JBNA: Ripple Effects

James Bay Neighbourhood Association

An on-going Beacon feature on land use & planning - to alert, inform, and prompt community action - and to celebrate success!

Approximately 70 residents attended the May 2011 general meeting of the James Bay Neighbourhood Association (JBNA) to hear presentations and reports.  Local economist Dr. Brian Scarfe presented his report  "Victoria as a Port-of-Call: the Costs and Benefits of Cruise Ship Visits". 

Scarfe's report is the fifth and final component of the 5-part study on the impact of cruise tourism in Victoria.  Earlier components included the Residents Survey, Traffic Volume, Noise, and Air Quality in James Bay.  Scarfe has presented his report to the City of Victoria Standing Committee on Environment and Infrastructure, and to the Capital Regional District (CRD) Planning, Transportation & Protective Services Committee.  The report has received extensive local and national media coverage.

Copies of the report and a summary report are available at .

The 2003 Gorecki and Wallace report, "Ripple Effects: The Need to Assess the Impacts of Cruise Ships in Victoria B.C.", makes interesting reading if only because it indicates ongoing community concerns. http://www.georgiastrait.org/files/share/PDF/0305_ripple_effects.pdf  

To date, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) has relied upon 2006 economic data reported in the 2007 Cruise Industry Canadian Economic Impact Study prepared by Business Research Economic Advisors (BREA) and released in March 2008.  Prepared for the NorthWest CruiseShip Association and Canadian Cruise Associations on the East and West Coasts, the approximately 100 page report seems to be an examination of the 'Economic Contribution of the International Cruise Industry in Canada' with no analysis of the impacts to local residents and other tourism industries. 

Scarfe's report is the first examination of the cruiseship industry that includes a detailed analysis of local environmental and social impacts.

An individual selected to conduct a peer review of the Scarfe Report will announced by the GVHA shortly.

Development Proposals:

646 Simcoe (House of All Sorts)

A representative of the owner provided a description of a project to upgrade the House of All Sorts. This proposal, which will alter the interior with some exterior upgrades, is the initial step in getting City of Victoria Heritage Designation for the property.  No changes to the property (backyard, height or setbacks) are contemplated.  The Emily Carr artwork on the interior of the roof rafters is to be highlighted and made more available for viewing.  The renovation will provide an additional unit of transient accommodation in the basement.

257 Belleville

Concerned Residents of Laurel Point presented their concerns regarding this proposed development outside of the accepted CALUC (Community Association Land Use Committee) process.

In December 2010 Victoria councillors requested a more detailed economic analysis of proposed compensation to the city for increased project density prior to reaching a decision on this proposal.  Adjacent neighbours remain convinced that it is too large and too dense for the location.

Specific concerns include: minimal setbacks; loss of views; traffic congestion, and the impact on area traffic by the proposed narrowing of Pendray Street. The Harbour Pathway treatment of the proposed Gateway Plaza also raised concerns.

City of Victoria Official Community Plan (OCP)

Cameron Scott, assisted by Helen Cain of City Planning, provided an overview of the OCP and encouraged residents to submit responses. Hard copies of the plan are available at City Hall and can be viewed on the City web site.

Comments/discussion included:

- the need for standards and targets to deal with conflicts and to make the plan real;

- where area plans overlap (eg. James Bay and Downtown) local level plans should bubble up to area plans; neighbourhood associations should be included in area planning.

- Too much focus on growth.

- Harbour Plan should be included in OCP and requires resident input.

(See the JBNA column in the December 2010 Beacon for more detailed concerns regarding the OCP process.)

Correspondence

The JBNA requested the support of the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) to encourage the City of Victoria to accept and establish World Health Organization (WHO) air quality and community noise guidelines as goals or targets for future development within the OCP.

Air Quality

Ministry of the Environment Air Quality Monitoring will soon be available on-line.  Current hourly readings of sulphur dioxide level information will be posted on line at the BC Air Quality Index - bcairquality.ca.  The community thanks our community partner, Daniels Electronics, for hosting the Ministry of the Environment monitoring equipment.

Consultation

Although the GVHA-JBNA Board consultation process remains stalled, are there signs of progress on the horizon.  Members of the JBNA Board met with representatives from Cruise Victoria (CVS), Ellice Recycle, and Peninsula Waste Water Services to discuss the mitigation of vehicular noise from service vehicles moving through James Bay.

GVHA recently announced their membership in Green Marine, a voluntary international environmental improvement program, initiated by the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes Maritime Industry.

Marine industry members self-evaluate themselves in seven environmental areas including aquatic invasive species, air emissions, greenhouse gases, environmental leadership, etc.  Independent external verification of the self-evaluation reports is provided.

GVHA joined Green Marine 'to showcase the initiatives already under way...and to learn from other ports and terminals about the methods that have helped them achieve program goals'.

Green Marine has welcomed two new Board members from British Columbia: one 'represents the interests of commercial shipowners, operators and agents with respect to marine issues in British Columbia' while the other 'represents and protects the interests of west coast tug and barge operators'. 

Will this self-evaluation exercise produce results for the neighbourhood in a timely fashion or just reorganize the talking points?  How will it compare to action to date on the 2010 GVHA Reputational Survey by Malatest & Associates released in January 2011 (available on the GVHA website).

Join Us

Join us at 7 p.m.  Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at James Bay New Horizons - 234 Menzies Street for a Presentation by City of Victoria's Emergency Management Agency on Emergency Preparedness.