General Meeting – 25 September 2012

GREENSPACE ALLIANCE OF CANADA’S CAPITAL

Greenspace Watch

General Meeting

September 25, 2012

Hintonburg Community Centre

1064 Wellington Street West

K1Y 2Y3

MINUTES

Present: Amy Kempster (chair), Elina Elnione (note taker), Erwin Dreessen, Martin Callsen, Jason Kania
Regrets: Juan Pedro Unger, Sol Shuster

The meeting commenced at 7:15 p.m. 

  1. Welcome and Introductions
  2. Changes to Agenda
    Five new items were added to the agenda: Heather Hamilton’s proposal, OPA – Natural Heritage Features, Draft PPS, Lansdowne, Lower Rideau Subwatershed Report.
  3. Administration items:
    1. Treasurers report
      Erwin moves, seconded by Jason, to pay 46.28$ to Amy for booking a meeting room in Hintonburg Community Centre for this and the next three meetings. Agreed. It also was agreed to henceforth meet here.
    2. Membership renewal
      Jason moves, seconded by Erwin to set a fixed term (annual general meeting) as a renewal date for Greenspace Alliance memberships. At the annual general meeting (in May) the memberships will expire and will require a renewal. Members joining partway through the year will pay a pro-rated amount, to be added to a full-year membership starting at the next AGM. Agreed.
    3. Minutes of 24 July 2012
      Erwin moved, seconded by Amy, to approve the Minutes of July 24 as circulated. Approved.
    4. Transition to the new Not-for-profit corporations Act
      Pending.
    5. Resignation
      The Board took note and accepted the resignation of James O’Grady from the Board, effective July 19, 2012.
    6. Hintonburg Statement
      The Board confirmed support for the Hintonburg statement regarding four requests of the City of Ottawa regarding planning, zoning and political contributions.
  4. Emerald Ash Borer report and the FCA’s EAB Forum
    Response to the City’s report on EAB will be discussed within EAB working group. The Alliance is supportive of the EAB Forum on October 9, 2012 and encourages attendance.
  5. Greenbelt Report
    No report.
  6. Urban Natural Features Report
    No further changes to report.
  7. Global Warming Forum
    Martin Callsen volunteered to represent the Greenspace Alliance in the Global Warming Forum. Agreed.
  8. Other business:
    1. Light rail
      No news
    2. Interprovincial bridge study
      No news
    3. Tunney’s Pasture (Sept 17)
      Comments have to be sent by October 9.
      The members agreed that the consultation process is unacceptable, that expansion of the pathway system and ‘thickening’ of the greenspace towards Champlain Park is to be supported, that the proposed development does not represent mixed-use development or show integration with the future light rail system such as exploitation of air rights over the station. Erwin volunteered to write comments and will circulate amongst GA members for approval before sending it to Public Works and Government Services.
    4. Heather Hamilton’s proposal
      Members agreed to respond positively to Heather’s call for a brainstroming session about what to do seeing that “many, many tree, forest, natural areas/ greenspaces, and biodiversity issues that are not being adequately addressed in this city,” seeing parallels with ideas of Juan Pedro Unger over the last few months.
    5. Review of the Provincial Policy Statement
      Elina moved, seconded by Erwin to establish a PPS working group to produce comments on the draft PPS. Elina volunteered to steer the PPS working group in order to meet the deadline of November 23 for submissions. Amy, Elina, Erwin and Martin will be members of the PPS working group.
    6. OPA – Natural Heritage Features
      Members agreed that it is important to support the designation of the Lester Road Wetland Complex and Kizell Wetland as ‘Significant Wetland’ and the Cardinal Creek Karst  as an Earth Science ANSI. Subject to  consultation with Sol Shuster about the report on the field work of Albert Dugal and Clarke Topp, remaining designation issues regarding the Lester Road  wetland may be mentioned.  Erwin will draft.
    7. Lansdowne
      Members support the proposal of a ‘heritage tree orchard’ in Lansdowne development. The issue of toxic soil could be seen as an obstacle for the implementation of the orchard. GA members would like to suggest to plant non-fruit trees instead. Erwin volunteered to draft a comment.
    8. Lower Rideau Subwatershed Report
      Deferred.

The meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.

Next meeting of the Alliance will be on Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 7.15 p.m.  at the  Hintonburg Community Centre.