Glebe Annex Community Association
Board Meeting
February 17, 2016
Present: Scott Blurton, Maeve McMahon, Darlene Charron, Peggy Kampouris, Ron Poirier
1. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 6:35 pm
2. Approval of the agenda:
An item was added to the agenda: Draw for the power wash gift certificate under Parks
Agenda approval was moved by Maeve, seconded by Darlene, and approved.
3. Approval of the minutes from the January 22, 2016 meeting
The minutes of the January 22 meeting were moved by Peggy, seconded by Maeve, and approved.
4. Business arising from the last meeting
- Scott – had raised the issue of New Park Space from Federal Land with GCA. GCA had already supported this with a motion. No further issues to raise.
- Peggy – Henry Lane – Goes back to safety audit. Peggy has found that Henry Lane is public property. Peggy will write a letter to David Chernushenko. Ms. Schnob has passed away. Maeve has identified that there is hydro pole that could be used.
Action Item – Peggy will write a letter to the councillor regarding to correct the city on the ownership of Henry Lane.
- All other action items from January minutes have been completed.
5. Treasurer’s Report
- Deferred until Chris returns from winter vacation
6. Planning
- Motion to financially support the Dalhousie Community Association in OMB application to address the planned highrise on Norman Street. The proposed amount was $100.00. (The complete motion is contained in Appendix A.)
- Maeve moved the motion. Ron seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
- Items to the Councillor
- None.
- Textbook Suites (774 Bronson Ave.) – Correct Agenda.
- Thanks to Brenda for updating the contact information. Sent email to our residents regarding the proposal.
7. Membership
- Brenda is concerned about maintaining our members and attracting new members.
- Scott is confident that with contact information that we can get our normal level of members.
- Scott asked if there are issues that residents are interested in that we’re not speaking about. Peggy noted that when we signed up members for the first time, the application forms included questions about resident concerns. Will have another opportunity to speak with residents about their priorities when we canvass door-to-door.
- Defer further discussion to next month.
8. Parks
- Darlene will go to Feb. 24th meeting. GCA will be discussing funding for parks. New park design consultation. Mentioned in the Glebe Report on p. 4.
- Received certificate for Cleaning the Capital. Conducted draw for Cleaning the Capital for a $500 gift certificate for power washing services. Won by David Perkins in a draw conducted by President Blurton. Darlene will notify David. GACA executive decided to give the two T-shirts to Iain for the contributions of his two children, Ethan and Ella Wood. Decision passed unanimous.
9. Ottawa 2017/FCA Report
- Maeve noted that it was the 50th anniversary of Carleton University. Residents can contribute their memories. Maeve is on the organizing committee.
- Scott gave an update on the FCA February meeting which included details on the Ottawa 2017 Program
10. GCA Report
- Scott gave an update – highlights include:
- There was a presentation on parklets, which are being piloted around the city. From Carleton’s Faculty of Architecture, they included a small library and two adjustable seating areas made of wood. One of the proposals had foldable chairs which was quite innovative. There is room in the pilot for about 25 parklets. These parklets would take up a single parking spot. Examples include a book swap, DBRs, mode block (includes sliding benches and moving tables, like a moving landscape. Can be tailored to the space. They need the location included in the application. From a design point of view they are ready to go. GCA is looking at 4 locations supporting by the Bank BIA.
- Traffic Committee update on Bronson development: Major concern is the lack of parking. Developer is building 30 spaces for 181 units versus 110 from the new expected city requirements. David will not support the GCA on this particular part of this file. Environment Committee chair was a little disappointed. Lots of discussion over this fil – several members have expressed support for David’s position and questioning the Environment Committee’s position. City has stated that there will no be on-street parking permits allotted. Motion passes.
11. Glebe Report
- No items to contribute for the next month. Look into Henry Lane story following discussions with the city.
12. Other Business
- Ron Poirier attended a Public Information Centre on Highway 417 Noise Barrier Retrofits on January 20. Notes from the meeting are contained in Appendix B.
Meeting Adjourned at 8:45
The next meet is scheduled for Wednesday, March 16, at 6:30 pm.
Appendix A
MOTION TO SUPPORT DALHOUSIE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION IN OMB HEARING
BACKGROUND
The Dalhousie Community Association is currently involved in an OMB hearing about a proposed high rise development on Norman St. The Association is represented by Save Little Italy, a group of residents who have been trying to influence the scale and location of development in their neighbourhood.
They are appealing a City of Ottawa decision to allow a nine story building to be built on Norman Street which is a one block, dead end street off Preston. This development would add 157 extra units on a street with about 8 single family homes – leading to severe traffic congestion, shadowing of the neighbourhood and disrupting the established residential character of Norman St.
Appealing to the OMB requires a team of urban planning experts to address legal, traffic, parking and design implications of a proposal. The Save Little Italy group has organized several fundraising dinners, sold t-shirts and coffee, planted tulips on Preston Street for the BIA, had an electronic recycling day to raise funds, etc. This group of residents has worked really hard at their fundraising, but they are still about $1000 short of funds to pay fees and charges associated with this appeal.
There are a lot of similarities between this proposal and Taggart’s 18 storey proposal for 265 Carling Ave. (facing Carling, bordering Cambridge and Clemow). This OMB hearing may very well come to observations and conclusions that have a bearing on other Bronson Ave./ Carling Ave. development proposals currently in the works. It is in GACA’s interest to support this OMB hearing.
MOTION
I propose that GACA donate $100 out of our Operating Funds to the Save Little Italy group of Dalhousie Community Association to support their OMB hearing.
CONSIDERATIONS:
- GACA’s Operating Funds at January 2016 were $926.
- Our main source of revenue is membership.
- We expect to collect about $900 in membership dues in the membership drive planned for May 2016, possibly doubling the size of the Operating Funds
- It is the Treasurer’s opinion that we can afford a $100 donation.
Christopher McCann
9 February 2016
Appendix B
Report on Public Information Centre on Highway 417 Noise Barrier Retrofits
Ron Poirier attended a Public Information Centre (PIC) regarding the Highway 417 Noise Barrier Retrofits on behalf of the Glebe Annex Community Association:
Summary Conclusion:
The proposed project is following standard processes and should have minimal short-term impacts on GACA members/stakeholders (Bronson exit ramps will be affected 6-8 weeks, Bronson Pedestrian traffic will be closed on alternating sides in 1-3 week intervals), with possible long term benefits (better noise barriers for surrounding neighbourhoods, lessons learned for future projects directly on GACA borders). Maximum noise level impacts are expected to drop in the “affected areas” (not GACA). Current noise barriers on the border of GACA include concrete on the 417 North and South. Metal barriers exist east of Bronson. N.B. for the GACA stakeholders; barriers on the border of the GACA will be re-done along with other projects relating to HWY 417, the Bronson bridge replacements and off-ramp construction.
Ron submitted written feedback on the traffic management during construction re: the following: When pedestrian traffic is forced to use the western Bronson sidewalk, consider a ban on right-hand-on-red turns at the bottom of the Hwy 417 eastbound exit; drivers are only looking left for on-coming traffic, the re-direction of pedestrian traffic will increase north bound pedestrians (ex. closures prevents one from using the east side of Bronson to avoid this intersection) which could lead to higher possibility of collision.
Overview:
Highway 417 Noise Barrier Retrofits between the O-Train and the Rideau Canal
- A Public Information Centre (PIC) regarding the Highway 417 Noise Barrier Retrofits between the O-Train tracks and the Rideau Canal was held on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to review the detail design, provide input, and discuss the project with members of the Project Team.
- The above web link provides access to the display boards used at the PIC
- Public Review of the Design and Construction Report (DCR) – Upon completion of the detail design, a DCR has been prepared and filed for a 30-day public review period.
- Interested persons are encouraged to review this document and provide comments by March 7, 2016.
- http://queenswayexpansioneast.com/highway-417-noise-barrier-retrofits-between-the-o-train-and-the-rideau-canal/reports-presentations/
- The project involves the following components: Construction of new retrofit noise barriers at the following locations:
- O-Train to Preston Street (south side of Highway 417);
- Bronson Avenue to Lyon Street (north side of Highway 417);
- Lyon Street to the Rideau Canal (south side of Highway 417);
- Construction of related works….
- Traffic management during construction…
Overall one can see the barriers to be used in use at Lees Avenue currently. In the media one Councillor voiced concerns over the “clear” barriers to be used allowing visibility (over Preston Street for example) while another Councillor voiced support for their use.
Other items of interest:
2016 will see Hwy 417 resurfaced from Island Park to Nicholas. Future bridge replacements: Preston, O-Train, Bronson, Booth, Rochester. Initial thoughts shared re: staging for these bridge replacements was only speculative (ex. using the now vacated space east of Bronson on the southern border of HWY 417).
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