Meeting
of the Board
of Directors
1401
Rockland Avenue
June
12th,
2013
Directors
Present:
Janet Simpson (JS), Bob June (BJ), Dave Clark (DC), Jane Wheatley
(JW) Robin
Gubby (RG), Tamsin McIntosh (TM),
Guests: Kate Friars, (Director, City Parks), Mike
Mabey, Heather
Savoy (Despard Ave.), Karen and Steven Peel (Maud St.)
Regrets: Norman Clark (NC), David Hambleton (DH),
Councillor Ben
Isitt (BI)
Summary of motions and actions:
Motion –
draft a letter to
City and Council to
indicate our desire to work with Staff and Council to pursue
parkland planning
Motion –
approve
the draft (April 22nd) letter regarding Floor Space
Ratio and send
to City Planning.
Motion -
board approve a $200
honourarium for Nick
Russell
Action -
Fix
the RNA web page
link to the RNPlan
Action - get a list of those properties that have been flagged for
potential
acquisition or easement with regards to the Pemberton Trail.
Meeting called to order at 19:05
Motion to
approve agenda (JW/RG)
Carried
unanimously
Motion to
approve minutes
as amended
(BJ/RG)
Carried
unanimously
Change VIMA to VEMA
·
Kate
Friars, Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture.
·
Parks
Department grown by opportunity; no strategic plan. – 8% of City landbase
is in Parks
·
Have a
Legacy Inventory of parkland and earlier attempts at a Parks
Master Plan
·
Greenspace,
Urban Landscape (e.g., Centennial Square), Linear parks, (e.g.,
Pemberton
Trail) etc.
·
Rockland
is deficient in Parkland, although Government House provides
“park space”
·
Master
Plan, then Acquisition Plan. Until then, opportunistic bequests,
donations,
properties offered for sale. Benchmark measure is “acres of
parks per 1000
population”. For example, Vic West is in good shape with respect
to that
measure, so opportunities there could be declined to ensure that
resources
focus on under-served neighbourhoods.
·
Doug
DeMarzo – Parks Planning and Design.
Staff prioritized 3 opportunities in Rockland – Oak Shade
Lane high
priority from staff, given natural areas, potential trail. Other
areas
considered included lots on Craigdarroch, Despard.
·
Parks
include Active spaces, Natural areas, ecosystems.
·
Questions:
(RG) RNA actions to encourage parkland acquisition? – Note to
city staff in
writing that we are interested. Keep City staff informed of new
opportunities.
·
(TM) –
greenways, Pemberton Trail,
·
BJ –
proposes development permit charge to create a fund. – e.g.,
$50,000 for
development density. Need to involve Planning and Engineering.
·
No
current mechanism for tax relief in exchange for covenants and
donations.
·
Action
– get list of those properties that have been flagged for
potential acquisition
or easement with regards to the Pemberton Trail.
·
Get our
thoughts together regarding active, passive, changing
demographics, kids’
playground,
·
Greenways
Grant – Matching Grant for projects – Go to Council for 3
projects – Signage –
Gary Pemberton liaison for grants.
Motion that
the board
draft a letter to City and Council to indicate our desire to
work with Staff
and Council to pursue parkland planning (RG/DC)
Carried
unanimously
·
BJ –
Letter regarding Floor Space Ratio (tabled from May).
o
Background – Several years
ago, losing
greenspace, LUC spoke with Pam Madoff. R1A does not have FSR.
Gonzales had FSR
to ensure breathing space around houses.
o
(TM) Current proposal
should address footprint,
not FSR, otherwise we’ll lose backyards.
Motion That the Board approve the draft (April 22nd)
letter regarding FSR (BJ/JW) and send to City Planning. (BJ/JW) Carried
(BJ, DC, JW, RG,
voted for; TM
voted against the motion)
Communications
o
Newsletter sent out
Land Use
o
Mike Mabey will speak to
development challenges
at next Land Use Committee meeting
o
582 St Charles – Carriage
House development. BJ,
RG did a walk around. House has 5 suites; Carriage house has
bathroom, kitchen,
stairs to a loft. Building permit application triggered fallout
due to
non-compliance. City wants rezoning, as a Garden Suite.
Complicated due to
panhandle lot and heritage designation. Let the owner sort this
out with the
City, We don’t see an avenue for RNA involvement at this point.
o
1322 Rockland. Conversion
to Boarding,
Housekeeping entails a change in use and density.
o
NA was not included in
discussions for the
Zoning regulation bylaw improvement project, phase 2
o
Lack of community
consultation has been
addressed and NA will now be included in first round of
communications.
o
The issue of Grade
manipulation has been moved
forward on City agenda to September, at our request.
Social.
o
20 RSVP received to date
o
Soiree on Friday July 12th
at 4:45
PM, (reception line at 5:15) at Government house.
o
Notification to members
through email,
newsletter and direct mail.
o
Mailout renewal notice by
Canada Post,
mentioning Government House event.
Traffic
·
Warren Gardens group has
not yet heard back from
City staff.
Membership and Welcome
·
Welcome committee sent out
5 packages.
Garden
o
Students
from Central Middle School weeded and distributed wood chips
that were supplied
by the City.
Safety – (Emergency Preparedness / Block Watch)
o
RG and
Mike Mabey met Victoria Emergency Management Agency Coordinator
Rob Johns on
May 14 to check the Terrace Avenue Emergency storage box. Box is
controlled by
residents of the two apartment buildings that houses the box.
City has
generally abandoned the idea of well stocked emergency supplies,
relying
instead on promoting personal responsibility.
o
Public
Education sessions start in September; One will be held November
14th
at the Fairfield Gonzales Community Centre.
o
Emergency
Preparedness tips are available in pocket-card format.
o
Special
issues facing Rockland – Old structures not earthquake
resistant.
o
Block
Watch Committee liaison – Mike Mabey will assist existing and
new block watch
groups.
o
RG distributed the Police
Board Annual Report;
Community Engagement Plan.
·
Rockland-wide
garage sales. Proceed as last year, consider Public Services
notices in Times
Colonist.
·
Nick
Russell local author, historian – RNA sponsor a presentation –
bird’s-eye view
of Victoria, how the city has developed over time. Grace
Lutheran available
November 6th.
Motion that
the board
approve a $200 honorarium for Nick Russell (RG/BJ)
Carried
unanimously
·
Fix the
RNA web page link to the RNPlan