May 8, 2019 FHCA meeting minutes

FRASER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MINUTES

May 8, 2019

 

President’s report

  • Web site – fhca.ca
  • Ed MacIntosh, president
  • FHCA is a volunteer non-profit organization – we volunteer our time to represent the community dealing with issues that affect our community such as safety, traffic, development
  • The FHCA met 3 times this year (Sept 19, Jan 30, May 8).
  • FHCA helps shape policy and issues that involve our community
  • If you have problems in our community, please send your information to us and we will look into these issues (go to Contact Us on the fhca.ca website or send email to directors@fhca.ca). This is our primary site to collect comments from residents about community issues so we know about them and can send them on to the City.
  • Membership is free and open to all residents. If you are not currently on the email list, go to our website and sign up (on the right side of website page – click on become a member).  You will receive three notifications and three reminders of the upcoming meetings per year.  There may also be notifications of open houses or events affecting FH residents.
  • Raj Singh, a member of our Fraser Heights Community, was introduced as a new volunteer director of our association.

 

 Treasurer’s report:  The report was given with current financial status.

 

RCMP update on safety and security – District #2 Commander for Guildford/Fleetwood, Sgt Mike Spencer, presented crime stats for Fraser Heights (Community Response Unit).  You can contact Sgt. Mike Spencer through the following email address:  fleetwood@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.  Specific officers can access this email to insure your issue is dealt with in a timely manner.  Mike can also be reached at:  mike.spencer@rcmp-grc.gc.ca and voicemail messages can be left for him at phone # 778-593-3396 if your concerns are not urgent.  If urgent, dial 911.

  • Please note the District 2 office was closed, due to a ruptured sewage line, from August 2018 until it reopened mid-February 2019.
  • Jan 15 to May 15 police report for Fraser Heights:
  1. Overall, there was a decreased crime rate of over 150 incidents in property crime (arson, Break & Enter, shoplifting, fraud etc.) from the first quarter of 2017, 2018 to the first quarter of 2019
  2. Theft from vehicles was the highest rate of all crimes. It was lower in Jan and Feb but jumped considerably in March.  Note, this number can spike easily in one or two nights as a thief will target a neighbourhood and hit many vehicles (they are so fast, they can break into 15 cars in less than 15 minutes).  March and warmer months are always higher # of thefts from cars as people leave car windows down and sunglasses lying in the open in car.  Dec and Jan usually have more cars stolen as keys left in cars to warm them up
  3. Keep your vehicle locked and remove all valuables – thieves walk along the streets trying car door handles as they walk and tend to steal from those they can easily enter quickly and quietly
  4. Remote starters – some of the starters will kill the ignition if the fob/key is not on the person attempting to steal the vehicle
  5. Don’t keep a spare key in your car for your other vehicle as the thieves could steal that vehicle
  6. There are Bait cars to help prevent car theft but this hasn’t worked as well for theft from autos as thieves are so quick that they are not always caught on video
  7. Residents need to have proof of what has been stolen from car as items may be recovered but without any markings to identify, it is hard to find owners. Mark your valuables
  8. Please report any crime, however minor, as no report would be as if nothing happened. Police use these reports to determine hot spots so they can allocate more officers to those areas.
  9. Remove your garage door opener from your vehicle as the thieves will take these and target your house at a later time/date.
  10. Visible video cameras are somewhat of a deterrent to thieves
  11. Maps are available online that show location of each reported incident
  • Update on shooting in Fraser Heights
  1. Sgt Spencer is not part of the investigation so was unable to talk about some of the issues. The integrated homicide investigation (IHIT) team works on these issues.
  2. The shooting was not random – the victim was targeted and was known to suspect. The victim did not live where the crime happened – most likely it was a random spot.  Surveillance has increased in that area.  Note, the police doing surveillance may not be in uniform.  If you are uncertain if a vehicle has police or unknown people, make a call to the police (they will know).  Several officers doing surveillance have been reported but if you feel unsure, make a report.
  3. Bothwell Elementary school had an open house with the homicide team and victim services, where resident’s questions were fielded
  • There has been a Fraud report of people going door to door offering to pave driveways. They seem legitimate as they have a fancy brochure, offer to give you a good deal, but they only take cash and want the money right away.  They pay a crew $2,000 to paint/pave over the driveway (rather than remove broken concrete) but collect $5,000 to $6,000 from the resident.  The jobs they do are sub-par and to get any money back, residents would have to take them to court.  In some cases, they have done damage and has cost residents more to hire another company to get job done properly.  Make sure to ask for work safe certificates, licences etc.

 

Traffic and Transit:

  • Transit expansion – a new proposed 338 route for East Fraser Heights. To see this 338 route Translink proposed, use the following link and click on East Fraser Heights (new 338) https://www.translink.ca/Plans-and-Projects/Managing-the-Transit-Network/Transit-Network-Review.aspx.  Review this map and email your suggestions to Networkreview@Translink.ca, and cc Directors@fhca.ca);
  • New buses are being added in several places throughout Metro Vancouver. Mayor’s council, when they meet, could put our suggestions forward.
  • Suggestions were to change the 337 route:
  • #1 – come in on 156 St, turn right (east) on 110 Ave which curls around to 108 Ave, turn left (around roundabout to head east), continue on 108 to 168, turn left and follow 168 through as it becomes 112 and then the bus would either turn left at 156 or at 154. If it goes as far west as 154, it would head south on 154 to 110 where it would turn left (east) then turn right (south) onto 156 and continue the rest of the route as it is now.
  • #2 – come in on 156 St to 112 Ave, turn right (east) and follow this as it changes to 168 and then turn right at 108 and follow the rest of the 337 bus route. This route could possibly, when coming into Fraser Heights, turn left (west) at 110 Ave off 156 St, head to 154 St, turn right (north), then turn right (east) onto 112 Ave and follow the route as above to 108 Ave.
  • One suggestion is that the new 338 would come in at 156 instead of 160 and would, if #2 option above was chosen, follow the existing 337 route and turn right (east) at 110, follow it to 108, round the roundabout to head east on 108, turn right (south) on 160 St, (maybe add bus stop by Rec Centre) and turn left at 104. This would cross over 176 to Golden Ears connector.  The proposal was to head south along 179 to Barnston, take that back via High Crest and along Barnston/100th, around Pacific Academy to 168 then head back west along 104.  There have been requests to have this bus travel further east to meet up with the 501 bus so that residents can head east to Langley.
  • Currently, the 501 comes down 104 Ave from Surrey Central, goes on #1 at 160 St to 176 where it exits #1, heads to 96 and Golden Ears connector then goes to Langley (Carvolth Station and then to Langley Centre). Another thought was to have it enter FH at 156 or 160 St and head east along 104 Ave to meet up with its current route by Golden Ears connector and 96 Ave as it heads to Langley.  If the 501 did this, it would essentially be the 338 route through E Fraser Heights, would only miss one stop and would go by the 182nd development
  • Note – the proposed 338 has no connection to Langley so any residents wanting to head east to Langley or communities further out would have to go back to Guildford to go east. Proposed 338 service will be every 30 minutes (both east and west)
  • The Population of Fraser Heights is over 25,000 residents and currently, no bus services the north or east ends of Fraser Heights.
  • The City has said there is enough traffic on 104 Ave to warrant a traffic light at 104 Ave/164 St –but City did not have a firm timeframe as to when this would happen. With the addition of the 99 residences being built at Parkview Place, a light will be a necessity.  A roundabout is more expensive and would take longer to plan and budget for so it was not offered to our community.

 

 Development – residential:

  • The parking lot on 108A Ave/160 St has 37 parking stalls (north of Fraser Heights Mall by Red Shiso and Esso Station). Behind it, there are 2 RF lots for houses that have been cleared.  The landscaping has been done and the lot looks like it is close to being opened.
  • 160 St and 106A Ave:
  1. 3 lots had been proposed for development next to 106A. The City often forces developer to finish the roadway if it is adjacent to the development but input from residents was requested.  Engineer from City did a public consultation months ago and a letter was sent to residents in the area – (FHCA directors found out about this after ther report).  Results showed the residents were split almost evenly as to whether to put 106A Ave through to 160 St (right in and right out)or to allow no access to 160 at that point.  Residents went to council in Feb and made it clear there was no opposition to development but did not want the intersection.  This issue is still being debated.  Recommendation was made that 106A will be brought in far enough to put in a back lane behind these houses.
  2. Steven Pettigrew, City councillor who attended our meeting, said the recommendation was no intersection at this site. Public hearing is referred back to staff – road not going through (106A) unless community wants something different.  Community needs to figure it out quickly because once public hearing occurs, no changes will be accepted after that.  It is close to being finalized.  The developer and traffic/engineering was recommending 106A Ave come to hammerhead and give access to back alley and to sidewalk but no intersection.
  3. 107 Ave/159 St – calming devices have been added along 159 St in this area due to vehicles speeding along 159 St.  It was a big concern as children use this corridor regularly to get to and from school.  Since calming devices were installed, trucks were still speeding and cars were driving over sidewalk to avoid speed bumps.  There are a lot of cars coming out of that area, especially from Ruby Hill where there are many basement suites.  These cars are heading to 108 Ave, the only way out of that area.
  4. FHCA was not involved in this matter. It was put in the newspaper as are all public hearings published in local newspaper.
  5. There is no public process for streets, just for lots that are up for development
  • Retail / Commercial development at Highcrest in East Fraser Heights
  1. Directors of FHCA met with the Highcrest developer Joe Dhaliwal, other personnel from his company, and Ron Gill from the City of Surrey last month. There is supposed to be retail at the south end of property.  At the meeting, Joe was asked to draft a proposal for retail as it appeared nothing was happening. A couple of residents stated that promises were made (including retail space) when they bought there but nothing has happened; they said they are currently self-funding some of the fixes related to construction of their buildings.
  2. 2013 – the building at Highcrest started. Residents living in some of the earlier built buildings stated that they have been faced with lots of issues, including leaky roofs. Their belief is that unfortunately, Inspectors don’t always do a thorough inspection of big developments.
  3. The FHCA has provided input on the development as an association since 2008
  4. Steven Pettigrew, city Councillor – phone (604-502-6038) or send him email (pettigrew@surrey.ca) about this issue – best to go through FHCA (or copy email to directors@fhca.ca) rather than send him multiple emails. He will respond to each email.  He works on high level policy.
  5. A Guildford Neighbourhood Association has been formed

 

Call for volunteer board members:

  • If any residents have spare time to help out – please send your names to the directors (directors@fhca.ca)

 

 Announcements and Members Concerns

  • Facebook – My Fraser Heights – garage sale – May 25 9 am to 4pm. Deadline is May 15th to be listed as seller – get your info into Sara Pickering (garage sale).  About 20 registered – will have a map of all participating

 

Meetings for the 2019/2020 school year will be confirmed at a later date and posted to the web site.

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