Meeting Minutes for October 19, 2006
Champlain Fieldhouse, Ottawa Ontario
Present: Thomas Kapler (Chair), Erwin Dreessen, Carol Gudz (note taker), Daphne McCree, Ron Rancourt, Amy Kempster, Juan Pedro Unger, Jane Panet , Matilde Hahn
Regrets: Janice Seline, Bill Royds, Chantal Vicha, Theresa Jobateh
Meeting commenced at 7:30 PM
1. Review of Agenda:
Several items added.
Moved to approve Agenda: Erwin Seconded: Ron Carried
2. Minutes of September 21 meeting
Moved to approve Minutes: Erwin Seconded: Daphne Carried
Presentation by Jane Panet, Chair of Botanical Garden Society
Jane described her work with the Friends of the Farm and Bill Teron to develop plans for a Botanical Garden at the Central Experimental Farm.
3. Communications:
Juan Pedro indicated that Theresa would like to set up a filing system for Alliance correspondence (including city notices). Erwin suggested that these materials could be discarded after a year.
4. Plan of activities:
Action: Juan Pedro to follow up with Chantal Vicha to find out how her work is progressing on this.
5. Web site:
Ron stated that the new web site is almost ready for new content to be added. He added that he will need some help in getting old content transferred from the existing web site.
The domain name for the old web site is expiring. However, it was felt that this domain name should be renewed once to allow for the transfer of content from the old web site to the new web site. Bill Royds has offered to make a donation to cover the cost of this renewal.
Daphne moved that the Alliance renew its domain name and Amy seconded. Carried.
Ron encouraged members of the board to sign up on the new web site. An application has been included which allows for the addition of content by board members.
6. Annual General Meeting and Membership
Daphne moved that the Alliance purchase Archibald Lampman’s poetry book as a gift for the guest speaker for the AGM. Amy seconded. Carried
Action: Carol received $15 to purchase the poetry book.
Erwin and Daphne continue their work to find more nominees for next year’s board.
Erwin moved that Jane Moore be accepted as a new member of the Alliance. Amy seconded. Carried.
7. Planning Meeting
It was agreed that the first step in this process would be to do a review of “what worked and didn’t work” in Alliance undertakings to date.
Action: Carol will review Alliance meeting minutes and reports of activities and prepare a short document for input from other board members prior to AGM.
8. New Zoning Bylaw:
Amy sent a note to the City of Ottawa questioning the absence of a designation for Rural Natural Features in the zoning bylaw. She also pointed out that, without separate zoning, property owners will not be aware that development in these areas requires an Environmental Impact Statement. As a second option, Amy suggested the use of an overlay identifying these areas on the zoning maps.
9. Environmental Stewardship:
Thomas plans to allow this initiative to grow out of the interactive nature of the new Alliance web site.
10. Country Lot Subdivision OMB appeal:
Erwin has written to City of Ottawa Lawyer Tim Marc, but no reply has yet been received. He is following the workplan as discussed at the September meeting.
11. Leitrim Wetlands:
Erwin stated that there is some hope that sufficient human resources may become available to follow through with an OMB appeal on this issue. As a result, he indicated that he would prepare a letter of appeal on behalf of the Alliance and the Sierra Club of Canada’s national office. Other options include complaints that the City’s environmental management plan is not being followed and challenges to the report on toxic waste from the nearby landfill site.
Amy moved to allow Carol to sign the letter of appeal. Daphne seconded. Carried.
12. Carp River floodplain development:
We are awaiting the Minister’s reply to our Part II Order request.
13.Poet’s Pathway and Poet’s Hill at Beechwood Cemetery:
Plans are in place for a historic tour of literary figures buried at Beechwood Cemetery. Erwin noted that three new members of the Poet’s Pathway Committee have been recruited.
14. NCC Mandate Review Panel:
Amy sent preliminary versions of papers to be submitted by the Coalition for NCC Renewal. The discussion papers cover NCC governance and lands owned by the NCC (the Greenbelt, Gatineau Park and other landholdings outside the Greenbelt and Gatineau Park). The NCC Review Panel will hold hearings on November 9 and 15.
15. Treasurer’s Report:
Amy moved that Carol and Thomas be given signing authority on the account of the Alliance. Erwin seconded. Carried.
16. Municipal Election Scorecard:
Very good press coverage was received following the release of the voting records of incumbents. The next step is the scoring of questionnaires on environmental issues that were sent to all candidates.
Erwin Moved to adjourn the meeting at 10:25.