Islanders Secure Land Association

Minutes of Annual General Meeting May 3, 2009 @ 1 P.M.

And Notes of a Planning Charrette

New Horizons Centre, Hornby Island B.C.

 

Present: Michael McNamara, President; Michael Berman, Vice President; Kevin McMahon, Treasurer; Jenny Brown, Secretary; Directors Scott Sweeney, Masoud Zadeh, Michele Wilson; Janet LeBlancq, Administrator and 55 society and community members.

 

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 1:20 P.M. by Michael McNamara who welcomed everyone and introduced the Board of Directors and Administrator.

A slide presentation of various vistas of the 20 acre Weiss land ran throughout the meeting. Handouts included the agenda, financial statement, current constitution and bylaws and two special resolutions calling for revisions to the constitution and to the bylaws. The agenda was approved by general consent.

 

Minutes of Previous Meeting, April 22, 2009 were read by Jenny Brown.

Motion: Tim Biggins/ Scott Sweeney: That the minutes of the April 22nd meeting of the ISLA board be approved as read. Carried

 

Presidents Report: Michael reported on the boards goal of building a strong and diverse group. ISLA supported the HICEEC conference last year, which brought together housing groups from the Gulf Islands and the San Juan Islands. ISLA board also participated in the Housing Needs survey done on Hornby and Denman Island by consultant Margaret Eberle. Revisions to our associations constitution and bylaws are recommended partially as a separation from Denman Island, who have formed their own Denman Island Community Land Trust. Board members Jenny Brown, Masoud Zadeh and Kevin McMahon conducted monthly community outreach sessions on the Co-op porch. Funds raised enabled the board to hire an administrator, Janet LeBlancq. A CMHC grant for site assessment is being targeted. For this next year the board will need funding for land contour assessment, survey costs and soil testing costs, to name but a few. There are plans for a board workshop to be facilitated by BC housing.

Jenny Brown talked about the outreach program and the attempts made to place the issue of affordable housing in a priority position within the Hornby community. Monthly outreach includes the development of a registry for people looking for housing.

The presidents report was approved by general consent as presented.

 

Treasurers Report: Kevin McMahon called attention to the financial report.

 

Financial Report for the Period of June 1, 2008 - April 30, 2009*

* Date reflects that our year end has changed to April 30th

Income

Memberships $1,100.00

Donations $320.00

Community Fund Grant $2,200.00

Branch Fee Reimbursement $60.00

Quilt Raffle From HIES $6,547.60

Total Income $10,227.60

Expenditures

Administrator Salary $1,767.00

Office Supplies $68.80

Fees $185.75

Advertising $168.98

2008 AGM $69.04

Total Expenditures $2,259.57

Account Balances

Union Bay Credit Union $10,722.26

Petty Cash $250.25

Total Balance, April 30, 2009 $10,972.51

Forecasted Expenses From May 1, 2009 to May 1, 2010

Administration $3,180.00

Office Supplies $100.00

Fees $200.00

Advertising $200.00

2009 AGM $100.00

Taxes $1,000.00

Lawyers' Fees $2,000.00

Site Assessment $2,000.00

Total Forecasted Expenditures $8,780.00

 

Motion: Jan Bevan/MaryAnn Handy: That the financial report be approved as presented. Carried.

 

Vice Presidents Report: Michael Berman explained the background to the constitutional revisions and bylaw amendments. Revenue Canada will not issue charitable status unless there is a defined relief of poverty; the ISLA board did not want to restrict housing initiatives to only poverty relief. There was discussion. The partnering of ISLA with another organization that could have charitable status to build housing on the ISLA owned land was mentioned as a possibility.

Motion: Kevin McMahon/Scott Sweeney That the Vice presidents report be approved as presented. Carried.

 

Special resolution #1 to revise the Constitution: Michael Berman gave background. He explained ISLAs direction as holders of the land, and the desire to work with other organizations who would organize to build housing on the land. The directors were thanked for retaining the ISLA name. There were questions and answers.

 

Revised Constitution:

 

Name: The name of the Society is Islanders Secure Land Association, referred to in this document as ISLA or as the Association.

 

Purposes:

 

  1. To acquire land and hold it in trust in perpetuity and to provide permanently affordable housing on Hornby Island.
  2.  To provide permanently affordable access to land for housing by forever removing the land from the speculative market.
  3. To acquire, create and/or administer affordable housing, either independently or in cooperation with other community organizations.
  4. To steward the health of the natural environment by requiring ecologically sound and sustainable ways to use land for housing.
  5. To undertake any other activities that serve the purpose of the Association.
  6. Dissolution. In the event of dissolution or of the winding up of the Association, any money or assets of the Association remaining after the satisfaction of its debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such charitable organizations promoting the same objectives as this Association as may be determined by the members of the Association at the time of winding up or dissolution. Failing such determination then such money and assets shall be given or transferred to some other organization provided that such organization be a charitable organization or trust recognized by Canada Customs and Revenue Agency as being qualified as such under the provisions of the Income Tax Act of Canada from time to time in effect. THIS PROVISION SHALL BE UNALTERABLE.

 

Motion: Reina LeBaron/Tony Law That the revisions to the Constitution of the Islanders Secure Land Association be approved as presented. Carried by unanimous vote.

 

Special Resolution #2 to amend the bylaws: background given by Michael Berman.

 

Amended Bylaws:

 

The Bylaws are those set out in Schedule B of the Society Act with the following revisions noted in italics:

 

Part 4 - Proceedings at General Meetings, Section 16 Article (3)

A quorum is 3 (15) members present or a greater number that the members may determine at a general meeting.

 

Part 5 - Directors and Officers, Section 25 Article (2) The number of directors must be 5 (shall be 9) or a greater number determined from time to time at a general meeting.

 

Part 5 - Directors and Officers, Section 26 New Article (5) The 2009 election of directors shall require: 3 directors to serve three year terms; 3 directors to serve 2 year terms and 3 directors to serve a 1 year term. Commencing in 2010, all directors shall be elected for three-year terms.

 

Motion: Sally Campbell/ Lynn Nunley: That the revisions to the Bylaws of the Islanders Secure Land Association be approved as presented. Carried by unanimous vote.

 

Report of the Nominating Committee: Willing Volunteer candidates for election to the 2009/2010 ISLA Board: indicated candidates seeking reelection.

 

Michael McNamara Kevin McMahon Masoud Zadeh

Michael Berman Scott Sweeney Cindy Anderson

Ian Thomson Jenny Brown Sharon Rogalsky

 

Sharon Rogalsky, on vacation, emailed her comments in reply to a request from the board to serve as a director. These were read by Jenny Brown. Cindy Anderson introduced herself.

 

Election of the Board of Directors: There were no nominations from the floor on three

calls by Michael McNamara and the nine candidates were declared elected by

acclamation. The directors will decide amongst themselves who will serve three, two

and one year terms.

 

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 2:15 P.M. by general consent.

 

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Refreshment break

 

Islanders Secure Land Association Planning Charrette

May 3, 2009 following the ISLA AGM

 

The charrette convened at 2:40. There were 52 people in attendance.

Introductory remarks were given by Bernhard Weiss.

Bernard stated that he and Christa came to Hornby 28 years ago. Age diversity was never an issue. There was a balance between young and old in the island community. This is disappearingthere are fewer young people. People ask him why are you doing this? (Referring to his plan to donate 20 acres to ISLA). Bernhard stated that the community is lacking diversity, becoming a retirement community, a resort community generally for affluent people. In closing, Bernhard stated, We can make a difference. If we dont do anything we know where its going.

There was sustained applause.

 

Michael McNamara noted that Tim OBrien has donated his time to be with us. Tim referenced power point maps of Hornby and the Weiss land.4 X 2.5 acres parcels for sale and 20 acres being donated to ISLA.

 

Charrette Coordinator: Tim OBrien; facilitators Ed Hoeppner, Katherine Ronan, Anne Ngan, Michael McNamara.

Tim OBrien: design charrette are becoming more popular; questions have been formed and groups formed.
BIG Question: What sort of housing should go on the land? What should be the footprint? What amenities should be included? How to deal with vehicles? Recycling? Energy? Water use strategy? Food independence? Go off the grid for power? Cost? What is affordable? Caravans? Trailers? Eco pads?

The dynamics of the groups reporting methods were noted and the group discussions commenced at 3 P.M.

 

At 4:30 P.M. the groups gave verbal reports, point summaries follow:

 

Sally Campbell

Mortgages anticipated to be available

30 units 8 acres usable

Land clearing for more light

Start with owner built houses/caravans Owner built will keep standards high

Peripheral parking

Design facing houses to the south

Kitchen and living areas to face the common areas

Share resources

Co housing uniform core plans to save costs

Numbers of houses Sallys notes

Small starter units cohousing committee to regulate

Permeable paving

Common garage or workshop

 

Ed Hoeppner

Decisions made by people who will live there

Tour of land by people who need the housing

Types of housing clusters individual built / trailers

Common kitchen with small clusters around

Temporary dwellings while people were building their houses

Financing models: 2nd mortgages possible??

Community sponsorship for a family who needs housing

Cooperative model for a group of houses

Organization gets charitable status and have some housing for poverty relief

Ecological studies and really look at the water situation

Single people and families have different needs

Europe has some co housing models

Relationships in co housing

Clustered housing and individual housing combo

Central parking with emergency vehicle access.

Push carts for carrying items in

Septic study needed

8 usable acres

 

Judith Lawrence/ Cindy Anderson

What is a family?

Variety in sizes of dwellings

How many people can the property sustain?? Water septic etc.

Cluster housing

Central common areas and shared facilities

Central Guest accommodation

9 duplexes coop and rental clusters

Built to certain standards and styles.

Predetermined sites probably necessary vis a vis water and septic capabilities

Communal green spaces

Passive solar southern exposure

 

Ron McMurtrie

Visioning by all

Clusters emphasis

Diversity three types of housing

Rental caravan/cluster/individual single family dwellings with part of an acre attached

Rental units important

Financing guidelines were discussed

In order to planwho are we designing this for?

Have an overall site plan in place, but that the 1st stage of construction be small and then continue.

7 or 8 homes with a conventional layout

Shared infrastructure and as green as possible.

 

Adjournment at 5 P.M.

 

Janet LeBlancq Administrator

May 3, 2009