CITY HALL - Meeting on Laneways

[David Mennier]

Good morning, neighbours,
 
As we discussed as a group earlier, there is an opportunity to meet with City officials on the laneways issue.
 
It is Tuesday, April 2, from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM at City Hall, Laurier 110 - Room 4106E.
 
I will attend, as any block owner or resident may attend as well. Please let me know ahead of time so I can advise City Hall of our group's numbers.
 
Regards,
 
_________________________
David P. Mennier
87 Vaughan

[David Mennier]

Good morning neighbours,
 
 
I thought our group would appreciate a summary of the meeting we had with City of Ottawa manager Alain Miguelez on the afternoon of 2 April.
 
In addition to myself, our group was represented by Gordon Hilchie and his daughter Pamela (Vaughan); Michael Mayer (Vaughan); John Mesnic and his mother (Ivy); Rene Unger (Ivy); and Kathryn Verey (Vaughan).
 
LANEWAY GROUP MEETING AT CITY HALL
After introductions and a brief re-cap of the situation to date, we iterated to Alain, through various points, our general suggestion that abutting laneway owners be given more of a voice in any City process that involves changing the status or use of laneways throughout the City. Of our many suggestions raised in the previous three months, Alain noted that the City had reviewed these and were looking favourably on a couple of specific ideas, such as the idea of notifying abutting property owners on a regular basis the fact that part of their properties encroach on City land. Our suggestion that any building permit application that affects the change of use of a laneway include notification to abutting owners before approval is granted is under consideration, though Alain said it was difficult to see where this additional step could be added to the process without Council consideration and approval.
 
Alain noted the City's recent changes in laneway policy, announced widely in the media, as providing a clearer framework for many laneway issues, and reaffirming the City's interest in these lands.
 
We noted our group's recent decision to not proceed with an application to the City to close the lane, citing a lack of full endorsement for this idea (only 71% of abutting owners were in support in our recent vote). In retrospect, this decision was likely wise, as Alain noted that even if we had proceeded with the application, with both the north and south ends of the lane required to remain 'open', the application would have likely faced difficulty in gaining approval, even for the middle section of the lane.
 
Gordon Hilchie and his daughter Pamela raised the issue of the north end of the lane, and the unique challenges that that narrow part of the lane (exacerbated by a city-installed retaining wall) pose to the residents of 99 Vaughan. Alain said that he could not foresee a situation which would allow regular vehicular traffic flow around that home, given the present physical features. However, he also noted that, with the need to ensure 99 Vaughan Street maintains accessable frontage, that that part of the lane has to remain 'open' (its present state).
 
Michael Mayer questioned the set of standards to which the soon-to-be-opened portion of the lane (25 metres at the south end) will comply. Width and set-backs are only a couple of the many specifications to which 'roads' must adhere to set provincial standards. Alain acknowledged he did not have the specific answers to these technical questions at the time of the meeting, but expressed that the City's position regarding the phyical dimensions and features of the lane is that it is acceptable, such as described in the recently released R-Plan survey.
 
Alain noted that a request by the new owners at 169 Vaughan to keep an existing retaining wall in the lane is being re-considered by the City, and that the wall will have to be removed.
 
Alain also said that the City's current position on our particular laneway issue is that the 25-metre section of lane at the south end now needs to be cleared of encroachments and readied for the grading of a traversible, usable lane. It is hoped that the three abutting owners move toward this goal. As a last resort, the matter will simply be passed along to by-law officers for enforcement.
 
The meeting ended amicably with thanks to all in attendance for continued communication and cooperation.
 
LANEWAY CLEARING CREW - VOLUNTEERS
In addition to the above summary of the meeting, and as a footnote to the point regarding the clearing of encroachments, many of us this past week have watched Maurice (of 73 Vaughan) work diligently in disassembling the white clapboard garage and re-purposing its walls and trusses into a nice garden shed, now positioned just off the boundary of the lane.
 
As it was many years ago that fellow block owners re-purposed the lane into more greenery and larger backyards, may I suggest that a few volunteers on our block now avail themselves to help Martha, Diane and Nino (with their permission, of course), clear encroachments and spare them potential labour expenses on top of the frustration they have had to endure recently. I hereby will be the first to sign up for this 'Laneway Clearing Crew'; if others are interested, please email me. It would involve re-positioning sections of one cedar fence, one wood and brick pillar fence, and one chain link fence, as well as a small metal shed and various 5-to-75 pound items. Work boots, work gloves, protective eyewear, hand tools, and some small power tools required. The larger vegetation and trees actually in the lane are to be removed (as I understand) by the new owners of 169 Ivy.
 
Martha, Diane: please let us know if you agree with this. If so, we can choose a mutually convenient weekend to do the work. (I will talk to Nino about this as well as he is not on this egroup.) We could also rent a good-sized removal bin (15-yard bin**) for about $250 and split the costs, if desired.
 
Here's to all our efforts in trying to resolve this issue in a positive manner.
 

Sincerely,
 
_________________________
David P. Mennier
87 Vaughan Street
 
 
** A 15-yard bin is 4 feet high, 7.5 feet wide and 14 feet long. Good for roofing, renovations, construction, drywall or household clean ups (must be level with top of the bin). Quote from CityWide Demolition and Waste Removal, Bill at 613-293-7182