Meeting of Board of Directors

May 12, 2004

Friends of Government House Meeting Room

Directors Present: Catherine Spencer, Helmut Hissen, Dave Clark, Doris Schuh,
Leida-Marie Grant, Giorgio Amarilli, Susan Bartol-Drinker, Linda Foubister and
Jane Lunt.

Regrets: Brian Allen, Ethelyn McInnes-Rankin and Mary Picard.

Guests: Councillor Chris Coleman, Bev Stewart, Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator and Victoria Police Officer Greg Shaw.

Presentation from Neighbourhood Watch
Bev Stewart and Greg Shaw gave a presentation on the program, outlining risk factors and trends in property crime and benefits of the program, which is sponsored by Coast Capital. They detailed how a group is organized, how it is run and the responsibilities of all parties. The board agreed to support the program through a newsletter article and other notification to residents.

Meeting called to order 20:27

1.  Agenda:  Motion to accept: (LF/DC) approval of agenda  Carried

2. Minutes of April 14, 2004:  Motion to accept    Carried

3. Councillor's Report: Chris Coleman:

-St. Charles Manor public hearing.  25 people spoke.  Council approved the application, 7 to 0.  Given the nature of spot zoning, cumulative effects of additional seniors’ facilities will not be assessed without a strategic planning exercise around "aging in place".

- Amalgamation of municipalities issue raised by Murray Coell at a discussion around federal funding for the Homeless.  Victoria is bearing the burden for the region, giving $1.65 million annually in exemptions (grants) to non-profit associations, (arts, etc) and other regional concerns.

- Recreation Renewal update workshop will be tomorrow at City Council.  C.A.N. has registered concerns, unsupported by RNA representatives due, in part, to our lack of a community centre.

- CC will undertake a "walkabout" in Rockland this Sunday.

(CC left the meeting at 21:15)

4.   Correspondence:
-Membership in the Craigdarroch Castle Society through December 2005
-Parks and Recreation annual report
-Doug Koch - Brian Sikstrom is our planning contact; back up is Jarret Matanowitsch
-Minutes of the public hearing on St. Charles Manor
-Copies of letters from the City to the Beswicks and related communication on Heritage Designation
-Copy of an open letter from Peter Underwood re: development on Joan Crescent
-Rockland Neighbourhood Association application to the City for matching funding
-email from Ron Bell

Telephone calls -
- Jack Knox - re: development at 1322 Rockland

5.   Committee Reports

Environment ­
- Article on tent caterpillars submitted to newsletter.
-Matching grant application to print the walking tour brochure has been submitted to the City prior to the May 1st deadline.

History - Volunteer offers to work with Bev Patterson

Newsletter - Looking to go to press in a few weeks.

Land Use
- 824 Richmond - Planning Department, in response to our letter, completed review of the design and included additional provisos: orientation of lot B and access to it. Clarification is required before final consideration.  (Jaret Matanowitch)  Zebra Designs has responded and the matter will be addressed  at LUC.
- 1322 Rockland - Wei Tu has decided to proceed with the application.
- Correspondence from Ron Bell, representing a group of neighbours.
RN-2 is nursing home site specific. The new development will get a
site-specific modification or a new site-specific zone.  Letter of reply drafted, with explanation on zones and site-specific zones listed separately.
May form the content for a newsletter article.

C.A.N.
- CS represented RNA (SBD unavailable).
- Shakespeare Street - narrow lot development.
- Recreation Renewal presentation.
 
- Canada Post has 2 types of bulk mail - all points and consumer’s choice.  Four exceptions  - Federal, Parliamentary, Provincial Electoral and Neighbourhood Newsletters, printed on newsprint and published at least once a month.
Hope for a letter from the City to support the noble intent of the newsletter and an appeal to extend the bulk mail parameters to include newsletters that are published less frequently than once per month.

Land Use Coordinating Committee
- CS has been collating procedures, policies of LUCs from all Community and Neighbourhood Associations in Victoria.
-  Kate Forster, from Burnside/Gorge, has put together a flowchart of rezoning process, points of contact for public, etc.
- LUCC may be in a position to act as a point of information dispersal from City Planning.

Traffic and Safety - Wednesday, May 26th at the Vic West Y, there will be a presentation on emergency preparedness.

Strategic Plan
Ratified by new Board Members
Motion: (HH/LMG) to accept and formally endorse the Strategic Plan    Carried
 

6. Date and Place of Next Meeting:
 June 9th, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. in the Government House Volunteers’ Centre
 No need to bring a flashlight.

7. Close of meeting -
Motion: (DC/LMG)   Adjourn    Carried
Meeting closed at 22:10