Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[clarki]

The City of Surrey wants to extend Metro Vancouver's Urban Containment Boundary south of 20 Ave and change the land designation for 600 acres from Rural to Employment (meaning light industrial)

These lands border on the already threatened Little Campbell River.

Let’s not forget that the LC did not fare well early in the development of Campbell Heights https://davidsuzuki.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/high-and-dry-investigation-of-salmon-habitat-destruction-british-columbia.pdf )see case #2

The rationale is that there is 'urgent' need for employment lands that are commercial/industrial. Campbell Heights to the north is 2000 acres of such designation, and large enough. Furthermore, there are other areas in Surrey zoned rural that  aren't on a Class A river and not as environmentally significant and sensitive.

What to do? 
Go to Surrey's website and fill out the survey. https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/land-planning-development/land-use-planning/south-surrey-land-use-plans/campbell-heights?mc_cid=7c54ae54a5&mc_eid=a884b53847If you have more than one adult in your household, they can fill it out also. Residents of Surrey will be 'heard' most.

Forward this information to friends/family that live in Surrey who want to advocate for conservation.

Send a letter of concern to Surrey planning at the following email: schplan@surrey.ca

Note: survey is only live until this SUNDAY, June 20. Those more cynical than I would suggest that the rezoning process is trying to be slipped through this summer while we're all distracted by the loosening of covid restrictions and warm weather.

[RalphH]

the survey is open this am. I answered and responded a preference to the existing lands left as is. The survey seems biased  IMO as while the most positive response that can be selected is "Very much" the most negative is " No, not really". There also is not an option to clearly indicate the land should be left in a natural state or subject to limited development.

As I don't reside in Surrey but I did grow up there and am familiar what sort of salmon and trout resource was available in the community before it was largely covered in poorly planned suburban sprawl. For several years my family lived on acreage that was crossed by Enver Creek that flows south to Bear Creek and then into the Serpentine. Enver had cuttroat, coho and steelhead plus various coarse fish and crayfish. It doesn't look like much these days as the bottom is covered in fine silt & in most places lawns and garden are planted right to it's banks. Most of the class A streams in the City likely don't support  10% of the biomass they did 50 to 60 years ago.

[santefe]

I also filled out the survey.  It was much like the survey for the Surrey P.D. That it is designed to get the response/answers that the city wants to support its proposals.

[clarki]

Thanks both. Yes, I noticed that slant in the survey too. I’m going to follow up with an email to the planning department to clear up any misunderstanding.

[Blood_Orange]

Filled out the survey, FWIW.

[colin6101]

Thanks for the link, I filled it out as well. Super biased answers to choose from, so obvious how they want you to answer.

[RalphH]

unfortunately it looks like the decision is for this development proceeding:

https://businessinsurrey.com/2022/02/surrey-board-of-trade-pleased-with-metro-vancouver-board-approval-of-south-campbell-heights-development/

[santefe]

Well that.................!

[clarki]

Thanks for updating folks here, Ralph.

I posted it on FlyBC also, and was keeping info current on there, but forgot that I posted it on this site too.

The vote passed 69-65. Disappointingly close.

This one saving grace is that municipal elections are not that for off: Oct 15, 2022.  Surrey has the opportunity to elect a mayor and council that will not be supportive of the development and there still might be time to kill it.