GACA Board Meeting – November 19, 2019

• Carrie Bolton
• David Perkins
• Gabrielle Dallaporta
• Joanne Benoit
• Maja Rakocevic
• Peggy Kampouris
• Sue Stefko
• Linda Landry
• Jonathan McLeod (Assistant, Office of Shawn Menard, City Councillor, Capital Ward)

 1. Call to Order

• The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.

2. Approval of Agenda

• A motion to approve the agenda was made by Carrie, seconded by Maja and carried.

3.  Approval of the Minutes

• A motion to accept the minutes of both September 17th, 2019 and October 15th, 2019 was made by Sue and seconded by Gabrielle and carried.

4.    Business Arising from the Minutes of October 15, 2019

4.1. Fundraising – selling of prize or 50/50 Tickets (Joanne)

• Joanne received the documentation from Ottawa by-law regarding lottery and raffles; it looks straightforward. She asked if board members could send her any idea of what our wish list could be. We are not sure when we will find out if we receive the Civic Events Funding; if we do receive this grant, then fundraising may not be as important at this time. If we don’t, we may want to look seriously at ways to generate more income to host events that are like the ones proposed in the application. We can bring this discussion back in the early spring.

4.2 Commemorative Park Naming, Dalhousie South Park to Abbas (Joanne)

• Joanne heard back from the City of Ottawa Commemorative Naming Department. She requested an application for the name “Abbas Park” – the names are vetted by a committee before one can even receive an application for consideration. The Commemorative Naming department voiced a concern with “Abbas” due to other similar-sounding names. David Masrour from the City of Ottawa suspected this could happen, and kindly and proactively submitted a second vetting for “Abbas Family.” This name acknowledges that the commemoration is really for the Abbas family and its contributions to the community, versus the nomination of a business. Yesterday, we found out that the name “Abbas Family” passed the pre-vetting stage. We may proceed with our application.
• Our next step is to confirm that Roddy and Mike are comfortable with the idea.  If they are, we can proceed with the application. If it is a go, Joanne will look at the application, and we can decide if it is better if an individual or GACA apply.

5. Neighbourhoods Count Workshop (Carrie)

• The FCA and the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study will be holding a workshop on Saturday, November 23rd, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Overbrook Community Centre. Their objectives are to understand how we can make healthier communities and how to “read, analyze and argue with data that will support evidence-based decision making.”  For example, this could give us the tools to be able to argue that a neighbourhood does not need another apartment building, based on data evidence.
• Carrie also provided some updates from the last FCA meeting. There will be some zoning changes regarding AirBnb rentals – permits will be required, and a number of restrictions will be put in place. Regarding the discussions with OSEG and the City about who will run Lansdowne Park, it was mentioned that it was the City that initially approached OSEG regarding Park management changes.

6. Councillor’s Office Update (Jon)

6.1

• Jon provided some updates regarding 291 Carling. Canada Lands Company received extensive feedback from Glebe Annex and Dow’s Lake residents.
• Canada Lands spoke with the Councillor’s office about some of the potential changes resulting from this feedback, and the Councillor’s office asked Canada Lands to reach back to the community associations to discuss these changes. Sue confirmed that they had not yet done so. Jon will reach out to Canada Lands for an update. They did contact Sue in October and said they would be reaching out to Jon and are hoping to meet with the Councillor’s office before reaching out to GACA.

6.2

• The City is working on the annual budget.  Tomorrow is the Transit Commission meeting. Thursday is the Community and Protective Services Committee meeting. There is lot of budget conversation (not public) preceding the budget going to City Council on December 11th.

6.3

• 7 Maclean – Jon has an update but will wait to discuss, as it is the next item on our agenda.

6.4

• The Councillors office will hold their Christmas party on December 19th at Banditos on Bank Street, the time yet to be confirmed.

7.   Update on 7 Maclean Street – Discussion

• Sue was contacted by Councillor Menard and notified that a developer is planning to build at 7 Maclean. The developer, 2B, is proposing 8 units in a three-story apartment building.  The developer is seeking minor variances for a number of reasons: there is not enough amenity space for the site (including landscaped area), the lot is too small to house an apartment building, and the waste management pathway is not wide enough. Neighbours are worried that there is no parking included in the plan and are concerned that this will result in tenants parking on the narrow street instead. There are also concerns from residents on Powell, whose properties back on 7 Maclean, as the developer is planning to add a rooftop patio. There will be a loss of current green space, and the mature spruce trees on the property will be lost.
• 2B has been asked by the Councillor’s office to hold an open house with the community to discuss the development. When the new R4 zoning regulations come out in the spring, it is possible that the current design will not need any variances, as the R4 zoning review aims to permit greater density in urban areas. The Councillor’s office would prefer low rises in the ward, approx. 3-4 stories, to provide more density. In this development, there will be 1 accessible unit out of the 8, with most of the units having two bedrooms. There are no affordable housing units in the building. If that is the case, the councillor’s office believes that builders should give money to put towards affordable housing in other developments. The Glebe Annex has a lot of affordable housing already, so the Councillor would like to see some in other areas of his ward.
• 2B building plans for 7 Maclean include a five-foot privacy wall for the rooftop terrace. Although monthly permit parking is not available on Maclean St, there have been times when a building is exempt from the permit zone, which would allow residents to park on another street.
• The Councillor’s office suggested we could try to save the trees in front. These are not considered distinctive trees by virtue of their diameter, but they are the only mature trees on Maclean St.
• Apparently 2B was going to invite GACA to the city and developer pre-consultation meeting but could not as GACA members do not have pre-consultation training. Jon commented that Old Ottawa South has become involved in similar pre-consultation meetings. Since you need to sign a confidentiality agreement, a community association may be better off to work from the outside.
• 2B has hired Fotenn Planning and Design, who also work a lot with Taggart.

8.   Glebe Annex Traffic Issues (Gabrielle)

• Gabrielle reported on GACA’s community consultation on traffic issues.
• We have decided to take traffic on after some residents reached out to us with concerns. In addition, past surveys show traffic is an important issue, which was also evident at the May AGM.
• Sue and Gabrielle put up posters and sent an email request, asking people to identify traffic problems and solutions.
• We received 24 responses, which represents almost one in three members.
• The main concerns included drivers speeding while cutting through the neighbourhood in order to reach main roads, and not stopping at stop signs.
• There is a long wait time at the Powell and Bronson intersection, in particular.
• Gabrielle also met with some residents from Clemow. They suggested moving the on-street parking to the south side of the street, where there are fewer driveways and thus more parking areas. They would also like to see Clemow become a one-way westbound (out to Bronson) to avoid cars cutting through Clemow to avoid the Powell light.
• Sue did a walk around to check on parking restrictions within the neighbourhood.
• The GACA objective is to improve traffic in the area and reduce non-residential traffic if possible. Solutions that could make the most sense include:
  • Additional stop signs at Henry at Lebreton, and Henry at Bell.
  • 40 km/hour signs should be installed, with radar signs showing driver speeds on Bell and Cambridge, as those streets have the greatest issue regarding speeding.
  • Raised intersections at Bell at Powell, and Cambridge at Powell.
  • Children at play sign at Dalhousie South Park.
  • A bike light be installed at the intersection at Powell and Bronson, as there is currently only a pedestrian light.
  • Plymouth potentially be made a two-way street to Bronson to alleviate pressure at the Powell intersection. (There was some concern raised for pedestrians, as well as potential compatibility with the future changes to Bronson and Chamberlain.)
  • Changes proposed by Clemow residents for that street.
  • In considering traffic/parking solutions, we do not want to cause conflict in the neighbourhood, which is one of the reasons we’re hesitant to recommend speed humps – they were quite controversial after the last traffic study in 2006.
  • We’re not sure if this is a good time for a renewed in-depth traffic study.  Our area is in flux with new builds going in at 275, 289 and 291 Carling, as well as the new hospital. In addition, many Natural Resource Canada’s employees are being relocated elsewhere. These could all change traffic flows, so it may make sense to wait a few years first.
  • Although this is out of our ward, someone suggested the stop signs at Booth and Orangeville be replaced with traffic lights.
  • We will forward the current research to Jon and revisit the traffic issue in January, to see which of the proposals are feasible.
• Jon commented that speed humps and intersection lights need to go through the city. Smaller things like flex stakes can come under the ward’s smaller budget. He added that parking changes would likely require petitions.
• There was discussion regarding speed limits, and whether we should have ‘gateway’ speed zone signs. The councillor’s goal is to get that for the whole ward, as they have done for the Glebe, with a speed limit of 30 km/h.

9. GACA Fall Clean Prizes (Sue)

• GACA received 15 gift certificates for the Haunted Walk, as well as Glad products.  She will send an email to those that participated in the fall clean-up and offer these on a first reply basis.

10.  GACA Board Meetings 2020 – Joanne

• Reminder GACA Board Meeting Dates in 2020 are moving to the first Tuesday of each month.
• Our board meeting dates prior to our May 13th AGM are the following Tuesdays:
  • January 7th
  • February 4th
  • March 3rd
  • April 7th
  • May 5th

11.  GACA Christmas Holiday Get Together – Group

• The date of December 18th was agreed to – we will meet at Pub Italia at 6:30 p.m.

12.  Pollinator Garden – Dalhousie South Park – Sue

• Sue is looking to see if we can create a pollinator garden in Dalhousie South Park. One of Gabrielle’s contacts can build the planter, and Sue is working with City Planner Amy MacPherson to get City permission. Amy is the champion of pollinator gardens in the city.

13.  Adjournment

• The meeting adjourned at 8:42 p.m.

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