Welcome to this special summer edition of the FCA Newsletter as we begin to see the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hope everyone is vaccinated and well!
2. The Official Plan continues to dominate FCA activity. Representatives from the FCA Board met with City OP staff following the June release of the “As We Heard” report on the public’s comments regarding the draft Official Plan. The FCA has asked City Council to delay to October the scheduled September 13-14-15 meeting of the City Planning Committee & ARAC to consider the draft Official Plan. The current release date for the new OP (August 20) leaves insufficient time to read, assess and react to the new Official Plan.
3. To assist community groups prepare for the final round on developing the City’s Official Plan a workshop is being organized by POP (the People’s Official Plan – composed of Ecology Ottawa, Greenspace Alliance, CAFES and the FCA) for Monday July 26, from 7 to 8:30 pm. Details and registration form are found at www.ecologyottawa.ca/people_s_official_plan_draft_official_plan_workshop.
4. The FCA’s 51st Annual General Meeting was held June 16. Membership has reached record levels (67 community groups), thanks in part to community interest in the City’s new Official Plan. The AGM saw the FCA Constitution/Bylaw updated to reflect current practices and include statements of values and purposes (thank you FCA Working Group on the Constitution/Bylaw for your work!). As well, awards were presented to John Curry (Lifetime Achievement), Judith Maxwell (City Builder), IMAGE writers Hilary Duff & Martha Milne (FCA Media), Lorne Cutler (Achievement), Bob Brocklebank (Special Recognition), and Miranda Gray (FCA Service).
5. The AGM also elected the 2021-22 FCA Board of Directors: Alex Cullen (President), Robert Brinker (Vice-President), Lorne Cutler (Treasurer), Roland Dorsay (Secretary), and Directors Steve Anderson, Stefan Baginski, Paul Johanis, Maria Luisa Marti, Barbara Ramsay, Phil Sweetnam, and Leeane Van der Burgt. Sheila Perry remains as Past-President. Please go to the FCA-FAC website for more information about the Board.
6. The FCA responded to the Integrity Commissioner’s report on conflict of interest regarding Planning Committee Chair Jan Harder. In a media release circulated to City Councillors for the June 23 Council meeting, the FCA said: "The FCA supports integrity in city government and expects those who are elected to protect the public interest on planning issues and other matters before Council, to ensure that they avoid conflict-of-interest situations in their decision-making. The recent Integrity Commissioner's report is a clear illustration of the need to do this, and Council must follow through on his recommendations at its meeting tomorrow." Subsequently Councillor Harder resigned from the City’s Planning Committee and was reprimanded by City Council.
7. The July 7 meeting of City Council considered a report on General Zoning Provisions (Parking & Secondary Units), which had passed at Committee unanimously. However member associations was concerned about the possibility of a “walk-on” motion (no notice, no public consultation) regarding secondary units (a topic important to many FCA members) that would satisfy the Ottawa Small Landlord Association. The FCA wrote to Council asking that any changes be considered at Planning Committee so all interested parties could assess & comment on proposed changes. City Council agreed to refer the report to the August Planning Committee meeting.
8. The FCA Board spent Saturday July 10 developing its 2021-22 workplan. Among its top priorities are establishing a working group on community association insurance, continuing its membership outreach & recruitment campaign, developing a survey to assess members’ needs, developing a possible speakers series, and investigating sustainable sources of revenue for the FCA. As well, committees were established to deal with membership and communications issues.
9. At its July 14 meeting the FCA’s Planning & Zoning Committee endorsed Councillor Menard’s motion to have City planning staff release the modelling used to develop the City’s draft Official Plan. As well, P&Z Committee heard from delegations seeking to protect the Hunt Club forest and Nantes woods from development, and endorsed a motion for the FCA to re-affirm its commitment to preserving greenspace in the city.
10. The FCA Board will meet on Wednesday August 25. The next FCA General Meeting will be on Wednesday September 15. Watch for the FCA newsletter with the agenda in early September!
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