James Bay Neighbourhood Association

Development Proposal: 334 Niagara Street

Designer Barry Horne presented schematic and elevation drawings for a 1,900sq.ft. home to be built at 334 Niagara Street on a 30 x 111 ft (3,300SF) lot. The 9.15M wide lot is smaller than required under existing RJ Zoning by approximately 3 ft (.75M).

The proposed building will front onto Niagara Street with a separate garage accessed from Beckley Street. Both structures will have exterior finishes of hardy-board paneling and cedar shingles. Transmission of light to adjoining properties and the space between houses is maximized. The project meets all bylaws/zoning requirements except for the width of the lot, and therefore requires a Variance.

Comments from those in attendance indicated general support for this contemporary addition to the interesting variety of architectural styles currently in the area. Proposed trellis work and plantings to soften a large blank wall and the fate of the existing cherry tree were also discussed.

GVHA - 2011 Business Plan & Cruiseship Season

Rebecca Penz, Manager of Communications and Sonterra Ross, Acting CEO of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) presented Key Initiatives of the GVHA 2011-2012 Business Plan.

Action on the Ogden Point Master Plan has been delayed until the fall 2011. A land use plan was originally anticipated in late 2010, but the City granted a one year extension in August 2010.

The Business Plan claims a 'commitment to incorporating and balancing the social, environmental and economic impacts of activities on the harbour and the community'. The GVHA have come on board with sulphur dioxide air monitoring in James Bay, assisting with equipment costs, but they protested the original test monitoring and denied the results. Doesn't a commitment to balancing environmental impacts assume that some sort of monitoring will be a basic part of the process? The plume travels with the wind - why doesn't GVHA fund the 3 stations requested by JBNA to monitor pollution in different locations? 

GVHA has also made a commitment to 'approach Cruise-ships to request they use lower sulphur fuels in the harbour'. Contracts, renewed earlier this year, could have enforced the use of low sulphur fuels, as recommended last June by Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Richard Stanwick, of the Vancouver Island Health Authority.

The GVHA was recently part of an industry lobby group that travelled to Ottawa to request that the federal government delay the federal requirement for cruise-ships to use low-sulphur fuels by 2015. GVHA reported that the cruise industry may use "alternative measures" to lower sulphur levels. The industry has suggested a "fleet average" approach. More foot-dragging.

Yes - they have denied a license for the Hop-on/Hop-off buses to drop-off at Fisherman's Wharf Park - congratulations - if they can find an appropriate pick-up/drop-off location for passengers near the Wharf. What about denying access to old, polluting buses and licensing clean powered vehicles only?

Yes - they will remove the licenses of taxi drivers who are observed speeding by GVHA employees with a speed reader board. Could that even be legal? We are concerned about the safety of our streets and need enforcement.

The GVHA reps were asked about their commitment to providing land/waterlot for development of a new floatplane terminal. GVHA claims to work to a Triple Bottom Line. When asked about environmental and social reviews for the new terminal, especially regarding Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and noise impacts on residents, their response was that it would be better for the customers. There is currently no monitoring of noise or air quality in the inner harbour area.

B.C. Transit

Using the results of Transit's consultations with James Bay residents, Darin Ramsay presented three proposals to improve transit service to our community: External Service, Internal Service and Service Quality, structured around Peak and Off-Peak - 9-3pm & 6-10pm time periods. Some suggested routes face challenges of bus maneuverability at corners and safe places for 'stops'. Parking would have to be removed from some streets.

 - An internal community bus service was proposed using a figure eight route - using 2 buses/2 loops, one serving the East side and the other serving the West side of James Bay.

 - A Seniors Bus was proposed which would have a fixed route, to specific destinations on different days of the week (eg. Hillside Centre, Oak Bay) and offer curbside pick-up. A smaller bus would be used - neither a handy dart nor a regular bus - identified for Seniors, but available to all.

 - Discussion included concerns about too many buses at Erie St. and the need to find another turn-a-round location, shifting bus routes, as little as one block, to increase availability and comfort to residents, and to reduce the traffic on Dallas Road.

Suggestions for additional destinations for the Seniors Bus included a loop up Government St. to Johnson St., Capital Iron, and Chinatown. 

Air Quality Monitoring

The Ministry of the Environment (MoE) has entered into a three-year agreement with Daniels Electric on Erie Street to host the James Bay SO2 monitoring equipment. Current SO2 levels will be posted on bcairquality.ca by the end of the month. Notices on the Weather Network have not been confirmed.

While local agencies and governments juggle the jurisdictional challenges of health advisory signage regarding air quality, the JBNA received the first notices of upcoming summer runs: the TC10K Challenge in May and the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope in September.

Annual General Meeting

Continuing Board members are Tim VanAlstine - Chair and Marg Gardiner - Treasure. The following JBNA members were elected to the Board:

Tom Coyle, Vice-Chair; Miriam Nelson, Secretary; Brian Scarfe, Information Officer; all for 2 year terms. 

Bob VanderSteen, Membership  - 1 year term.

Janis Ringuette & Bob Tuomi, Directors-at-large - 1 year terms.

Join Us

Next month on Wednesday, May 11, 7 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., at James Bay New Horizons - 234 Menzies Street.

Agenda items include:

a development proposal for 646 Simcoe (House of All Sorts), a discussion about the development proposed for 257 Belleville St., a presentation on the Costs & Benefits of Cruise Ship Visits by Economist Dr. Brian Scarfe, and a presentation on the City of Victoria - Official Community Plan by Cameron Scott.