Fern Jeffries says the coalition of 25 community associations that she cochairs is taking Mayor Gregor Robertson’s election apology and vow to change at “face value” and hopes he’ll start by sitting down with their group.

“He’s apologized and wanting to do things better, and our position is, ‘Terrific, let’s talk,’ ” Jeffries, cochair of the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods, told the Straight by phone.

After issuing an apology to voters late in the election campaign, Robertson acknowledged during his victory speech on November 15 that there are things his Vision-led council can do better in its next term.

Jeffries said there’s “no doubt” that established neighbourhood associations, some with histories of up to 70 years, feel left out of the city’s processes, such as community plans and rezonings.

“It’s kind of a conundrum about spending so much time and energy developing a neighbourhood plan and then throwing it out the window with a spot rezoning,” Jeffries said.

“So we’d like some understanding of what some of those basic principles are….How can we shift our paradigm so that neighbourhoods do feel that they’re listened to and that their concerns are acted upon in a sincere way by the planning department?”

During a news conference on November 17, Robertson said he expects to see recommendations from the Mayor’s Engaged City Task Force implemented within the next year, such as ensuring community input earlier in the development process. That’s a change Jeffries indicated the coalition is also pushing for.

“By the time the notices go up and the signs go up, the developer has a huge vested interest in moving forward, and there’s been months and months, if not years, of work with city staff, and so it does all feel a bit like a fait accompli by the time the community is engaged,” she said.

Meanwhile, NPA councillor-elect Melissa De Genova said she’s not holding her breath following the mayor’s apology. But she added that she’s joining council with an “open approach” to working with all parties.

“Do I think that we would be dealing with these issues if Vision Vancouver had listened to the people over the past six years? No, I don’t,” she said in a phone interview. “That being said, now it’s time to clean up the mess, and I’m here to focus on the solutions.”

Staff in the mayor’s office said they are still sorting through dozens of meeting requests Robertson has received since the election.

Jeffries said the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods will meet this weekend to discuss the group's plans moving forward. The coalition was formed in October 2013 following opposition from residents to community-planning processes in Marpole, Grandview-Woodland, the West End, and the Downtown Eastside.

The group developed a principles and goals document for "collaborative neighbourhood-based planning", which was endorsed by all parties except Vision Vancouver during the municipal election campaign.