WVM2006-6
CCLbits Mar 20
Agenda 27th
Calendar to April
by Carolanne Reynolds, Editor
www.WestVan.org

The year just keeps on flying by.   The flowers get replaced in rotation, their visits seem so short.  Crocuses are followed by daffodils then hyacinths.
Now we enter cherry blossom time.  This short but glorious and delicate time reminds us our lives too are fleeting.  May yours blossom in the meantime!
In same vein, so good to see MLA Ralph Sultan looking hale and hearty at Chief Armstrong's Swearing-In to piping and native drums on Friday Mar 24th at Gleneagles Cmnty Ctr.
This issue: Monday's Agenda is just Budget 2006; INFObits (Rain/Erosion; Ferry traffic); Calendar to Mar 31st; UPDATES (Eagleridge and ADRA presentation re Ambleside town planning); Mar 20 Ccl Mtg Summary only (watermeter costs; include ratepayer groups!); Agenda Mar 27th; Quotation

>>>  INFObits  <<<
=
***  EROSION and SILTATION vs CISTERNS and DITCHES
{Many of you know I've pleaded for pervious surfaces for years, even wanted it in the new OCP.  Here are a couple of residents' views on dealing with water, its blessings and its curses, on our hillside.}
* CISTERNS
As we know, there is a great deal of precipitation during certain months of the year, most of which runs off very quickly. This causes erosion and creek siltation. The major cause of this runoff is clearing of the forest. 
The houses now being built are very large, with large roofs, and have impermeable driveways, patios and sidewalks. This adds up to a large portion of the lots site being nonabsorbent. The result is that any heavy rains will immediately be directed into the ditches and storm drains, which drain into the creeks.
A cistern catching this rainwater for each house could be under the garage, for example, and its size would be related to the total impermeable area of the house and lot. The cistern would have to be earthquake proof, and probably be lined with a watertight membrane.
There would be several advantages for our beleaguered environment:
- winter water flow would be reduced,
- erosion and creek siltation would be reduced,
- the saved water could be used for summer watering.
In case of house or forest fire, there would be a lot of available water.  Finally, and perhaps most importantly, in case of a major earthquake, this water could be used by the family.
* DITCHES
The cistern concept is interesting however, if we are concerned with the health of the creeks, focus on permeability rather than water removal and storage.
Ditches are the ephemeral creeks of urban areas. They remove dirt and debris, and allow the infiltration of water and the run-off of excess. Older areas of West Vancouver have ditches, but unfortunately a lot of these water courses are being lost now to culverting and paving as the properties are redeveloped. The loss of a ditch is just as much of a tragedy for the watershed as the loss of an ephemeral creek.
There were ditches along McDonald Creek; many in the community are gone.  Unfortunately, if you actually look along the streets, a lot of these ditches are now gone. Many people remember ditches alongside the playing field at Eagle Harbour and how the little pacific tree frogs used them as habitat. The ditches and the frogs are gone.
So, cisterns might be a good idea, but leaky cisterns would be an even better one. Let's look for ways to keep the water within the watershed that it falls.
{Your Editor adds:  have both!  Whatever we can do to try to rescue our beleaguered environment.}
=
DID YOU KNOW?
West Vancouver has been designated a Cultural Capital for 2006 by the Minister of Canadian Heritage. The designation comes with an award of $500,000 for activities that seek to celebrate and build a lasting legacy for the arts and culture.
=
Ferry Terminal Traffic Statistics     Website: http://www.bcferries.com
For the fiscal year ending March 31st 2005 traffic through Horseshoe Bay Ferry terminal was as follows:
Route 02 HSB to Departure Bay and return:
                1,308,733 Vehicles; 3,600,358 Passengers.
Route 03 HSB to Langdale and return:
                1,123,445 Vehicles; 2,675,997 Passengers.
Route 08 HSB to Bowen and return:
                536,416 Vehicles: 1,248,208 Passengers.
Total 2,968,594 Vehicles and 7,524,563 Passengers.

>>>  CALENDAR to MAR 31st and beginning of April  <<<
Yes, there was an Evelyn Drive Guidance Cmte mtg on Tuesday but it wasn't on the DWV's website's calendar; they're looking at options to show at the open house
===  Wednesday March 22nd
===  Thursday March 23rd
===  Friday March 24th
===  Saturday March 25th
Together with North Shore Fish and Game and The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, The Coho Society of the North Shore is putting on this event.  Between 9am and 12 noon, children along with their parents and grandparents can pick up an adoption certificate in the Village, then take a ten-minute walk to MacKay Creek where they will be able to release a bucket of Chum fry.  This is the fourth annual, and each year, more participants.
If you have some time on Saturday morning, please drop by to support this worthwhile event.  If you have never participated in releasing salmon fry into a stream, here's your chance!!  Watching children's eyes as they release their fish into the wild will give you a warm and fuzzy feeling for the entire weekend!!
Events like this help to raise the profile of the Coho Society, and show the public at a grass roots level what the Society promotes in their community.  Your support and participation is appreciated.  Look for the ad in the North Shore News.
===  MEANWHILE at the FBG
...at the Ferry Building Gallery the exhibit is "Woman" in celebration of International Women's Day.  It opened March 7, the talk was Mar 11th, and exhibit ends Mar 26th.
Then the new exhibit, Organic Form (Gillian Lindsay, photography; Jill Royall, acrylic; Tanis Saxby, porcelain), has its opening reception 6 - 8pm Tuesday Mar 28, artists' talk 2pm Saturday Apr 1st; exhibit ends April 16.

===  Wednesday March 29th
~ 7pm ~ Board of Variance
~ Evelyn Drive - Yes the unposted mtg took place, have asked that it be in future. Open House has been postponed to Apr 19 but that's Easter Monday week so some may be on holiday -- keep informed; info on DWV website.  They may present three options but other than at the last mtg that had same as now, 358 units, and 512 units.
===  Thursday March 30th ~ 5pm ~ NSACDI at CNV M Hall
===  Friday March 31st ~ 7:30 - 9:30 ~ live music at the Library

but earlier:
UBC SCIENTISTS PROTEST BC MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT'S RECOVERY PLAN FOR CHEAKAMUS RIVER STEELHEAD
PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT:

March 31, 2006 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM

       "The Cheakamus River steelhead population is being put at increased risk because of the provincial Ministry of Environment's refusal to include hatchery enhancement as part of the recovery plan", [say] four UBC scientists who include three faculty, and one independent who has worked on the Cheakamus River for more than ten years. Ministry of Environment's decision to use only habitat improvement to mitigate the devastating impact on the its [sic] unique steelhead population caused by the Canadian National Railway derailment and caustic soda spill last summer, has prompted the scientists to speak out at press conference scheduled for Friday, March 31, 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the UBC Fisheries Centre (main auditorium, Aquatic Ecosystem Research Laboratory (AERL), 2202 Main Mall).
       "The Ministry of Environment's approach excludes the use of a well-planned and monitored short-term hatchery supplementation program that is likely the most viable option for recovery. The proposed habitat improvement measures are extremely unlikely to work on the Cheakamus River. As a result, their decision imposes unnecessary risks on its wild population as well as unreasonable impacts on local communities, fishers, and the Squamish First Nation", say the scientists. Their arguments are summarized in a document that can be downloaded from: www.pskf.ca.
      The press conference will include a power point presentation and a question and answer period and is open to the media and the public. They urge anyone with an interest in the fate of Cheakamus River steelhead, and the use of sound science to guide resource management decisions, to attend.
Refreshments will be served.
The UBC scientists who authored the position paper and who will be available at the press conference for questions include:
Josh Korman is a fisheries scientist with 15 years consulting experience and is a PhD candidate at UBC. He has conducted research and monitored the abundance of the Cheakamus River steelhead population since 1995.
Steven Martell is an assistant professor of fisheries at the University of British Columbia.  His research focuses on quantitative stock assessment, population dynamics, and ecosystem modelling. 
Eric Taylor is a professor of zoology at the University of British Columbia who works on the evolutionary genetics and ecology of native fishes. He is a member of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) Freshwater Fishes Specialist Subcommittee.
Carl Walters is a professor of fisheries at the University of British Columbia and a world-renowned expert in the fields of fish population dynamics, fisheries assessment and sustainable management. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation.
For more information contact Josh Korman Ph 604 737-8314, cell 604-790-8314 or jkorman@ecometric.com) or Dave Brown 1-604-905-8438

===  AND IN APRIL:
Lighthouse Park Preservation Society has monthly bird counts
meet at the upper kiosk of the parking lot
the first Sunday of each month -- next is April 2, 8am

AND
over at the Chamber of Commerce:
CPR Training Program
       It has come to our attention that there is a real interest within the business community for the Chamber of Commerce to facilitate CPR Training to interested business owners and their staff. In the recent past there was an unfortunate set of circumstances here in West Vancouver, in which a gentleman was under cardiac arrest on the street. Only the arrival of a local doctor, who just happened to be passing by, ensured that he was able to make it to the hospital.
       When one considers our community's demographic profile and the fact that we are about to welcome the world to West Vancouver in a few short years it seems like a good idea to adopt the motto "Be Prepared". We also wanted to offer an accessible, affordable, and easy opportunity for you to learn CPR.
       The Academy of Emergency Training will be conducting this accredited program. There is a maximum of 12 spaces available for this first session. If we have a greater demand we will follow up with another session.
       The program will take place over two evenings beginning on Tuesday, April 11 and followed up with the second half of the course on Tuesday, April 18. The training will take place at the Chamber boardroom from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM.
The cost per person for the two evening program is $65.00 plus GST.  Pls call the Chamber of 926 6614.

>>>  UPDATES  <<<

= EAGLERIDGE/SEAtoSKY

Provincial Government Forced to Again Suspend Logging of Overland Route [Owing] to its Violation of Commitments.
 Coalition Restates Call for Review of Alternative Routes for Sea-to-Sky Highway Above Horseshoe Bay.

2006 March 21, 2006 -- For the second time in just over a week, the Provincial Government has been forced by its violations to suspend preparatory logging above Horseshoe Bay. The Table of Commitments states that "no clearing of vegetation is permitted during the general bird breeding time period of March 15 to July 31, unless pre-approved by the Canadian Wildlife Service." The work was stopped on March 16 [as] the required surveys have not been done. Failure to secure approval of an Environmental Management Plan initially forced the Government to suspend its logging operations two weeks ago.
       "This is the latest evidence of the cavalier manner in which the Provincial Government deals with B.C.'s environment. Our Government's actions are anything but sustainable and they fly in the face of Premier Campbell's promise to deliver the most sustainable Olympics ever. The Government ignores its own regulations as it is dead set on building a four-lane highway right through the two most unique and most sensitive ecosystems in the Horseshoe Bay to Whistler corridor," says Dennis Perry, President of the Coalition to Safe the Bluffs at Horseshoe Bay. The GVRD and local government, the Coalition and virtually all informed British Columbians WANT an alternative route.
       "The Government sandbagged the public with the hasty choice it made two years ago. It is beyond comprehension why it has not given serious consideration to alternatives that would preserve the environmental and recreation values of the area, the visual beauty and that make economic sense.
       Trish Panz, a member of the Coalition, observes: "This Government appears hell bent on getting its way and belittles public consultation and concern for the environment. It has failed to share information with the public, took two years to get ready to build, yet still stumbles in securing conservation clearance!"
       The Coalition is currently staging a number of rallies highlighting its last-ditch appeal to Premier Campbell to deliver on his pledge of a Sustainable Games. We again request that the Premier and local government conduct a joint review of the overland route with an objective of choosing the best route for British Columbia.
-END-
About the Coalition to Save Eagleridge Bluffs at Horseshoe Bay
The Coalition consolidates public support for protecting the ecosystems that will be destroyed, while working to inform the provincial government that alternatives could save an irreplaceable natural environment meeting the criteria for function, longevity, safety, and cost. For more information visit: www.eagleridgebluffs.ca
Press Contacts:
Dennis Perry          604-818-1224
Heather Drugge      604-630-6535;  C 604-868-1309

= ADRA PRESENTATION at Mar 20th Ccl Mtg re Traffic/Zoning/Costs

{The Ambleside and Dundarave Ratepayers' Assn had its AGM and installed a new board in January 2006.  At the board mtg in March directors were assigned issues.  Roff Johannson is the liaison wrt Ambleside Plans, town centre, entrance, and park.  He spoke to the agenda item setting a date changing three single-family lots in the 2000-block Esquimalt into multi-family. Copy and pasted below, bolding mine.}
"
Mayor and Council, my name is RJ and I am appearing as a representative of the Ambleside Dundarave Ratepayers.
ADRA notes Council's intent to consider Ambleside re-development as an integrated theme, rather than as several disparate topics.  We concur.  Thank you for combining them.  We look forward to seeing the options with the costs itemized by option.  ADRA will be participating in the public process and watching the financial implications of these proposals very carefully.
Following the same logic of seeing the pieces of Ambleside's future as one conceptual project, ADRA suggests that the same approach -- pulling back, and seeing the big picture -- be taken to include what we see as a major issue for the whole of West Vancouver: Traffic.
Our immediate concerns involve the impact of changes in Ambleside on the broader community.  Marine Drive is the major thoroughfare linking our neighborhoods.
A major objective of the Ambleside Towncentre project is to slow traffic and increase pedestrian activity in the Town Centre area.  Viewed from 17th and Marine, this is understandable; but what will this do to traffic elsewhere?
Slowing traffic on the main thoroughfare will force traffic to find quicker routes, by-passing Town Centre.
Because Marine Drive is already slow, congested, and somewhat dangerous, many drivers now use residential streets north of Marine Drive to go from East to West.
ADRA asks: "Do we want to slow Marine Drive even more without recognizing the consequences?  Are we ready to admit that we need to develop new East-West throughfares through what are now purely residential neighborhoods?"
ADRA believes that we should first get a completed Traffic study of existing and projected vehicular flows for the whole of Ambleside and Dundarave -- indeed, the whole Municipality -- before considering what we might do to impact parts of it.  We believe these other Ambleside studies should proceed at a pace that they can be re-shaped by the results of the transportation study, which we think should be completed first.
To sum up:
Thank you.
"

>>>  CCL MTG MAR 20th SUMMARY <<<
                        [Times noted are from start at 7pm and if you watch videotape]
in haste
NB: PAC and FAC mtgs tomorrow, cancelled
ccl mtg was 7 to ~9:42; John Clark absent
Agenda item added -- Ambleside Planning coordination
=  Delegations reversed: Harvest Project (homelessness in WV) at 7:05; and 7:15 for Spirit Bear (my what energy and enthusiasm Simon Jackson has!)
= 7:32 =  Ambleside Master Plan -- lively discussion; good remarks by ADRA (hope to have in newsletter [See ADRA presentation in UPDATES above]); Ccl urged to include costs and have comprehensive traffic study; ended with open house planned for Thursday for input;
Mayor said: "Note that the motion made is different from what appears on the screen b/c we wanted to make it more general."
{That's great but they do have the technology to put up the actual motion!!!}
Mayor said to include in five-year/ten-year capital plan; Mike hoped for a motion next Monday.
More discussion on whether or not to purchase the lots on Argyle, whether for park space or arts facilities; demolition and rebuilding of concession with restaurant on top.
= 7:54 = Presentation on cooperation across NShore for social services; some debate on hiring of consultant
= 8:10 =  Your democracy at work!  Three lots amalgamated in 2000-block of Esquimalt for change from sgl-fam to multi-fam -- listen to the excellent remarks re OCP and housing, etc, and rejoice that Ccl turned down the application even to go out for input, next stage.  Decision to find out criteria to do this, then less uncertainty in cmnty.  Sure as heck sounded to me like spot-zoning and stealth Transition Zone!  [See presentation in UPDATES above]
= 8:37 = Farmers' Market a go in Dundarave but not at civic ctr site (demolition site?) was changed to have where it was last year in Ambleside and referred to Amb merchants' Assn (they meant ABA) and Ch of Commerce (at PQP I requested it be referred to the ratepayer groups in the area as well and not just b/c I'm on the ADRA board -- there are several groups and it niggles me they often seem to leave out the residents who live in the area affected)
= 8:53 = The "consent agenda items", while a good idea is a bit uncertain as to who can discuss what when especially when the correspondence is also included.
- another and sooner report on parking Lower Bellevue, cost and timing of traffic study
- Sop pointed out that since retention of the tree on Argyle (the 120-year-old fir) was in the DP, reconsideration shd hv come back to Ccl (yea! that's what many of us felt) and expressed frustration urging that they: "lay down rules and regulations wrt Devt Permits and somehow they get changed."  Mike agreed, said dvpr shd hv known.
- VV expressed concern, problem someone asking for a change to 5ft when 30ft setback required; shd there be a penalty for a devpr if gone ahead without permit, and SJN said bylaw enforcement matter
-  More discussion re parking and traffic on Dundarave
= 9 something = Reports:
- Mayor said more re Olympics next week; great visit to Ottawa; good relations with First Nations;
- Rod went to SAC AGM -- 4000 mbrs, over 500 volunteers; 20% mbrship not WV
- Jeanie opined amazing after many years of marriage one can agree with one's spouse -- her husband's letter expresses concern about closing of Seymour shooting range in that where will they go and workers claiming danger
= 9:29 - PQP&C
- Ray R queried cost of watermetering -- one meter for a duplex b/c costs going up?  Staff say on budget but the problem remains, what if one side has an underground sprinkler system and the other has not.  Surely this is untenable even with the best of friends!  One of one side in arrears?  Shut off both? Can't!
- Yours Truly asked that they include ratepayer groups when seeking views wrt Farmers' Market and location; strongly advocated staff make recommendations (not decisions public and Ccl find out later) for public/Ccl interested parties to be informed and comment.  The example was the tree removal when condition of the devt, quite apart from the (ludicrous, but I didn't say it) "up to" $4700 replacement.  This echoes my advocacy of a notification of applications for variances wrt streams made some weeks ago.  All of these changes shd be made public/available with a process that includes comments and appeals as needed.  I think they'll look into it.
-  Compliments re WV's bear measures; bear resistant bin $55; great work by staff.
ADJOURNMENT about 9:42

===  CCL AGENDA Mar 27 ===

1.         CALL TO ORDER    /    2.         APPROVAL OF AGENDA
3.         DELEGATIONS
3.1      B. Waterbury, Chair, Planning Cmte re North Shore Super Cities Walk/Run for MS, April 9, 2006
4.         REPORTS
4.1       Budget 2006 Presentation (File: 0860-01)
The Chief Administrative Officer and the Director of Financial Services will provide a presentation regarding the 2006 Budget.
            RECOMMENDED:
            1.         Council receive the staff presentation of the proposed draft budget for 2006;
            2.         Copies of the draft budget documentation be made available to residents on the District web site and at Finance counters in the Municipal Hall;
            3.         Staff host a community meeting at the Municipal Hall on April 06, 2006 at 7:00 pm to answer resident questions on the contents of the draft budget; and
            4.         Council receive resident comment and input into the 2006 budget at a Committee of the Whole meeting to be scheduled during the week of April 10, 2006.
5.         REPORTS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS
6.         PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS  /       7.         ADJOURNMENT

===  QUOTATION ===

You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.
                                -- Anne Lamott, writer (1954 - )