ACC Meeting re: Ridgewood Precinct Plan June 2013

                             
Assiniboia Community Committee (ACC) held a public hearing on the Ridgewood Precinct Plan on June 25, 2013, City Hall, 510 Main Street at 5:00 pm. Citizens voted to support or oppose plan.

Many of you who attended our CCHP Meeting on June 12, 2013 requested sample statements regarding issues with the Precinct Plan.

The following are problems with current Plan, as well as ideas for phone conversations with the councillors, emails or presentations at ACC. Please add your own personal perspective to make it more powerful.

•   Existing Charleswood streets will be used to access new developments for years – until William R Clement Parkway and collector roads are built:

o   “I am very concerned about the existing Charleswood streets.  As you know, many of our Charleswood streets are in poor condition with ditches.  These streets are not meant to withstand heavy tra ffic.”

o “I am also concerned with the volume of traffic on these streets.  We have children walking to schools and there are no sidewalks.  Increased traffic means increased risk for our children, elderly and all residents.”

o “Charleswood’s  major north/south and east/west streets are already busy. The city and developers are pushing their own agendas at the expense of existing residents. This is irresponsible and disrespectful. “

•Upgrades to Wilkes are not in the plan, but are critical to traffic issues.

o   “I work at the University and I’m always traveling Wilkes during rush hour.  It is almost impossible to get onto Wilkes in the morning. The intersection at Elmhurst and Wilkes is dangerous already.   Coming home at night, I must slow down to make a right turn because there’s no turning lane.  I worry that someone will eventually be hurt.”

o   “When there is a train, traffic is stacked up on the sides of Wilkes in both directions. It is not safe now.  I shudder to think what it will be like with 8000 more residents accessing the area”.

o    “Before you ever consider allowing development in this area, Wilkes needs to be improved with: wider, divided lanes, turning lanes, paved shoulders and traffic lights. Please do NOT put traffic circles on Wilkes; cars currently travel at 90 kilometers in the 80 zone”.

• Current landowners will pay for road and drainage upgrades to accommodate additional traffic from new development.

o “I thought residents (land owners) were only supposed to pay for improvements if they benefitted from them.  Why are WE paying for road improvements for the new development?  I live on Harstone.  It will require upgrades to accommodate additional traffic created by the new development. It needs to be widened to install that drain. Don’t even think of asking ME to pay for road improvements that I don’t need unless the development goes in.  I don’t get ANY net benefit, all I get is extra traffic and higher taxes”.

o “Asking landowners to pay for upgrades is holding them hostage.  If you don’t pay then the roads are congested and not safe to walk on. If the upgrades make the roads safer, then you have to pay for something you didn’t need if it weren’t for the development.  The city and developer must pay for any upgrades, not landowners.”

• No guarantee City monies secured for William R Clement Parkway

o  “The city is already heavily in debt to maintain and repair existing roads. Other major projects have been approved or being studied. In reality the chances of funding the WRCP at the expense of these other priorities is unlikely – especially when they can use existing Charleswood roads! Too easy to pass up. This means we must suffer intolerable levels of traffic on our streets for a very long time.”

• Only 10 % greenspace

o “Ridgewood South has a variety of different habitats and wildlife not found in any other area of the city. It’s unique and a treasure our city should celebrate – not destroy! 10% is totally insufficient to sustain this habitat.”

o “10% includes trails and active parks leaving very little for natural areas. Significantly more public reserve is required to adequately sustain natural areas unique to Manitoba. If not here, where?

·No overall natural area plan, like the plan developed for roads and drainage.

·   “If it’s going to be 25 years to complete the development then we need a natural area blueprint to target valuable areas.  Then when city planners change, the lands to be preserved will not.”

·   “The Ecologically Significant Natural Land strategy takes a piecemeal approach to identifying and preserving natural areas. It’s an inadequate policy document for assessing large areas like the Ridgewood South precinct.  We already know what needs to be preserved. Make a blueprint for future planning and goals.

Make a difference and come to the ACC meeting on June 25, 2013.

Contact ACC councillors to express concerns:

Paula Havixbeck (Charleswood Tuxedo Whyte Ridge)
Scott Fielding (St. James-Brooklands)
Grant Nordman (St.Charles)

 City Councillors:

Brian Mayes
bmayes@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5088

 Ross Eadie
readie@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5188

 Dan Vandal
dvandal@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5206

 Russ Wyatt
rwyatt@winnipeg.ca
204-986-8087

 Devi Sharma
dsharma@winnipeg
204-986-5264

 Sam Katz
mayor@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5665

 Harvey Smith
hsmith@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5951

 Scott Fielding
sfielding@winnipeg.ca
204 9876-5848

 Jeff Browaty
jbrowaty@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5196

 Thomas Steen
tsteen@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5195

 Jenny Gerbasi
jgerbasi@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5878

 Grant Nordman
gnordman@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5920

 John Orlikow
jorlikow@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5236

 Mike Pagtakhan
mpagtakhan@winnipeg.c
204-986-8401

 Justin Swandel
jswandel@winnipeg.ca
204-986-6824

 Paula Havixbeck
phavixbeck@winnipeg.ca
204-986-5232

PROCESS FOR APPEARING AT ASSINIBOIA COMMUNITY COMMITTEE
(ACC) MEETING

WHEN:  JUNE 25, 2013: 

·         Registration begins at 4:00 PM.  CCHP Members will be at City Hall to assist you at 4:00 PM.

·         Meeting begins at 5:00 PM

WHERE:  CITY HALL. 510 Main Street

The Public Hearing for the Ridgewood Precinct Plan is open for anyone to attend:

·         When you arrive you will be asked to sign the meeting register with your name and address. The registration table is located on the 2nd Floor of the Council Building on June 25, 2013.

·         Everyone attending the meeting is asked to register in one of three categories:

o   In support of the Precinct Plan –

§  You do not have to speak. When they call your name, you can reply, “I just wish to record my support”.

§  If you do wish to speak, then this is the opportunity to tell the councillors why you are in support of the plan

o   In opposition to the Precinct Plan

§  You do not have to speak. When they call your name, you can reply, “I just wish to record my opposition”.

§  If you do wish to speak, then this is the opportunity to tell the councillors why you oppose the plan

o   For information only.

·         If you have a written document that you wish to submit OR present, you bring at least 5 copies for ACC members.

ANYONE can attend the meeting! Showing up means you care about CHARLESWOOD.

The more residents who REGISTER, the better!

If you CAN'T attend the Public Hearing, you can participate by submitting your comments to the Public Hearing body in writing by:

Fax: 204 947 3452

E-mail: CityClerks@winnipeg.ca

Mail/In Person: City Clerk's Office,
Administration Building,
510 Main Street, Winnipeg, MB  
R3B 1B9