Rockland Neighbourhood Association: 
Carolyn Macklem Home Issue

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 This is a copy of the letter sent to the City of Victoria after the Neighbourhood Meeting held June 2, 2003

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ROCKLAND NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 5276, Station B,                   www.rockland.bc.ca
Victoria, B.C.
V8R 6M3

June 12, 2003

Mayor Alan Lowe and Councillors,
City of Victoria,
#1, Centennial Square,
Victoria, B.C.
V8W 1P6

Re:  Rezoning Application #03-04 for 1322 Rockland Avenue, Victoria, B.C.

Your Worship and Councillors,

We take this opportunity to report to you the outcome, as we see it, of a meeting we convened at St. Matthias Anglican Church Hall on the evening of June 2, 2003.  
The Board of Directors has reviewed and approved this letter.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide the applicant an opportunity to present his proposal, for residents to ask questions and to gather input and opinions of the residents of Rockland.  A notice of the meeting was distributed by hand to the residences in Rockland, was sent by email to those residents for whom we have email addresses, was posted on the Rockland Neighbourhood Association website and was posted in conspicuous places in the Rockland area.  

As we understand the rezoning application, the applicant proposes a Seniors’ Independent Living Facility of approximately 80 units at 1322 Rockland Avenue.  His intention is to restore the original mansion and to apply for Heritage designation of both the building exterior and structure and the restored main interior areas.  He and his wife plan to live in the upper storey.

It was a difficult meeting where emotions ran high.  Over 200 persons attended.  
Sign-in sheets listing a majority of the names are attached.  Also in attendance were
Greg Boorman, the applicant, Chris Rowe, architect, and Alex Ho, traffic consultant with
the Boulevard Transportation Group.   Copies of information provided by the applicant, an agenda for the meeting and the Rockland Neighbourhood Association procedure for rezoning and other land use applications were distributed at the desk and are attached.  

An explanation of the process to date and ongoing was provided by the chairman of the
meeting.  

Clarifications requested and/or concerns raised were principally as follows:  
ü    traffic
ü    delivery trucks
ü    access to the site
ü    density
ü    size of the buildings
ü    size of units
ü    monthly rental cost per unit
ü    a perceived lack of complete information by some present
ü    a perceived lack of trust in the report of the traffic study
ü    is it residential or commercial?
ü    does it set a precedent?
ü    financial viability of the project
ü    duration of construction
ü    rock outcroppings

Some indicated a lack of faith in the system and wanted assurance that the finished project would be consistent with the representation of the applicant.  Reference was made to previous rezonings, such as 906 Pemberton Road, where the final project was inconsistent with the expectations of the neighbours.  

A number of persons left during the course of the meeting.  At the conclusion of the meeting those remaining, excluding the Board of Directors and the Land Use Committee, were asked to indicate their response to the following questions by a show of hands.  
The results were:  
    - Those strongly in favour of the proposed rezoning - 13
    - Those somewhat in favour - 11
    - Those opposed to the proposed rezoning - 118
    
    Three letters have been received and are attached.

We appreciate the opportunity to provide you with the opinions on this issue of those who attended the meeting.    
    
Yours truly,   


(Mrs.)  Catherine Spencer,
President

c. City of Victoria  Planning Department
    Mr. Greg Boorman
    Anglican Church Women of the Diocese of British Columbia

Encls.