s motion approved at recent AGM
• Recent work by CALUC has changed Associations’ role in the planning
procedure.
• LF: Clarify the motion: Clarify the process so that all interested
Rockland Residents understand the process, how it has changed, their
role in it, the role of the Association, of the LUC and the role of the
Neighbourhood Plan.
• The information session proposed in the motion could include an
update on the “Planning 101” session offered earlier
• Another focus could be a discussion of the mandate of the LUC and its
relation to the Board.
• HP proposes to split rezoning and strategic planning into separate
committees
• LO offers to help the new committees
Councilor’s report – Bea Holland
• Uplifting visit by Micheala Jean, marked by a Lion Dance, music
performance; She presented the Governor General’s Community Awards.
• City presented a $10,000 legacy gift (matched by an anonymous donor)
to the Victoria Foundation, to be used as a scholarship, details to be
determined.
• Downtown Community Plan seeks input, builds on the 2020 plan/vision
• Results of Citizens’ survey
• Helen Hughes motion: consider if we would welcome the Housing
Advisory Committee to work with the Association to deal with issues of
rental accommodation and affordable housing.
• Update Strategic Plan
• Action on Montgomery – large house but falls within the guidelines
and the RNA plan – no variances required – it was indeed a renovation,
not a new house
• Sign at Gonzales and Rockland was removed..
. Appointment of Committee Chairs
• Land Use – zoning committee– technical assessment and review
Co-chairs, WP and FH; MH as a member
• Landuse – Process and Policy, CALUC, Environment Co-chairs WP and DM
• Communications – Chair JW
• Newsletter LF
• Webmaster Don Hamilton
• Email information broadcast JW-?
• Membership and volunteers Chair EMR (SBD will assist)
• Garden Chair, JS
• Traffic Chair, JS (receive member input; develop next traffic
strategic plan)
• Safety Chair SBD, (HP will assist)
• Police
• Grafitti
• Block Watch and Emergency Preparedness
• City Committees
o Community Association Network Representative WP (CAN meeting on March
22nd due to Spring Break, location to be determined)
o Secondary Suites Representative JS
o Housing Advisory Committee
o Advisory Planning Committee Helmut Hissen, but no direct connection
to the RNA Board
Date and time of next meeting
April 12th, 2006 at 7:00 pm at Friends of Government House cottage
Close of meeting -
Motion: To adjourn (DC/CS) Carried
Meeting closed at 22:19