Rockland Neighbourhood Association:  Minutes of the Board

December 12th, 2012

 

Directors Present: Janet Simpson (JS), Bob June (BJ), Catherine Spencer (CS), Dave Clark (DC), Norman Clark (NC), David Hambleton (DH), Jane Wheatley (JW),

 

Regrets: Councillor Ben Isitt (BI),  

Absent: John Edwards (JE)

 

Summary of motions and actions:

Action – (BJ) contact Langham Court to see if they would like to renew their membership for 2013.

Action – All committees – think ahead to propose budget items for 2013

Action – Clarify with Ben Isitt - Traffic Committee – think of top 3 projects for RNA, for consideration in City’s 2013 budget.

Motion: - President to be designated the contact person for CRA.

Action – JS to complete the CRA form and pass along to NC for processing.

 

 

Meeting called to order at 19:00

 

 

  1. Agenda

Motion   to accept agenda      (BJ/CS)                                   Carried unanimously

 

  1. Minutes of November 14th, 2012

 

Motion   to accept minutes    (BJ/DH)                                  Carried unanimously

 

  1. No Councillor’s Report

 

BI was attending a visioning session for city-owned land in/near the harbor in James Bay on December 12th.

 

 

  1. Business arising from the minutes

 

Memberships in Rockland Cultural Organizations

 

·      AGGV: Make the RNA President a member, as each member is a vote, so no society membership category. They will add content from their quarterly newsletter. Changes afoot – Jon Tupper would like to give an update at the RNA AGM.

·      ACTION Langham Court Theatre not a member in recent years, but had a membership in 2006 and 2007.

·       Craigdarroch Castle Society were members in 2011.

·      Friends of Government House have been members since 1993 to 2011.

·      Our membership in the Hallmark Society was renewed for 2012

 

 

  1. Committee Reports

 

Finance

(CS) No transactions this month.

NC – submitted request for rebate – response 2007 and 2008 were too far in the past to be considered. Total $765.00 rebate for years since then. Requested additional information. Consent form, minutes detailing contact person.

newsletter: 

Motion: for the (DC/JW) President to be designated the contact person for CRA. Carried unanimously.

ACTION: JS to complete the form and pass along to NC for processing.

 

Land Use

(BJ) Condo development on corner of Oak Bay Avenue at 1068 Richmond.

Committee will draft a response to send to the City for President’s signature.

 

Edits – change “lights” to “traffic lights”

Blank line to separate last sentence for impact.

Open with recommendations.

Concerns include Density, Setbacks, Shading property to the west, Landscaping and Access to Parking.

President will sign the Land Use committee’s letter.

 

                        Membership –

·      Welcoming Committee – 2 visits this month

·      10 new members this fall. 128 members 2012.

·      61 people who were members in 2011 did not renew.

 

Police Board

·      Little preamble before meeting moved to “in-camera”

 

Traffic  -

·      Additional monitoring of speed and volume on Warren Gardens will take place in January once school is back in session.

·      Subsequent community meeting sponsored by the City - meeting booked at St. Matthias Church, 7 pm, Wednesday, January 16th 2013.

 

  1. New Business

·      AGM planning  Propose Wednesday, February 13th

o   JS will work to pull together a nominating committee.

o   Speaker – Deer debate?

o   Dana Humphries on Architecture

o   Paul Chamberlain -  on Architecture “Victoria’s Castles”

o   Jon Tupper on AGGV plans

o   Directors willing to stay on (DC, BJ, DH, NC, JS, …) ACTION: ask JE and JW

 

 

·      Fernwood Community Association has drafted a letter supporting the development of allotment gardens, with support from part-time dedicated City staff.

o   Motion    (DC/BJ) Given the direction in the OCP and the Urban Forest Strategy with regards to Urban food production on public lands, that RNA support this concept and endorse the Fernwood letter.

o   Friendly amendment (DC/BJ) “except that we don’t support the dedication of city staff (rather, keep it in the volunteer sector)”. (Friendly amendment defeated, two for (DC, BJ), four against (CS, JW, DH, NC), one abstention (JS).

 

Original motion defeated (five against, (BJ, CS, JW, DH, NC),  one for (DC), one abstention (JS).

Discussion – All board members in attendance seem to support the concept of allotment gardens on city property, but the general consensus is that we should not request additional support from the city, rather rely on volunteer networks.

(JS) with 70% of Rockland residents are renters, we should actively pursue development of allotment gardens in Rockland

 

                                                                               

  1. Motion to adjourn  (JS/DC) 20:20

  2. Next Meeting  January 9th, 2013