Email: mywestend@telus.net
January 22, 2013: commenced 7:03 p.m.
Chair:
Elmer Rudolph
Recorder:
Gavin McLeod
Number of attendees: 19
- Approval of minutes of previous meetings: Motion to approve minutes of November 27th 2012. Moved by Gavin McLeod and seconded by Frank Norman.
- Additional Agenda Items: Gavin McLeod will report on the latest Citizens’ Police Committee meeting.
- Variance at 907 20th Street to change setback of garage: Balbir Powar presented his request for a variance at 907 20th street, he is building a new house on the property and there will be a legal suite. Due to heavy traffic and limited parking on 20th street Mr. Powar would like to have additional parking on his property. The variance will allow an increased setback to the garage which will allow for a longer driveway which will be used for the additional parking. The city of New Westminster supports the variance; they have received one letter against the variance. The driveway will be 19 feet wide. One neighbour present at the meeting expressed concern about the effect on his property.
- Update on lane repairs requested by W.E.R.A in West End: Elmer sent a letter to the city on behalf of residents who were complaining about the condition of their back lane between 10th and London and between 14th and 15th with numerous potholes and puddles; they also submitted a picture of the lane. The city replied that they were not scheduling a repaving at this time but should be able to fix the potholes before the end of the year. Elmer Rudolph revisited the laneway to find that the major problem had been fixed but there were still problem areas. Elmer will talk to the city about completion of repairs.
- Unsafe public sidewalk conditions near properties under development: Elmer reported on problems with unsafe public sidewalks that have been modified due to construction, one example is a sidewalk in front of a house under construction on the 1400 block of 8th Ave., construction was delayed, a sheet of plywood was replacing the missing concrete, with winter conditions the plywood was slippery and unsafe. Elmer advised the city and the plywood was replaced with proper gravel fill.
- Pedestrian/Bicycle/Transit Advisory Committee (ACTBiPed): Mary Wilson reported on the activities of the ACTBiPed advisory committee. Mary Wilson suggested that pedestrians seem to have low status in New Westminster. Mary referred to a problem on 12th and Edinburgh where construction has made the sidewalk unavailable to pedestrians causing pedestrians to use the street; the problem has been ongoing for about 1 year. Mary wanted to know how decisions are reached regarding the closure of sidewalks.
- Traffic Advisory Committee: The subject of cancellation Traffic advisory meetings was raised, it was suggested that the business of the committee was not getting done; one complaint was the lack of a chairperson at the meetings. A motion was made by Heather Mackenzie seconded by Bob Osterman to send a letter of complaint to city hall to report unhappiness with the effectiveness of the Neighbourhood Traffic Advisory Committee meetings. The motion was passed.
- Citizens’ Police Committee: Gavin McLeod reported on an increase in reported break-ins to vehicles in the West End. Staff Sergeant Paul Milne reported on drug detection and the effect of various substances.
- Neighbourhood Event on Edinburgh Street February 2013: Mary Wilson reported on a scheduled event for February; the event will be a street party between 13th and 14th on Edinburgh, a community grant was obtained to partially finance the event; there will be hot chocolate and street games, firefighters will attend as well as plant a row, grow a row, snow drops will be available for sale. The event will take place on February 3rd from 1 pm to 4 pm. The event will be publicized.
- Memberships: Elmer offered the opportunity to pay membership dues of $2 per year from January to December.
Meeting adjourned at: 8:20
Next meeting Tentatively for Tuesday March 26th at
Unity in Action Church from 7pm to 9pm.
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