General Meeting – 26 August 2004

1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

An agenda was agreed upon by attendees.

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF JULY, 2004

Barbara moved and Juan Pedro seconded approval of the Minutes of July 20, 2003.  Carried.

Bill to post Minutes on the web site.

3. TREASURER AND MEMBERSHIP REPORT

There were no new membership applications.

Barbara moved and Daphne seconded to reimburse Juan Pedro $61.36 for photocopying of the brief on 5309 Bank Street and Erwin $41.91 for purchase of the Vacant Urban Land Survey with Map, and for photocopying and parking fees related to appearances on Development Charges and the Official Plan appeal.

$250 was spent on a double appeal of the Kanata Lakes decision to the OMB, on behalf of community members. It was agreed to defer discussion of reimbursement to the next meeting.

Reimbursements were made at the meeting.

Item 3: It was agreed that a membership exchange with the Coalition for a Healthy Ottawa not be pursued at this time, though the Greenspace Alliance would welcome joint action from time to time.

Item 3b-b): Erwin attended the August 6 meeting on “Where Will We Live” with Urban Boundaries appellants and shared Linda Hoad’s report with the OP Appeal Committee.  In brief, planners and lawyers representing developers had few arguments to counter the substance of the report (though the Home Builders Association will ask a consultant to look at the details).  They mainly complained about needing to have zoning in place that

would permit what the report projects.

FCA and the City are sponsoring a meeting on the report on September 8, 2004, at 7 pm in the Col. By Room, City Hall.

Unassigned: conveyance of this conclusion to Meg Sears.

Item 4: Proposed wording that could resolve one of the Alliance’s appeals of the OP has yet to be finalized.

Review period of Development Charges – community involvement.  This review is to take place in conjunction with Council’s Long Range Financial Planning Subcommittee.

1179 Dozois Road – EIS assessment.

Notification of development applications of interest (including country estate lot subdivisions): Barbara confirmed that the City has our up to date coordinates.

Item 5: Use of the Champlain Park Field House has been requested and we are awaiting a response.

Amy to e-mail proposed wording to the OP Appeal Committee & Board.

Amy “to contact Jennifer Phillips about participation in follow-up meetings.

Barbara and Janice to analyze the EIS. Erwin to contact John

Moser’s dept. to ensure our areas of interest are known.

Amy to follow up with Champlain Park C.A.

A new EIS was prepared by Golder Associates; an Addendum arrived days before the deadline for comments.  Protest about the timeline by the Alliance and others resulted in allowance for delay and postponement of this item coming to Planning and Environment Committee.  Comments about the EIS were submitted by Barbara Barr, Albert Dugal, the Ottawa Field- Naturalists Club. the Alliance and the Environmental and Forest & Greenspace Advisory Committees. At least the first three were also sent to the Ministry of Natural Resources (copy to Tomlinson) in connection with the quarry application. On August 25, a peer review of the EIS by Dan Brunton was received; it suggests several avenues of further work.

Consideration by P&E Committee, planned for September 14, is now delayed again.

Juan Pedro has prepared a 6-page brief with photographs.

Today Barbara and Erwin visited Clr. Herb Kreling.  On Friday, Barbara and Juan Pedro will visit  Cir. Alex Cullen.  Lobbying of other Councillors to follow.

Other follow-up action: The Federal/Provincial Ministers need to be petitioned to protect the habitat of the two nationally endangered species.  A press release and further publicity (such as through WildCanada.net) need to be prepared.

JP to incorporate further comments from Barbara and Iola Price.

JP to follow up with Holmes, Legendre and Feltmate and to contact Deans.

Erwin to contact Bloess.

Erwin to work with Iola Price on a letter to the Ministers.

JP to prepare further publicity.

b. Provincial Planning Reform

A draft from Chris Szpak is expected very soon, based on suggestions by Amy, Juan Pedro and Erwin (all posted to the list).  Deadline is August 31.

Chris to circulate draft.

c.  Kanata Lakes North

Ron Tolmie, “The Survey Group” (including Chris Busby) and the Greenspace Alliance appealed various aspects of Council’s decision on Official Plan and zoning amendments. The appeals are largely complementary.

Barbara has sent the Group, through Chris Busby, all information on becoming a member of the Greenspace Alliance.

d.  Country Estate Lots

Barbara made presentations on behalf of the Alliance to P&E Committee on 1228 Old Prescott/1221 Stagecoach Roads and on 5532 Ferry Road and will post a report to the list.

Amy to contact The Survey Group to discuss pooling of resources.

Barbara appeared on this matter on behalf of the Alliance and reported to the list. At Council, a motion by Clrs. El-Chantiry and Jellett that had been defeated at Committee passed: Whether a F/P environmental assessment is done or not, staff is to include additional options for location of facilities when this returns to Committee; and the community is to be kept informed.

There is to be another Community Design Plan meeting, on September 23, occasioned by the developer’s change of plans on location of the stormwater facility.

Barbara to attend the meeting.

Current plans for a redesign of an off-ramp at Island Park Drive would see 5% of the Hampton Park Woods endangered.  Amy submitted personal comments to the province.  More public meetings are to follow.

Amy to prepare a submission from the Greenspace Alliance.

a. Special Study Area (Kanata)

City staff is recommending that the northern half be kept rural while the southern half (including Richardson Forest) be made urban.  A report by Brunton does not recommend that the forest be retained. Amy and Barbara made comments at a meeting in June.

There was discussion about holding the October AGM at City Hall, inviting a speaker and the need to appoint an auditor.

Possible speakers suggested were Ted Mosquin and the new Riverkeeper.

Amy to see if a room can be reserved at City Hall, to contact potential speakers and to follow up on a potential auditor.

c. Future of the Greenspace Alliance

Erwin reported on a conversation he had had with Bill.  They agreed that organizational assistance is the GA’s prime need. Bill will inquire with Volunteer Ottawa what assistance they could provide. JP suggested the need to refocus the GA to increase membership, raise funds, raise awareness, limit the number of issues we get involved in and to include fun activities.

JP to propose a plan for the September meeting.

7. OTHER BUSINESS

Barbara made presentations to Planning and Environment Committee on the redesignation of Montfort Woods and on the City’s proposed amendments to the Official Plan. It was noted that the GA will have to appeal the new provisions on country estate subdivisions and ask the OMB to consolidate that appeal with the current one.

8. Adjournment.  The meeting adjourned by consensus at 10:13 p.m.