Rockland
Neighbourhood Association: Minutes of the Board
Meeting of the Board of Directors
September 8th , 2010
Directors Present: Janet Simpson (JS), Bob June (BJ),
Catherine Spencer (CS), Dave Clark (DC), Jane Wheatley (JW), Bill
Brooks (BB),
Regrets: Jean Gubby (JG), Councillor Chris Coleman (CC),
Guests: Geoff Young (newly assigned council representative)
Summary of motions and actions:
Action - Letter to the city regarding rezoning to allow the Pemberton in-fill to be posted on the website.
Action - add their honors to the membership list (1401 Rockland Avenue).
Meeting called to order at 19:01
1. Agenda
Motion to accept agenda as amended
(DC/JW) Carried
unanimously
2. Minutes of August 11th, 2010
Motion to accept as amended (JS/CS) Carried unanimously
3. Councillor’s Report
1. Carriage house issue – 3 or 4 carriage houses are
in consideration, 2 have been approved, and Council would like to
develop policy – currently no kitchen facilities in auxiliary
buildings, no strata title on the carriage house. Authorized uses
include studio, garden suite… current considerations include - single
floor, foundation, setbacks, fire codes and building codes will
restrict windows near the property line, plumbing but no kitchen;
permitted by rezoning only. (Compare to basement suites, that need only
building permit approval, no parking required, eligible for grant of up
to $5000 towards required renovations). Because this is a policy,
there won’t be public input at this stage, but there will be
consultation on each individual rezoning application. This is all
in support of the philosophical view of the majority of council
favouring densification.
2. Setbacks, building code, and other requirements
will constrict the number of successful applications for this new form
of housing.
3. Council is putting items on the UBCM agenda –
social issues, needle exchanges, protection of wildlife, (geese, deer,
rabbits, etc.),
4. Cats at large - days are numbered – require
them to be held indoors. Animal legislation is due to be modified, but
scope may be more focused on treatment of domestic animals, dogs in
cars, etc.
(Bill Brooks arrived 19:45)
BB – No region-wide transportation authority for Victoria (the model of Translink in Vancouver hasn’t been repeated elsewhere).
Answer: Road access is an important legal right for property owners.
Provincial Government technically owns the roads, and any road closure
or traffic calming measure must be considered carefully, and the
impacts are felt elsewhere, nearby.
4. Business Arising from minutes:
• Mayor has again deferred the (October) meeting with
the RNA Board; consensus is to not attempt to reschedule.
• Letter to the city regarding rezoning to allow the Pemberton in-fill to be posted on the website.
5. Committee Reports
Land Use
No Land Use meeting this past month
Communications
Newsletter is being developed; deadline is September 15th.
Bill for Web services received and paid.
Social
Letter of thanks received from Lieutenant Governor, accepting the honorary membership we bestowed
ACTION add their honors to the membership list (1401 Rockland Avenue).
Garden
Meeting with new volunteers on September 12th to install new signage and attempt to clean existing signs.
Membership –
Total of 144 members, considering those added by virtue of the social event.
6. Communications Received
1. Letter from Doran Musgrove, CoV, indicating that
1029 and 1031 Joan Crescent do not have suites (rather, Media and
recreation rooms)
2. Letter from Don Schaffer, CoV, 1745 Rockland Avenue has received a heritage designation.
3. Letter from Don Schaffer, CoV, 1238 Richardson St.
– Council declined request for waiver of clean hands policy.
4. Newsletter from Victoria Harbour Authority
5. Newsletter from the Hallmark Society
6. Email from Helen Edwards – process to update
webpage? (some updates - new walking tour, newsletter, recent letter
concerning infill on Pemberton - have not been posted).