Glorious weather!  At last full summer!  ENJOY!

>  Don't forget to make your reservation for the RoyalTea on Saturday, July 29 in Dundarave Park.  Write to reservations@royaltea.ca or call 922 4400.  Bring memorabilia for the memorabilia table.  Wear a hat to win a prize.  See details at end.

Friday July 14th marked the Opening of the fourth Bard play this season, Troilus and Cressida, a play not often performed.  War is at the heart of this play and it is boldly set, from a costume point of view, in the American civil war: grey Confederates (Trojans) and blue Yankees/North/Union (Greeks).  This year has the greatest range/differences.  What a wide and fascinating range of styles, costumes, interpretations, and enjoyment!  Our Mayor was celebrating her birthday (Many Happy Returns!) at A Midsummer Night's Dream that Friday night.  Anyway, buy your tickets as soon as you can.   Dream is already over 70% sold out to Sept 24, closing night!

Disappointed when I learned that that hoppy beer, North by Northwest, at Steamworks had run out.  We're trying to get them to make more.  Stay tuned.  The Belgian wit (pronounced 'vit') Ipanema is a nice summer sipper with a hint of cloves.

>>  PEACEWATCH  <<   http://www.ceasefirecampaign.org/mo/en.html

= MAIN ITEMS July 17th are: Canada Line Rapid Transit and Vancouver Int'l Airport Authority Presentation; 1329/1345 Fulton DVP to three lots; DVP 3191 Mathers; Hugo Ray Park Consultations/Feedback; Ambleside Park Vision Plan; Council Procedure Bylaw; Notice on Title 2253 Lawson

=== Tuesday, July 18th

~ 4:30 - 6:30pm ~ FSTF (the Fiscal Sustainability Task Force meets every Tuesday)

=== Wednesday, July 19th

~ 5:30 - 7:00pm ~ FAC [on the DWV website calendar but usually cancelled, so check]

~ 7 - 9pm ~ Board of Variance (Council Chambers) AND Library Board (Peters Room - WV Library)

=== Thursday, July 20th

~ 5:30 - 7:30pm ~ N.S. Family Court & Youth Justice Comm. [CANCELLED]

=== Tuesday, July 25th

~ 4:30 - 6:30pm ~ FSTF

=== Wednesday, July 26th

~ 5pm ~ PAC (check to see if cancelled)

=== Thursday, July 27th

~ 8:30 ~ Wrap-up Ccl Mtg, tying up loose ends

~ 4pm ~ WV Police Board Mtg, WV Ch of Commerce Boardroom AND DAC

=== Saturday, July 29th

--  The Sculptors' Society of BC's exciting group exhibition Swing into Form at the Pendulum Gallery, 885 West Georgia, across from the Vancouver Art Gallery, has now been held over until Saturday July 29th.  Admission is free.  Everybody is welcome.

-- The Gallery at the Library Presents...

July 3 - July 31:  Kathy Bentall and Roger Willoughby-Price

Two Bowen Island photographers reveal what is beautiful in the commonplace. Whether a moment on a cattle ranch or a courtyard in a faraway land, this month's exhibition is all about the beautiful details of life.

Gallery exhibitions are viewable during Library hours:  Mondays through Thursdays - 10am - 9pm

Fridays - 10am - 6pm; Saturdays 10am - 5pm (Closed Sundays until September)

-- Art by Helen Keyes: Silk Purse; Delaney's at Park Royal; Interior Design Solutions, 1405 Bellevue

***  HARMONY ARTS starts Aug 4th.  See www.harmonyarts.ca for full schedule.

>>>  FSTF COMMENTARY 2  <<<  by George Pajari, eager bean bunny

o   Tuesday's meeting (July 11) continued with the excellent Municipal Finances 101 taught by Professors Stuart and Laing. It has been a great learning experience dampened only by the realisation that your scribe is the only person sitting in the gallery. Where are those people who claim to be interested in municipal finances? Where are the ratepayer groups? And where are the Interested Taxpayers Action Committee? Not that interested, I guess.

o   The next task for our force is to agree upon a definition of Financial Sustainability so they have a goal to aim for, from which they will be able to develop their work plan. Some of this discussion will be happening on their new Electronic Bulletin Board/Extranet site (beyond the view of the public -- something we are raising with Council and the Inspector of Municipalities as being contrary to the spirit if not the letter of the Community Charter).

o   They are also beginning to realise that 16 weeks is precious little time for such an undertaking with one Councillor suggesting meeting twice a week!

o   Time pressures preclude my writing a summary of the discussions in general but the most telling moment was when a senior staff member, talking about sustainability generally, said that he had no trouble managing cuts in expenditure, just that cutting costs significantly inevitably means cutting services and that gets people up to the podium pretty quickly (not mentioned but the recent attempt to move the court sports people out of the new rec centre is a case in point).
o   Let's put this observation beside our crystal ball, wherein I predict (safely) that the broad outline of the TF report will contain the obvious conclusion that WV cannot continue on its current fiscal path and therefore in order to avoid financial crisis Council has to do one or more of the following:

        - find new sources of revenue

        - increase current sources of revenue (i.e. raise taxes)

        - cut services

o   When Council considers options (b) or (c) they will ponder: if we raise taxes a few points the pain will be widely spread -- and look what happened this year when we proposed a 4.5% tax increase (almost twice CPI) -- only a dozen or so people showed up for the budget meetings.

o   But look what happened when we tried to cut court sports, we had hundreds of people out protesting, signing petitions, manning information booths in the community to raise awareness. And we caved (at a cost of several million dollars for a second gym).

o   So guess which approach they'll take? Raise taxes and incur the wrath of 12 or cut services and incur the wrath of hundreds?

o   So if you're reading this and you pay taxes in West Vancouver you have two choices: learn to love tax increases several times CPI or start to figure out what services you want cut and how many Monday nights you are willing to spend in Council Chambers providing Council with the spine to make them happen.

o   Next time I hope to provide some more background from the Municipal Finance 101 lectures as well as any news on the TF's definition of "Financial Sustainability".

The Mayor started the mtg with a public service announcement re MADD

AGENDA: add bylaw; withdraw deleg request by WRA; add'l item, venue for townhall mtg

MINUTES of June 19 and 26 adopted

At the June 19, 2006 meeting, Council received the report dated June 9 from the Manager, Community Planning

PRESENTATION

SJN: DP -- Amb is a mandatory DP area

site restrained FAR .6 more typical 2 to 3x that on the site

for basement storage area.

design along street to daylight creek, provision for a planter

landscaping at the creek area; two storeys only, old KFC site

no room for parking underground, Royal Bank at Marine & 17th has parking on roof

Sop: about apparatus on roof -- what/height/noise?

Sop: we carried on with another prop with noise on roof so shd nip in bud

SJN: this comes from behind, all venting is to outside

JC: admirable the Bank of Montreal is proposing to daylight that

JC: public access to water, fear of falling in?

Ans: no [access]

JC: BoM doesn't even sweep the sidewalks in front.  Will they maintain this?

Ans: hedge along screening prop wd hv to be maintained

JC: somewhat unusual, exposing in whatever way, responsibility?

SJN: more so in Dund but in Amb, quasi accessible to public -- next door to this, worked quite well

number of pathways maintained by prop owners in Dund and works well

Regency Place landscaping on public prop (Dund)

Ans: $50K; fine but v expensive [so no]

RECOMMENDED:  THAT all written and verbal submissions ...be received.

CARRIED

Anyway, then Sop moved:

THAT the DPA, which would provide for a two-storey commercial building with 11 parking spaces, be approved.

Sop: this is a v small site; owner has taken steps; good re environment

apparatus below is good; with staff advice looked at all areas

-- however PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

=  4.2 Council Advisory Committees -- all change! 

Well, you saw my comments in WVM20:

RECOMMENDED:  THAT the recommendations regarding Council Advisory Committees contained in the Chief Administrative Officer's July 05, 2006 report be approved for implementation September 01, 2006

{that's it?  take it or leave it?   why not circulate to the quasi-defunct or present/past adv cmtes for comment (they were consulted but haven't seen the final formula)? why not put out for public input?}

CAO:  over years been hearing concerns; decision to look at 16 cmtes

staff met with those cmtes and chairs, asked what they'd like to see

what came out that roles diverse, so structure not meeting their needs

opp to participate with Ccl, need less rigid framework; administrative processes cumbersome

some suggestions the processes themselves and mbrships needed looking at

we think go to five categories, p3

rather than structured cmtes; opp to engage a much broader section of cmnty; take advantage of use of technology

opp to register for forum; go to website, pick up material at Library; sometimes specific groups formed

not as much structure, focused on issues

trying to tap into existing groups, providing advice to us on an ongoing basis; ratepayer orgs, Srs Adv, Foreshore, M&A, fielduser groups, etc

appointing, issue to look at eg FSTF

rather than low profile working group; reports directly to Ccl

recommending they continue; design, audit, apptmt cmte

allows us to be more flexible

Working Groups cd be appointed: H strategy implementation, youth, arts and culture

a lot where Ccl has set policy, assist staff in implementation

gone through all 16; where they wd fit into those categories

wd seem that what Ccl and cmtes looking for

volunteers have a rich history of providing Ccl with expertise

v expensive if we'd gone out

one thing we've heard -- they wd really like to participate but on a more focused basis or a --

attempt to meet those needs

hoping this is going to represent a different way of engaging cmnty

run with this for a year and then report back.

{Well, absolutely!  And that's why while complimenting the extensive work, my recommendation was that this memo now be put out to the public, groups, and former adv cmte mbrs, to get feedback for Ccl's consideration before implementation.  If in a rush, maybe give to last mtg in July, then have revised/updated recommendations in September for consideration.}

7:41

Sop: ...some concerns -- where are the linkages? openness? reporting method?

assume all working groups open to all cclrs at any time

Ans: Yes

Sop: thirdly, have some concerns putting Design Panel in cmte form that wd see the group vote, be appointed annually

are the mbrs going to be professionals? architects? how many will there be?

when you open this up to a cmte, how do we get a sense of info back?

when so many come to a Design Panel, same to Planning

if cmtes looking at initiatives, what happens the rest of the time?

when does it get in front of us?

opp for Cclrs to observe

communication will differ whether cmte or working group

not changing Design; but minor tweaking going to occur there

opportunities to improve; not so much changing function, size, mbrship, rather access to diff projects

Sop: the appt cmte wd make recommendations to Ccl on all cmtes?

CAO: they'd work with working groups

Task Force, all of Ccl

Sop: so Ccl will not have the right to appoint all ppl to all groups?

if control of apptmt taken away from Ccl, caught up with bureaucracy and have to hire consultants

I don't want the process softened down so much as communication

like what you put down

have to be careful with five groups of cmtes, getting away with us; cautious before getting on with us

JF: an interesting and complex report

seven years ago the Ccl of the day said process wasn't working so Cclr Haycock sat down with a cmte and set out new ways and went on for rest of year

lots of grumbling; not so much cmte but more work for staff

one of the bones of contention was that Ccl didn't take advice from cmte wch conflicted with advice from other cmtes and then had to consider public and political considerations

felt not appreciated

in fact they did work v hard

I see a lot here that was employed at various times in various guises

thinking of OCP, large venues, workshopping at tables

all of these probably used over past 50 years

remains to see if happy but we'll see

what replaces these is working groups,...

finally only meaningful groups Task Forces; and it's hard to know what form they wd take

do away with apptmt cmte, not much to do

really only two or three cmtes survive

point out Heritage Implementation, carries out Heritage policies

Foreshore -- came from EAC wch also came up with suggestions for downhill trucking

can't see forums will replace

glad to see Design stays, will survive; but will they look at duplexes?  I'd argue good design comes from that

what's substantial? major?

some duplexes better than sgl-fam homes b/c Design involved, made better

think we shd put off to end of this year and discuss with cmtes themselves

wait to end of Dec 2006, discuss with cmtes and public before rushing on

VV: thank Mr Stuart for tackling this subject and courage to move forward with electronic media

can't agree have to be slow about it

we're faced with we don't have financial stability

looking at ways to make these cmtes work better

the item on financial implications -- savings, but no numbers

what did they cost and what savings will we get? -- one of the reasons to do it!

CAO: wrt apptmt cmtes, that's for working groups

just names some obvious ones but that doesn't prevent others being formed for other issues

some you see there were devped by subcmtes

let's move away from just wait until something comes up

tackling it with work force and stand down

you don't have any adv cmtes, they all ended in June

certainly if Ccl wants to have discussions with cmtes informally we can do that

if Sept 1st, we can go out and ask them what are some issues

probably can come back with an estimate of the number of hours, copying, dinners, and that sort of thing

savings as in budget reductions, not so much be reallocation of resources

not administrative, more focus on work

heard from cmtes

VV: point from Ms Reynolds with public costly

MS: I'm kind of split on this, Cclr Day makes some good points

struggling...  what's difference between HAC and H working group

keep cmte if numbers want to break off, way to go

troubles me having an apptmt cmte, why not Ccl? names come before Ccl?

cmtes around a long time; just to strike them off the roster, a rather negative move

CAO: ... very formal structure, posting of agendas, minutes, workplans -- a lot of ways care and feeding of the cmtes rather than the work

Heritage Cmte -- if Ccl has now passed policy, why not focus on implementation

question of focusing; can reappoint the HAC

not so much formal structure

HAC maybe work once ev two or three months; Foreshore Strategy Group -- that group has talked about forming its own society

groups with own initiatives

RD: problem with Task Force; forget about adv cmtes

Cclr V thinks going to save money, so forget that

staff to deal with electronic; generally it won't

replacing with task forces

advantage of adv cmtes is that it brought talented ppl with background, issues Ccl wanted expertise; some worked well and some didn't

all we had to do was give them a good dinner once a year

wdn't have had Heritage [Strategy/Implementation] and Foreshore [Study/Initiative] if we hadn't had those ppl to give us the ideas

Ccl not all specialised

need those to come up with ideas

throwing out the baby with the bath water

Planning Cmte didn't have enough work, didn't meet; Ccl didn't care; PAC complained didn't have enough work -- we didn't give them work

we say abolish the cmte

give them the work -- we've gone too far; reform them, change them, give them more work to do

CAO: establish the forums on a broad topic

to say we're looking at this issue

discussion paper on the web, what do you think about it

not a cmte working once a month

others who not on cmte can't get on; right now opp to participate

RD: we can still have electronic communication -- who'll collate that?'

one of the arguments is save staff more time, but that won't...

Sop: ... need to work that out better...

not opposed to getting ppl's opinions; keep cmtes and get opinions

Sop: in workshops we all advised staff not happy with way cmtes were

once were called commissions

think day was lost when changed to cmte

commission has more value

but we opted to look at a new role b/c the reporting system was not working

we did not send or ask for advice

seldom from H, Parks & Rec, Planning

and then the reporting system -- I'm not critiquing anyone here -- not word for word and sometimes not in front of us for two or three months...

we were appointed as liaison but Ccl was not asked on what she or he heard when sat as liaison so communication lost

societies, good from them -- streamkeepers, Cypress, foreshore

my only concern that I have -- know Cclr Day says new role; important to let it run for a year

don't want to lose those ppl who give their time and expertise to us

think it's time for change; if we go cautiously, come up with new direction here

sat with lots of cmtes and so not dispelling

for next few months, look at these and some details then --

JC: someone said the times they are a'changing; we view the world differently today

Ccl have recognized problems, changes made on a trial basis; some worked and some didn't; have reached next level, shd bring this whole process up to date

JF: I share some of Cclr Day's and Smith's concerns

opp to learn leadership skills and to compromise and reach a consensus

don't think we'll lose depending on the Terms of Reference

we can make it work for us and for the cmnty; if it doesn't work, we can try

VV: been thinking about what Cclr Day said, ..... and dinner once a year

don't understand that those bright ppl wd not put those ideas in email

don't see why not inviting those ppl quarterly [to dinner]

our computer ppl wd tell us how to handle email; we cd get a report on that

part of experimental period; think we can solve these issues and definitely shd give these a try

Mayor: I hear the respect Cclr Day and others have....

I think this report builds on this

comments across the board, want to be assigned specific tasks, and earlier in the process rather than after things have been decided

disappointed with communication with Ccl

this is about open doors

coalesce around a body moving quarterly

want to say to all the groups who sometimes have a difficult time -- we rely on them too

this sends a major message to the cmte

your involvement is legitimate

adv cmte is an elitist model

need to use technology, not using it nearly as well as we can

heard consistently from staff, not best use of their time

atrophy

this will evolve; abolish is a strong word

the cmtes know they're over

the Design Panel is intact, Planning looking at significant work

finally, about working groups: gives us the opp to move quickly; suits ppl today

huge commitment to meet once a month for four hours, with little

think it's in important

hope it succeeds; hope centrepiece, hope involve public more

CARRIED

Mayor tyvm excellent debate

= 8:25 = Foreshore Initiatives Update Report

June 20, 2006, from the Environmental Coordinator, re: "Foreshore Initiatives -Update Report" and Action Plan and Working Protocol for 2006, 2007 and 2008 be received.

Derrick Hawkins: 2200 block Lawson, lived there for 50 years

fortunately I have my ideas in writing

hoped the report wd hv addressed the problem of private encroachment on wch I have made six or eight submissions over the years

I have copies and photocopies of most of these past reports

wd they be of any use and to whom shd I convey these reports and photographs for action in the future re public access to the foreshore?

Mayor: Mr Jenkins may--

CAO: info forwarded to Mr Nicholls

two [issues]: encroachment and foreshore lease

wd appreciate receiving that info

Ray Richards: thought I'd be speaking after the presentation

thank you for bringing this forward; really commendable

we are a formal society [Shoreline Preservation Society]; we do minutes and agendas and we don't use a staff person; we get our own location not M facilities (unless av)

ppl are prepared to do a whole lot more; volunteered equipment, hours of professional work; put in dollars, raised money for educational purposes, and working with Mr Jenkins on this

big thank you; he's a breath of fresh air to work with

we have a lot of future plans

advantage we have as a society is we don't take up time of staff, except liaise with Stephen, can bring forth points some cclr wd not want; we can go to corporations [for $] that Ccl can't do

prepared to do more, one member, former Dean of Engg at UBC; some work can be done by university ppl where province may not feel comfortable funding WV for work on the shoreline

same for other situations

main thing is to say thank you v much

PRESENTATION - Steve Jenkins, Env'tal Coordinator:

Three-year plan

agree with Cclr Day, EAC was the catalyst

all the reports and no one had put it together an action plan -- so full credit to Adrian and EAC

good in following up with our progress

handed off to Foreshore Group now; easy way to work for staff; no minutes; things that make life easier from my perspective

technical questions we didn't have expertise on staff so thought prudent to have a peer review by Sandwell (done of EAC's report)

general consensus of direction; missing piece -- thought try to find out what below

scraped together some money and got some sledding done [see picture, what it looks like off 19th], GPS, creating a map

two massive boulders out of place; two distinct types of vegetation

between 18th and 19th more diverse -- great shot of some lingcod

created some rough maps: green area is sand; Dundarave Pier dominated by sand

working out to west

no 6 is interesting, thinking of putting in a rock garden

set in rocks for wave trip so better wave action breaking further from shore protecting seawall, if works well can build on it

See buildup at Navvy Jack Point

down to detailed design now -- these are the two houses east of 18th, Lawson Creek where we've done the baffling

watch that we don't burn out our money; get things to a viable stage

watch what happens with these projects

potential for large implications; chain of bureaucracy -- met with Dept on Navigable Waters, they protect shipping lanes

monitor this work, cd dismantle or work on

Sop: over 50 years ago there was a drop off

owner, accretion, got 15 ft

east, it eroded

Mayor: getting to question?

Sop: what are we doing it for? creeks and salmon-bearing

if don't educate will have these constant interruptions

RECEIPT AND THANKS TO SOCIETY

JC: second part: a minor but significant change to wording

2007 to 8 be implemented subject to budget constraints

Mayor: now time to debate

JF: time to debate during budget

Mayor: debate re policy now

CAO: have budget for environment using those funds now and will discuss at budget time

8:52...to be continued!

RECOMMENDED:  THAT encroachment into the covenant area described in Reference Plan 13848 in accordance with proposed Development Permit 06-022 for protection of the natural environment and creek, be approved.

SJN: covenant on that creek by the Approving Ofcr some years ago

no longer done that way

approval by Ccl unless by staff

says not to be unreasonably withheld; requires Ccl to confirm

8:54

            RECOMMENDED: THAT the upgrade of the school playground at West Bay School be approved for 2006 in the amount of $34,612.42, from existing Municipal infrastructure funds based on a one-time modification to existing policy allowing the contribution portion to exceed 33%.

VV: how much in excess of 33%; don't know how much we're exceeding

Mayor: looks to me that 50%, right

YES

VV: then unwise; why give an extra bonus to this particular school when we're looking at fiscal

facing severe challenges

why make an exception in this place?

MS: report clearly identifies that we're actually saving money by doing this b/c two schools and School Bd funding other school

Sch Bd stepping up to fund fully the others

CAO: same principle; appears exceeding but saving within budget

Sop: why sales tax? not an exemption for school properties?

CAO: if M work wd be an exemption

parent group some costs

Sop: so wd be $4700 less

CAO: subject to

JF: seems to me a citizen lobbied that money parents raise, fundraising, exempt so....

Mayor: DWV and SchBd coordinated and with pooling saved money.

4.6       Youth Leadership Grant Recommendations

            RECOMMENDED: application for Swing and Sweets be approved in the amount of $140.00.

4.8  townhall mtg Sept 13 re EvDr [KMC?]

5.1.1   Development Variance Permit Application No. 06-027 (8615 Lawrence Way)

RECOMMENDED:  THAT the report titled Development Variance Permit 06-027 (8615 Lawrence Way), dated June 26, 2006, which provides information on an application that would allow for renovations and additions to an existing home with a variance to waterfront yard, be received for consideration at the meeting of Council on Monday, July 24, 2006.

7.         REPORTS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS

Sop: helped set up for bbq

JC: 5000+ ppl

kids terrific, swamped venues for them

stage terrific, olympians inspiring

apologies didn't introduce Cclr Sop that day

thank Lara Freimond

mayor, reaffirmation of citizenship

fireworks incident free

a couple of parking tix on Folkestone

12-minute delay

dinner cruise boat -- three attempts to push them far enough away

for the future, intend to form a society, the Burrard Inlet Fireworks Society

Mayor Walton has appointed himself

NV City will be included

City of Van will also be represented

prez/?CEO of Canada Place

hoping to move out of our budget for next year

Mayor: part of Har El consecration

dedication at Capilano Cemetery last week; mbrs may stay there for burying

taking from secular to sacred world

nice to be invited

9:07

8.         PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

Man (did not catch name): 2800 Palmerston; moved from Rockridge

houses being built constantly; Cclr Smith walked with us

changes in nbrhd values and nbrhds

clearly at present

as long as conforming with existing bylaws, any impact on existing homes

on the road, a nbr had a commanding view; house built and lost entirely

sometimes not owner-occupied, spec

no ongoing nor nbrly concern

general introduction

first: demolition

permit is applied for and has to be demolished with a month

nbrs not informed of that day

nbrs may be away; noise dust unavoidable; some of the dust may contain asbestos, it's carcinogenic

where I work at the hospital, when a small wall was taken down, we were barred

house next to us, I know nothing about it

at least if warned, can close our windows

perhaps 24, 48, or more hours' notice given

second: information to nbrs

at an appropriate time to have some consideration regarding the upcoming devt

notice re bldg permit become a requirement of the District or applicant

opportunity to view the plans at the 'city

while costly and time-consuming to District, transferring to applicant at time of application

design of a suitable letter by District and blanks made available for applicants to pick up and fill in

at present I and nbrs take up staff time calling asking when plans coming to Ccl

seems unsatisfactory

if immediate nbrs given time to express concerns, they may or not be addressed

some accommodation may be made, desirable

if possible to ask for some response, wd like

SJN: wd like to report back on those suggestions

have possibility of implementation, both have merit

2658 Nelson

[Man]: for me and my nbrhd, the horse has alread bolted

JC: suggest Mr G leave a copy of his notes

ANS can't read a bloody word of it

Mayor: nbrhd planning

certainly talked about it wrt OCP

RD: why not look into raising demolition fees

a lot of houses perfectly good

if we allow this, we shd get something back; too low

at least public get something back

some houses going in just too big for the nbrhd, built to max

look at reducing house coverage and FAR

if we do wd fit better

VV: wonder why we allow a house to diminish the value of others

concerned about diminution of value/quality of life

hope something will come of those remarks

Sop: cd even go further than that

we have a steep slope

sometimes I get calls from ppl, why are basements not in the ground, above

soil removed from lots

one chap today 200+ truckloads from a 60ft lot

what's happening when we have bylaws over amount removed

look at these bylaws

remarkable when you hear from the doctor and others frustrated

remarkable how much devt goes on, we get that info

meet bylaws they can develop

left us wondering

CAO: we do have a goal in the biz plan looking at blasting, housing regulations, setbacks, etc

we're looking at at least one nbrhd plan

MS: Cclr Day made an interesting comment earlier, input from duplexes up but not for sgl-fam up

unfortunate can't regulate taste

live in nbrhd, semi rural, treed, older style homes and some of the houses constructed in that area

one looks like a urinal you'd find in a Greek island somewhere

style [important]

yet we have no right to have some control over it

some other solution has to be found

JC: some years ago I attempted to bring something out seconded by Day, bring it out

Mayor: same footprint

H Bay

really a question of staff resources

[When's] Clovelly plan coming?

SJN: in Sept.

CR, having held my tongue though referred to by name and unable to speak until PQP:

Thank you.

+ Before my comments, I'd like to echo what the gentleman before me said.  In our neighbourhood wch isn't that far away, we have some of the same problems.  In fact, in one case someone has dug ~5ft down the edge of someone's property.  I did talk to Mr Nicholls, and they can actually make a cliff on your property without your having any say in it.  So at least if we had some notification that something's going to be done and we cd see it, we cd perhaps talk to them.  I really appreciate that idea, but the problem is as someone else said, these are spec houses.  If you're talking to the person moving next to you, you can come to some agreement.  All of us I'm sure have done that, but when a speculator is maximizing, there's really very little you can do.  And they don't v often listen.  I hope v much that you can at least give us notice.

Thank you, but before I go back to what I was going to say,

+ during the ccl adv cmte item, of course we speak, then you have discussion.  We can't say anything, and so perhaps, since my name was mentioned, and something I did not say, or intend, I wanted to take this opportunity to say when I commented there cd be more inclusion, just putting out the new exciting ideas -- I must say I don't want to get bogged down [or imply] that they weren't good ideas that the Mgr had -- I just felt there shd be some time for public input.  And the comment was made, dismissing my idea, b/c it wd cost more .  So I want to say there was no intention and I can see many ways this reference can be made without costing more, and I wd be pleased to talk about that some other time, not here, but I want to clarify, not my case.

+  Another point that Cclr Sop made was that there were commissions and the prev ccl went to cmtes.

I wd like to say that the HAC consultant, one of his recommendations, was that you go to commissions, so I hope that wd be when thinking about [this], you might want to consider that.

+ Did I understand correctly that the Terms of Reference will be worked out/b/c this is

not a complete report?  I thank the CAO -- it's great, exciting -- but there little holes as some of us mentioned.  Does that mean TofRef, details, holes, will be filled in by Sept 1st and that then looking at implementation Sept 30, after input and comments?  wasn't clear on that.

CR:  thank you, great.  Does that mean that we have to get comments in now then a new set Sept 11 and we get comments in then for Sept 30?

Mayor, charming: we're always open to your comments

CR: that's great.  No, er, well, there are other ppl with much better ideas than I have, I'm sure.  As other ppl have said, the well of expertise and goodwill in this cmnty is tremendous and I'm glad to see it's being used.

+ As to the letter about E-Comm, Mr Pajari was going to be here tonight to ask that.  I'm glad Cclr Smith brought it up and the question that Mr Pajari also had was he wondered why it wasn't for reply

and I wondered if that report will be made available -- did you say before or at Police Bd Mtg?

Mayor: don''t think opp before that to have a ccl report, close? well --?

CAO: probably cd convey the report but it needs some analysis.  Obviously converting to E-Comm is a signif issue not only with costs but operational options, and we need to consider also some of the alternatives and I don't know if I'm going to be able to do that -- we have two ccl mtgs and one Pol Bd mtg; but I do need at least to get info to PBd, then there's going to have to be some discussions about options.

Mayor: tyvm

so I think what ppl were wanting to know is whether or not going for E-Comm, what alternatives were looked at before you came to your decision

Mayor: And that's the purposes of the budget item wch was to hire the consultant, wch is right what we're in the middle of evaluating, so -- and that will be made public when we can

CR: when you can, no idea

Mayor: anything further? got someone else who wants to speak

CR: tyvm

fireworks were great, thank you, Cclr Clark

Iain Forsythe: lived 25 years on Mathers

what has been goijng on at 30th and Mathers is extraordinary alterations

who caused them?

never heard of an accident in 25 years

originally a simple triangle of soil

Mayor: where there's a new roundabout?

IF: exactly: altered three or four times, how many times?

how much money has been spent?

satisfied now?

walked with nbrs, and you have to jump over, rocks, boulders

Mayor: will refer to Dir/Engg, Mr Barth.

IF: how much money has been spent? how many times have you altered it?

Mayor: excuse me, direct [questions/comments] to me

EB: don't have particulars but can get them and give them to the gentleman

9:30  --  ADJOURNMENT

OR     RECOMMENDED: THAT The Development Variance Permit Application 06-025 (1329 & 1345 Fulton Avenue), which would allow for a three lot subdivision with variances to:  (a) minimum side yard; (b) combined side yard; (c) and projection of a roof overhang, for the existing covered porch attached to the home on proposed Lot C, be approved.

OR     RECOMMENDED: THAT the Development Variance Permit Application No. 06?031 (3191 Mathers Avenue), which would allow for a new home with a variance to rear yard be approved.

RECOMMENDED: THAT an Order of Non-enforcement of sections 5.1 and 6.1.5 of the District's Noise Control Bylaw No. 4404, 2005 be approved for Marriage Films Inc. for: (a) Friday August 11, 2006 from 4:00  p.m. to midnight and; (b)  Saturday August 12, 2006 from 12:01 a.m. to 7 a.m. and (c)  Friday August 18, 2006 from 6:00 p.m. to midnight and (d)       Saturday August 19, 2006 from 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.

            RECOMMENDED:  THAT notice be given that it is the intent of Council to introduce a new Council Procedure Bylaw, updated to reflect procedural changes approved by Council and updated format and text as described in the report dated July 12, 2006 from the Municipal Clerk, at the regular meeting on July 24, 2006.

8.  REPORTS FROM MAYOR/COUNCILLORS * 9.  PUBLIC QUESTIONS/COMMENTS * 10.  ADJOURNMENT

Last call!  See www.royaltea.ca

Don your best chapeau and prepare to sip by the seaside!

Dundarave Park (foot of 25th) in West Vancouver, BC

 Reservations@royaltea.ca or phone 604 922 4400

tix $5

Please --

Join us for tea and goodies at the foot of 25th to celebrate our heritage. This is the seventh annual RoyalTea -- the first was to celebrate the Queen Mother's 100th birthday on 2000 August 4th.

Sign the book to send greetings to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II -- best wishes and Happy 80th Birthday.

Listen to the music of some pipers from the JP Fell Pipe Band, West Vancouver's official pipe band.

Enjoy the witticisms of the Bard himself!

Wear a fancy hat and win a gift certificate from Eleanor Mack for another one! (gift certificates for $25, $50, and $75)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Bas Collins (Police Archivist & Videographer), The Beach House Restaurant and The Blue Teapot in Dundarave, Eleanor Mack (Ambleside milliner), Milton M. Cameron (Pipe Sergeant) and Don McPhee (Pipe Corporal) of the JP Fell Pipe Band (WV's official pipe band), Faximum Software Inc., Genevieve Cashman, Marguerite Cassetta, Christopher Gaze, Tom and Janet Laing, netVOICE Communications, Rebecca Mair, Gloria Olmstead, George Pajari, John and Marny Peirson, MLA Ralph Sultan, West Van Florist, the Parks Dept (Lara Freimond in particular) and District of West Vancouver, and the volunteers helping and carrying on our traditions with love for community and country.

ENJOY!

Carolanne Reynolds

Chair, North Shore Heritage Forum (West Vancouver)

cr@northshore.heritagebc.org or carolanne@royaltea.ca

Past President, John Stuart (North Vancouver)

=

Rest of Ccl Mtgs in 2006: July 24 and 27 (8:30am); No meetings in August; September 11, 18, and 25; October 2, 16, and 23; November 6, 20, and 27; December 04, and 11

=

LET'S LOOK AFTER OUR STREAMS:

If you live or work near a stream, guard its health by following these suggestions:

   Do leave the streambed as nature designed it.

   Do maintain (or add) a wide strip of native plants alongside the stream.

   Do avoid using chemicals anywhere near a stream and keep your septic tank in good condition

   Do let water flow unobstructed.

   Do enjoy and protect the natural asset that runs through your neighbourhood.

        Don't disturb fish in your stream.

        Don't dig in the stream, change its course, drive through it or let cattle trample in it. [!]

        Don't remove trees or shrubs closer than 15 metres from stream banks.

        Don't remove boulders, gravel, or woody debris from a stream.

        Don't ever dump any chemical into a stream or storm drain.

        Don't alter water flows without proper permits and expert advice.

=

SOME FACTS:

Did you know?

*  About 1000 have climbed Everest, about 400 have gone into space, but only about 200 have sailed around the world.

*  AUB (American University of Beirut) was founded in 1866.

*  Status of Palestinians in Lebanon [NB: this was written before war started]

                [from July 2006 Le Monde diplomatique; full article available by email on request]

...According to Unrwa, 60% of Palestinian refugees live in poverty and as many as 70% are unemployed.  Until recently there were 72 jobs they were unable to practise outside the camps; they were not allowed to bring construction material into the camps; and they cannot leave or re-enter Lebanese territory without a visa, which lasts for only six months.

In June 2005 the Lebanese minister of labour, ..., signed a memorandum in favour of Palestinians born in Lebanon and registered at the interior ministry, which partly lifts the ban on doing certain jobs.  But this does not change anything for qualified Palestinians, who still cannot practise medicine, law or architecture.  There is total silence about a 2001 law that forbade Palestinians to buy houses or property in Lebanon, which has led to legal confusion, particularly on inheritance...

"Proposals were already made in 1995 indicating that a Palestinian born in Lebanon had the right to work, on condition he had a permit; but this permit is still almost impossible to obtain and the minister's proposal doesn't include social security or insurance."

The fragrance released in northern pine forests is a significant component in slowing climate change, according to research. The particles that carry the forests' olfactory assault also help to cool the planet by bouncing energy from the sun back into space. Now researchers have worked out that the forests produce enough microscopic particles to load the atmosphere with 1,000-2,000 particles per cubic centimetre of air. Hans-Christen Hansson of the Air Pollution Laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden, said airborne particles are a big unknown factor for climate scientists. "We are afraid we have totally misjudged the trend of climate change because the particles are not in the models in a comprehensive way." JR [Guardian Weekly, April 2006]

=

Randeep Ramesh in Delhi (Guardian Weekly, Aug 2006)

The Bard arrived in Bollywood last week with the release of the first big-budget cinema version of a Shakespeare play in India: Omkara, an adaptation of Othello.
Instead of the Moor of Venice, the film's central character is a political strongman in the badlands of north India. Translated into Hindi, the film's writers say they have been faithful to the story of a warrior hero who is innocent in love and hence vulnerable to the treachery of his companion-in-arms.

The play's universal themes, they say, have merely been transported to an Indian setting. "The jealousy, the plotting and the tragedy are all still there in Omkara. What has changed is that we have tried to make [Othello] understandable to an Indian audience," says Abhishek Chaubey, who co-wrote the film.
Most notable is that Othello's racial difference becomes one of caste in India. Omkara is a muscleman born of a low caste mother who has emerged as the local leader of a Brahmin party.
The film stars some of India's biggest actors. Kareena Kapoor, whose career has rested on a string of romantic leads, plays the role adapted from Desdemona. One of Bollywood's leading men, Saif Ali Khan, also departs from his trademark romeo roles to take on a limping, scheming Iago. And the veteran Bollywood heartthrob, Ajay Devgan, is the character adapted from Othello.
Bollywood is better known for producing lavish song-and-dance routines than the raging emotions of Othello. But Omkara mixes the two by making one of the characters a chanteuse who belts out songs in dingy bars.
The film's crew were behind the previous attempt at adapting Shakespeare for Indian cinema, transplanting Macbeth from the Scottish highlands into the Mumbai underworld. Considered an arthouse movie, Maqbool garnered critical and commercial success.

Bollywood appears to be in the mood for adapting Shakespeare. Versions of Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream are also in the offing.

It was the first day of school and a new student named Pedro Martinez, the son of a Mexican restaurateur, entered the fourth grade.  {Grade Four in Canada!}

The teacher said, "Let's begin by reviewing some American history.  Who said 'Give me Liberty, or give me Death'?'  She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Pedro, who had his hand up.

"Patrick Henry, 1775."

"Very good!" said the teacher. "Now, who said, "Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth?"

Again, no response except from Pedro: "Abraham Lincoln, 1863."

The teacher snapped at the class, "Class, you should be ashamed!  Pedro, who is new to our country, knows more about its history than you do!"

She heard a loud whisper: "Screw the Mexicans!"

"Who said that?" she demanded.

Pedro put his hand up. "Jim Bowie, 1836."

At that point, a student in the back said, "I'm gonna puke."

The teacher glared and asked, "All right! Now, who said that?"

Again, Pedro answered, "George Bush to the Japanese Prime Minister, 1991."

Now furious, another student yelled, "Oh yeah? Suck this!"

Pedro jumped out of his chair waving his hand and shouting to the teacher, "Bill Clinton to Monica Lewinsky, 1997!"

Now, with almost a mob hysteria, teacher said, "You little sh*t. If you say anything else, I'll kill you!"

Pedro frantically yelled at the top of his voice, "Gary Condit to Chandra Levy, 2001."

The teacher fainted, and as the class gathered around her on the floor, someone said, "Oh sh*t, we're in BIG trouble now!"

Pedro whispered, "Saddam Hussein, 2003."

Finally someone throws an eraser at Pedro, someone shouted "Duck"!

Teacher, just waking, asked "Who said that?

Pedro blurts,  "Dick Cheney 2006!"

===  SUMMER CAR TRIPS ===  Formula (from the Guardian Weekly, August 2006) for car trips with kids:

A maths professor has come up with a way of distracting children on heatwave car journeys - by inventing an equation that predicts when the first of them will whine: "Are we nearly there yet?" The time-honoured query can be calculated, according to Prof Dwight Barkley of Warwick University, by a piece of simple mathematics. The equation finds that the time it takes for a child to ask the notorious question equals: one, plus the number of activities to do, divided by the number of children in the car squared. In mathematical terms, the calculation reads: Q= (1+x) divided by y 2 + z where Q is the question, x the number of on board activities, y the number of children and z the time taken to get the car loaded. Martin Wainwright

1 - With cell phones, arranging an approximeeting is really convenient.

2 - Just love new word, framily -- people close enough they're a combination of friend and family.

3 - Have you read a good blook lately?  This one is from Michael Quinion's World Wide Words.

One of the telltale signs to dictionary makers that a new word is becoming established is that compounds and derivatives are readily formed and used. That's most certainly true of "blog", the abbreviated form of "weblog" that has spawned terms like "warblog", "videoblog" and "litblog".   "Blook" is the most recent form, a blend of "blog" and "book". A blook is a blog that has been turned into a book. The word has been in the news because of the inaugural award in the genre, sponsored by a self-publishing [website] named Lulu, which named it the Blooker Prize (one for m'learned friends, you may feel). A total of 89 blooks were submitted for the Blooker by "blauthors" from more than a dozen countries. The winner was Julie Powell, who spent a year cooking all 524 recipes from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Among unsuccessful entrants was "Belle De Jour: The Intimate Adventures of a London Call-Girl". The PR Newswire summed that up with the headline "Cooker Beats Hooker to win Blooker".

+

One of my greatest pleasures in writing has come from the thought that perhaps my work might annoy someone of comfortably pretentious position.  Then comes the saddening realization that such people rarely read.

                -- John Kenneth Galbraith, economist (1908-2006)

+

Author - Alan Coren  (1938) is a British writer and satirist. Coren attended Wadham College, Oxford, Yale University and University of California, Berkeley. He is a regular panellist on The News Quiz and Call My Bluff and writes both his own and the Notebook columns for The Times. Coren was editor of Punch from 1978 to 1987, and of The Listener from 1987 to 1989, and he has also written for Penthouse and The Daily Mail. Coren also wrote an unsuccessful vehicle for Leonard Rossiter in 1978, The Loser, about a boxing promoter...

+

"The function of an expert is not to be more right than other people, but to be wrong for more sophisticated reasons."

+

From the Chiasmus website:  On July 31, 1784, Denis Diderot died at age 70 in Paris.  The son of a respected printer, he originally prepared for a career as a Jesuit monk, but decided instead to pursue a secular career, first as a lawyer, and then as a writer and a student of language, literature, mathematics, and philosophy.  He was the quintessential "Renaissance Man", he served from 1745 to 1772 as the editor of the historic "Encyclopedie", the most comprehensive compendium of knowledge up to that time.  A towering figure in intellectual history, he was also a respected novelist, playwright, satirist, and critic.  He wrote with great metaphorical flair, and many of his best observations conveyed deep human truths:

 "We swallow with one gulp the lie that flatters us, and drink drop by drop the truth which is bitter to us."

"Pithy sentences are like sharp nail which force truth upon our memory."

"People praise virtue, but they hate it, they run away from it. It freezes you

+++

The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.

                -- Archibald MacLeish, poet and librarian (1892-1982)

+

I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be.

                -- Thomas Jefferson, third US president, architect and author (1743-1826)