KEY ISSUES DISCUSSED AT 12 JAN 98 MEETING

Attendees:

• Fred McLennan, President
• Art Miskew, Vice-President
• Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
• Peter Vasdi, Secretary
• Anne Brandel, Director (recreation/social)
• Riley Brockington, Director (communications)
• Nancy Seaby, Director (transit)
• Fred Winters, Director (recreation/social)
• Gisèle Loiselle-Branch, Director (representing Sequoia Coop and Twyford-Cahill area)
• Robert Staples, Director (representing Quinterra/Riverwood Landings (west of Riverside))
• Shelley Parlow, Director (representing the Hunt Club Corridor Protection Association)
• Peter Foulger, Director (representing the Hunt Club Corridor Protection Association)
• Peter Brimacombe (Resident, Western Community)
• Ted Requard (Resident, Hunt Club Woods)
• Wendy Stewart, RMOC councillor
• Rachel Moore, The News

MOTIONS

See "Neighborhood Plan" below. Alan Asselstine moved that a committee headed by Art Miskew and including Peter Foulger and Shelley Parlow set up the publicity for the Neighborhood Plan open house on 18 Feb. Seconded by Anne Brandel. Voted with all in favor.

KEY ISSUES

The following summarizes the issues discussed at the 12 Jan 98 meeting of the Hunt Club Community Organization (HCCO) at the Hunt Club Riverside Community Centre (HCRCC).

Regional Councillor, Wendy Stewart, submitted a report on the following:

• Airport Parkway ramps. The province has decided not to lump this work in with other projects to create a larger single project, which would then have required a new and individual environmental assessment for the whole project. The Minister finds no significant environmental effects associated with the proposed project (the ramps), nor any significant environmental impact on the residential community. However, the Region is requested to monitor the effects of this project and prior to further construction along the Parkway, to first review the results of this monitoring. The next step is to wait until Mr. Chiarelli, the new RMOC Chair, can review his campaign commitments to Centretown residents.
• False Alarm Reduction Policy. Due to the recent ice storm state of emergency, the 15 Jan public meeting to deal with private home and business security alarm registrations has been postponed. The meeting has been tentatively rescheduled to 6-10pm Thu 29 Jan and will be held in Region al Council chambers at RMOC HQ, 111 Lisgar St. Call Wendy to confirm this time and date. Residents may make presentations in person or may send in their comments in writing. Simultaneous translation will be available. Based on the feedback from this m eeting, the previous report on the policy will be amended and the updated version will be sent to all those who had previously contacted the Region with concerns about the new policy. You may also call Wendy's office for a copy.
• Downloading responsibilities (and associated costs) from Ontario to the Region threatens to cost the Region $27M more (mainly to fund Police and OC Transpo) than it has allowed for without increasing taxes. The current Ontario governmen t has a "Who Does What" initiative to make itself more understandable and accountable to the public; however, the result has been less clear and accountable than before. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) is asking Premier Mike Harris to improve this lack of clarity, and also to delay the downloading of certain services, such as social housing and land ambulance beyond 1998.
• Working group proposed for social housing, which is one of the largest costs being downloaded to the Region. Starting 1 Jan, the Region has begun to fund this; however, it is unclear how the Region is to administer this new responsibili ty. Establishing a working group to do research and to explore alternatives will provide Regional Council with the information it needs to make the necessary decisions. The group will consist of 4 Regional councillors, 4 reps from the housing sector (1 each from: the public non-profit, private non-profit, Ontario Housing Corp, and coops), 2 social hosuing residents, and 2 members of Regional staff. Two members of the HCCO (Anne Brandel, and Gisèle Loiselle-Branch) said they were interested. If anyone else is interested, contact Wendy.
• Residential construction on open lands at Heron-Walkley. The last remaining objection by Bryan Hawley, has been withdrawn. The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) is expected to confirm the amendment (No. 21) to the Ottawa Official Plan and therefore allow residential development in this corridor. As to whether anyone can appeal this decision, the answer is that the decision to develop now rests with the City. Any appeal would have to be directed to Ottawa City Council.
• Restructuring local Region-City government (see below)
• Cleaning up car exhaust emissions (see below)
• Recycling Christmas trees, and ice-storm windfall (see below)
• Dealing with the recent ice storm emergency (see below)

City councillor, Karin Howard, submitted a report on the following:

• New Z2020 City zoning bylaw hearings (see below).
• Southern Corridor/McCarthy Woods (see below).
• Protecting Hackett Pond residents from Riverside Dr. traffic noise (see below).
• Hunt Club Neighborhood Plan open house (see below).
• Safety audit (see below).

Restructuring local regional/municipal government:

• First in a series of Round Table discussions held at the Hintonburg Community Centre in Dec 97 by the Citizens' Panel.
• A 4-part mini-document on the Citizens' Panel is available (from Wendy). Contents are:
  • Backgrounder, describing the panel, its mission, its vision, and its goal;
  • Status Report, describing the work plan in 5 phases;
  • Criteria for the Model of Governance, describing 7 criteria; and
  • Comment Sheet.
• A River Ward roundtable discussion is being planned.
• For more information, call Wendy's office at 560-1223.

Improving the air we breathe:

• Iogen Corp., at 400 Hunt Club Rd. (across from the Hunt Club Golf Course) is doing research into converting vegetable fiber to ethanol (alcohol) used as an add-in to gasoline in cars. Cars running on ethanol produce less exhaust than those using gasoline.
• Iogen would be happy to attend an HCCO meeting and also to give tours of its facilities.
• For more information, call Brian Foody, President of Iogen.

Garbage collection, disposing of broken wood and Christmas trees:

• Weather permitting, Christmas trees will be picked up on regular garbage collection week of 12 Jan. Decoration must be removed from tree.
• Good news about more waste being recycled and less going into landfills.
• Beginning Jan 98, Region's garbage collection programs and information will be outlined in Bell Canada's new telephone directory, under "Waste Services" following the government blue pages.
• Fresh wood shouldn't be burned because it releases more creosote, which can clog up chimneys and catch fire.
• Region reduces the wood it collects into chips and uses this chipped wood in parks and elsewhere.
• In cleaning up the debris from the ice storm, perhaps people could be given the wood in exchange for removing it.
• Large pieces of cardboard put out for collection must be flattened and reduced to less than 3'x3' for it to be picked up. However, it is often difficult for homeowners to fold and cut cardboard, and it was suggested that collectors could do this.
• Region's policy is to get collection people to sticky label anything they can't pick up with instructions and contact information. However, Regional policy is not always applied, based on some comments received:
  • Some items not picked up.
  • Some items put back into other containers.
• Some neighbors work well together and could consolidate their garbage to one side of a street; other neighbors hate to have neighborhood garbage collecting in front of their houses.
• Wet waste pilot project (bones, table scraps, ) done in 5 different locations in region. This worked well, once the right combination of timing and requirements evolved, and may be implemented as the years go by.
• For more information, call the Hotline at 560-1335, 7 days a week 24 hours a day.

Coping with the ice storm emergency:

• Crime rates are down in rural areas.
• Eastern Ontario dark from Brockville to Quebec.
• 3000 soldiers from CFB Petawawa have been deployed locally.
• People have been very cooperative; crime levels are down, not up. Only 3 generators were stolen, and only from Bell Canada switching stations.
• CO2 gas will go through garage walls, if generator is pulled into garage (for security reasons) and turned on there.
• Military person defied orders and broke into a house and thus saved a family from carbon monoxide poisoning.
• A regiment turned up a generator in time to save a farmer's horses.
• Schools were closed because of uncertainty re live wires, potential falling branches and ice, and bussing. Schools will probably lreopen by 14 Jan. One woman killed by falling ice in Montreal.
• Nursing trees back to health:
  • Soft wood trees (poplars, etc.) tended to break more, but will tend to resucker more and will regrow quickly. Leave rootball in ground and let tree grow back.
  • Region needs to address public concerns first, before they can do the trees.
  • Suggestion that people could be encouraged to start own business removing and replanting trees.
• For more information, call Wendy's office.

Moving towards Z2020 zoning (HCCPA):

• Final Planning Committee hearings for new Z2020 zoning bylaw to be held 5-6 Feb 98.
• Residents can ask to speak to Council, but must reserve times well in advance.
• Those wishing to change the zoning for the Southern Corridor and other areas must coordinate their efforts and develop a strategy.
• Shelley Parlow has received a complete copy of the bylaw. Normal cost of this document is $40.
• Even if new bylaw is adopted, the actual legal rezoning of the land will be more complex and is yet to occur.
• For more information, contact Shelley Parlow or Peter Foulger.

Saving the Southern Corridor:

• Several initiatives underway to protect this area:
  • A boundary delineation process, begun by Karin Howard a year ago, encompassing the boundaries for all environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) in the area (however, McCarthy Woods is the only ESA).
  • The Natural Open Spaces Study (NOSS); however, only McCarthy Woods is addressed by this study.
  • The Greenway System Management Plan, which may assure a narrow environmental link from the Parkway area to the Rideau River.
• Closing the financial loop:
  • NCC reports to, and is accountable to, the Federal Government (Treasury Board). Treasury Board reports to Parliament. Money brought in by the Treasury Board goes out to finance (us - the public) public programs and expenses, such as search and rescue , national defence, foreign affairs and aid, subsidies to provincial and local governments so that they can help finance universities, schools, social programs, city infrastructures, etc.
  • The financial link between our community and the NCC re the Southern Corridor is missing. We need to verify that the value of the Southern Corridor as open space to us is greater than the benefits the Federal government could return to us by using th e money the NCC could give it from the sale of that land to developers.
  • At each level, City, Region, NCC, Federal, there are a number of elected councillors or board members whose vote determines their course of action. Majority carries the vote. Once we have a solid financial link that we can justify, we must get to kn ow and communicate the advantages to a majority of councillors/members at each level of government. And we must do so in, and follow, the same ordered fashion those governments are used to, and mandated to, function: our point must be formulated into an understandable statement, presented, and voted upon upwards through the hierarchy so that each vote strengthens the previous.
  • Shelley got an invitation to NCC open house on 22 Jan.
  • Region will protect all designated green spaces inside the green belt against NCC and other landowners, but can not protect the Southern Corridor because it is not zoned appropriately. However, Region will support rezoning fight.
  • At the Federal level, Manley has promised to make representation to Treasury Board to find out what their bottom line is. Manley said that, if he can't help, he will let us know. We should wait for his response before reacting.
  • No feedback yet from John Manley, or from last meeting between John Manley and Marcel Beaudry.
  • Suggestion to invite Manley to a meeting to discuss his constraints with the NCC. Encourage some 100 people to attend the meeting.
• Article in Citizen says 100s of acres around airport can easily be removed from greenbelt and developed, and there is also a NCC report to maintain a natural continuous green spread, which seems to be a contradiction in the same article.
• Greenbelt was never meant to be an urban forest, but an area reserved for services for the community, such as hospitals.
• Wendy is on the millenium committee and has power to influence future development.
• City has sold off 20% of its urban forest already. Wendy wants to get together with us to talk.
• Suggestion that Ted should attend the greenspace coalition meetings. Maybe Southern Corridor should join together with Nepean. Next meeting is supposed to be on Wed 14 Jan, but Shelley is thinking of cancelling meeting because of ice storm emergency.
• Public open house 18 Feb (now changed to 11 Mar). Wendy says that if neighborhood doesn't do anything, then Southern Corridor will happen.
• Region's position is that, with existing regional policy, you can still have no development. You can achieve infill by building in existing developed areas; however, developers like to build on open space.
• Need to get 6 City councillors in City to commit that this will not happen; then we are good for 3 years until next election.
• City has given the northern part of the Southern Corridor to Riverside Pk.
• The NCC position:
  • NCC will not sell Corridor at its current zoning because they won't get enough money for it. However, NCC will probably draw up a site plan and use it to push for rezoning.
  • Question re who does NCC report through to parliament. Ted Requard is exploring reporting hierarchy. Board members represent communities around Canada but who all vote on NCC decisions. Wendy says that City zoning is industrial and that zoning need s to be changed for it to impact board people's decisions. Should address NCC board members directly. Vice Chairman of NCC is Joan O'Neill, lives in area, and is quite supportive. Two others also are interested. Joan also spoke out against the secrecy of the NCC.
  • NCC has told Manley's office that they are doing neighborhood a favor by downzoning area from industrial to residential. However, all this does is increase the value of the land for future sales, and the potential revenue for Treasury Board (alternat ively, minimizing the expense to Treasury Board in supporting the NCC).
  • NCC has been allowed to use the money from sales of property to finance their operation, which is motivating the NCC to self-finance in this way. This new NCC policy empowering it to self-finance was enacted without any public feedback.
  • NCC needs positive, rather than negative, publicity at this time.
• For more information, contact Shelley Parlow or Peter Foulger.

Minimizing traffic noise at Hackett Pond area:

• City has funds with which to purchase suitable noise barriers by Hacket Pond along Riverside Dr.
• City has requested such barriers from the Region.
• City is waiting for a response from both the Region and the HCCO regarding a go-ahead to acquire the barriers.
• Region can give an approval for a concrete barrier along a regional road, but does not have money for materials. This barrier should have been put in when Riverside Dr. was built in current form.
• City may have funds (Karin has $30K).
• With a wall, trees can be protected from salt and can grow and form a better noise barrier.
• Area west of Hwy 16 has a concrete wall, because when a regional road is widened or twinned, there is a provision for noise attentuation. But there is no such provision for barriers from increased traffic on existing roads.
• For more information, call Wendy's office.

Neighborhood Plan effort:

• Hunt Club Neighborhood Plan open house scheduled for 6-9pm Wed 18 Feb (now changed to 11 Mar) at Holy Family School gymnasium on Owl Dr.
• Peter Foulger and Shelley brought alternative concepts for the development of open lands in Hunt Club, in preparation for presenting those (local, as opposed to City) alternatives at the open house.
• Shelley/Peter Foulger commit to writing an article in The News and to producing a flyer and distributing it to households.
• Talk to parent advisory councils at schools.
• Alan Asselstine promotes setting up a group to handle publicity to turn people out to the public meeting. Peter Brimacombe will help distribute flyers.
• Suggestion that we get people to sign a petition when they come into the meeting.
• The Region (Wendy Stewart) will provide budget for 1/4 page ad in The News to promote public awareness.
• Hold meeting to get public comment on 6 alternatives for neighborhood, which includes 3 from area residents as prepared by Peter Foulger.
• When publicity is ready, Alan knows 5-6 people who can distribute material in McCarthy-Cahill area. Art and Peter can write something up this week and have material ready for next HCCO meeting. HCCO has given $100 towards this effort (at 1 Dec meeti ng). Peter Brimacombe is willing to knock and drop to 200 houses. There are some 4763 houses in Hunt Club. Flyer should go out a week before open house.
• For more information, contact Peter Foulger at 736-0762.

Promoting local awareness of development efforts:

• Applications (landscape and grading and servicing, and site plans) for development proposal for Landmark Citizen's residence, right off Darlington Private - where Condor ends by Owl Dr. The residence is for seniors who need constant care.
• The residence would be 5 stories backing against the quarry wall and Foxhunt.
• City is consulting Region because Region will need to service the site.
• Quarry was identified as one of the historical and natural sites in the area. Building should not detract from this.
• If anyone wants to they can submit an application for these plans, or any other plans, in the area.
• Anyone who wants to complain should do so now; otherwise building will go ahead.
• For more information, call Wendy's office.

Safety audit:

• City can address the results from a safety audit if the audit reveals that there is a safety concern resulting from a physical deficiency.
• Should involve City staff early in the design phase of an audit.
• Costly changes resulting from an audit, will need to be balanced against limited funds or be funded by a tax increase.
• For more information, contact Shelley Parlow and Arlene Gregoire (City).

Recreation:

• Rink at Owl park is open for skating.
• City doesn't want people to use rinks until after the ice storm emergency is over; however, people were skating on Bayview rink.
• Needs another cheque to pay for expenses - in next couple of weeks.
• For more information, contact Fred Winters.

Trash and treasure community garage sale at HCRCC in May 98:

• Don't throw anything away. Give things to Anne Brandel.
• Suggestion that we could sell labels made by a computer (address labels). Sell 100 labels for a few dollars. Cost it out.
• For more information, contact Anne Brandel.

HCCO newsletter:

• Create own newsletter several times per year. Include a 1-page flyer with membership form.
• Peter Vasdi will contact Riley Brockington with old brochure and and give him all the information. Riley can write and format updated text, and Peter can then publish the info and produce new brochures.
• For more information, contact Riley Brockington.

Gord Aitken of the HCRCC plans to talk to community centres and organizations on how to get Centre to pay $3 HCCO membership fee per person. Gord will present this idea to the HCCO at which point we can make a motion and vote on it.

Suggestion that, if we do plan an organized effort to sell memberships, we should ensure that sufficient memberships can be sold to warrant the effort. Not much point in having people spend days figuring out a way of selling memberships that only net s $20 in memberships.

Next meeting: Mon 2 Feb 98 at 7:30pm