Fraser Heights Community Association

FRASER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MINUTES

May 1, 2013

President’s report

• Web site – www.fhca.ca
• Lindsay Ryerson, president
• Reaching members – Most attendees received notification by email or signs posted in the Fraser Heights shopping area.  Information about meetings etc. can be found on our website and at myfraserheights
• There are 4 meetings per year
• We are a voice for our community – active with the City and Gateway projects
• We are volunteer-based and we welcome community members to join us.

 Treasurer’s report

• Financial statement – total account balance is $4,280.36

 Police and Security – Staff Sargent Dean Scott

• Dean Scott, Div 2 commander for the RCMP (for the past 3 years), is assigned to this area.  Dean is at the RCMP office at 5 every morning so contact him with any concerns you might have – he is excellent at answering emails or forwarding them to the appropriate departments.  His email address is dean.scott@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
• At this time, the crime stats are incredibly low for our area
• Surrey RCMP Chief Superintendant, Bill Fordy, is in charge of the Surrey division – Due to growth in Surrey, there will be a redesign to the district and how it is serviced to better serve the City of Surrey
• When there are serious problems, a Strike Unit will come in – It is a highly trained unit to deal with these issues
• 5 years ago – 554 cars were stolen from Guildford, this year, there was one vehicle stolen.  Credit is not only to RCMP but to car manufacturers who have added high tech anti-theft devices to cars and Block Watch participants who report suspicious activity within the community
• Street robberies, especially for theft of cell phones – phone manufacturers will be incorporating anti-theft technology into the phones that will render them useless when stolen.
• The armed robbery that recently happened at the ESSO station has an RCMP team working on this.
• Requests for speed traps – there are only 3 police officers in the City that do this.  There must be scientific backing in order to get them to set up a speed trap.  An alternate to this are the Speed Watch volunteers who can set up in places where speed might need to be monitored.  The Speed Watch vans have a reader board that displays the posted speed limit and your speed.  There are now “NO” warnings – tickets are issued.
• Medicinal marijuana – in commercial sites, not houses – reinforcement by whom?

 Following are some summer safety tips to keep our community safer:

 SUMMER SAFETY TIPS
from Marlene Drozda
Crime Prevention Program Coordinator
Surrey RCMP District 2

1.    With warmer weather approaching always insure all doors and windows are properly locked and secured when leaving the house.  Some people believe that you can leave a window open on your upper floors and no one will be able to enter.   That’s entirely wrong we have many reports of break-ins to upper floor areas through open or insecure windows. 

2.     If you leave a door open for fresh air in the back of the house and you have a screen door make sure that the screen door is secured. 

3.     Never leave your garage door open even for a few minutes even if you are for example cutting the lawn in the front of the house.   A thief can enter the garage quickly as you may not hear him due to the noise of the lawnmower. 

4.     If you are working out in the yard still secure your external doors as it’s very easy for someone to enter the home when you are not paying attention. 

5.     Secure garden sheds properly and keep a record of serial numbers of your equipment and if possible engrave these items with your BC Driver’s licence.  Shed break-ins increase in the summer months. 

6.      If you do not have any type of motion lights in the back of your home consider installing them.  This will alert you to anyone in the back yard after dark. 

7.      If stays lighter longer this time of year but please remember to leave your porch lights on when retiring to bed.   This will light up your yard and discourage criminals. If everyone leaves their porch lights only it not only lights up your home but assists in lighting up the whole neighbourhood. 

8.       With regard to motor homes.   When their vehicles are not in use, do not leave valuable items in them for example, GPS’s, stereos, radios, even clothing. 

9.       With regards to boats, if the boat is not being used also remove valuable items from the boat, electronics, fishing rods, fish finders etc.    Use wheel locks, hitch locks, and removing the trailer hitch coupler or removing a wheel from the trailer will prevent a person from backing up to your trailer and driving away with it.

10.      Ensure ownership papers in your boat are not the only copies you have. Photographs of your boat along with receipts of equipment should be kept in a secure place.  Confirm and know the serial number on your boat. 

11.       If you’re going on vacation, make sure to advise your neighbours.  Make sure all Newspapers are stopped especially the local papers.   Sometimes these papers are left by mistake, so make arrangements with a neighbour to pick up any papers left on the door step.    Make arrangements for someone picks up your mail if you have multi-mailboxes. 

12        Read your insurance policy, most companies require that someone enter your home for certain periods of time while you are away.  This is not only if your home experienced a break-in but also in case of water leaks etc.           

13.       It is also a good idea for a neighbour you are close to, to have a contact number for a family member or a close friend if case of an emergency.

Traffic Issues

• 156^th Street traffic issues – the traffic department will try to make traffic flow better.  Intersection at 108^th Ave and 156^th St – cars are not coming to a stop and pedestrians have nearly been hit on many occasions – what to do at this intersection?  If any ideas, please contact Marcie through FHCA website
• Proposals are a roundabout or traffic lights.  Whatever main direction traffic will be flowing will dominate circle if a roundabout is installed.  Land would have to be expropriated unless it is a mini traffic circle.  Lights may not work because of the oddness of traffic flow – no “one” solution.
• 104^th Ave/168^th St lights – residents commented on their effectiveness – light stays green longer in one direction – Residents in that area suggested lights for 108/156 as people would have to slow down for the light
• Roundabouts are difficult for pedestrians/students to navigate (students going to Dogwood school have to cross there).  Lights would be safer for kids
• 156^th St pavement (108 to 112 Ave) is rough and crumbling along the edges – loose gravel was put there but it was a temporary fix as the gravel isn’t staying in the holes.
• There is a spot that juts out on the east side of 156^th St between 108 and 109 Ave that should be removed as it has been hit by cars and is dangerous at night time. 
• Development is taking place on 156^th Street toward 112^th – Is the City waiting till all houses are built before fixing 156 Street?

Member’s corner:

• No update on 104^th Ave/176^th St intersection with the South Fraser Perimeter Road – no left or right turns if want to get in or out of Fraser Heights – the City is now looking at how to most efficiently fix this intersection.
• Pedestrian underpass at 110 Ave/154 to 152 Streets (under lane of freeway not yet open that will be dedicated to go to Coquitlam) – the lighting is poor – light fixtures have been smashed leaving the tunnel dark.  There has been lots of graffiti in the tunnel.  The City will be taking that over – right now it is highways running it – highways said they will retain control at present. 
• Liquor store – public information at old Fraser’s Bistro was put on by those seeking the license.  It will go to public hearing in the future – We will post hearing date on FHCA website.  At the public hearing, you can register for/against opinions if you don’t want to speak to the issue – just write your name down and whether for or against it and then you can leave.  There’s a list where you can write your name down if you wish to speak.  City takes this info under consideration when they make a decision (City does listen – Casino application in South Surrey was declined)
• Forms filled out at the Liquor store information open house – they did have an affect so now this has to be presented at council.  They had 500 comments for and 500 against (probably collective info – numbers were quite close).
• Please go to the City Hall meetings if you want your opinion heard.  Development at 176^th Street was altered as, working with the City, FHCA got # of units down by 40%.  Going to meetings can make a difference.

 Transit plan:

• A Skytrain along Fraser Hwy to Langley is one of the proposals
• Surrey favours LRT – Newton to City Centre, 2^nd along Fraser Hwy and one down 152^nd Street.  Consideration is being made based on residents’ commuting patterns as to which would work best for the City. 
• LRT – can have many cars on the trains but they still have to stop for red lights.  Many residents favour LRT as would go to 156 and would provide them with better access to City Centre.  For us, it would be a slightly better solution if we’re going downtown.
• Transit Coalition meetings have been mid-morning downtown so difficult for FH directors / residents to get to.
• HOV bus at 156^th St from Langley is currently off the record

Biofuel facility:

• Will be going in next door to transfer station at 192^nd St and 98^th Ave
• Can download pictures from website of area
• Rob Castanzo(raconstanzo@surrey.ca) (Deputy Manager of Operations for the City of Surrey) is responsible for new garbage system – there has been a 46% drop in garbage since October
• We have cut food waste going into the garbage which is currently trucked to Cache Creek (356 miles) – it was $107 per ton to transport the garbage
• Now are capturing methane gas which goes to Georgia Pacific – At present, can only capture 30 to 40 % of the methane.  Surrey is to build most comprehensive biofuel facility.  Organic waste will be used to make renewable natural gas that garbage trucks will use.  Due to taking organics out of garbage, City has gone from $12.5 million to $9.5 million for garbage service now
• City’s goal is to get 70% garbage reduction by separating out organics
• Surrey owns the land where biofuel facility will be going – they are asking for 25% funding from federal gov’t (17 million)
• City is looking for a partnership with Fortis.
• Odour is the biggest concern of residents – there will be state of the art biofilters.  When Rob Constanzo toured the Ontario’s system, it was very smelly inside but it couldn’t be smelled outside.  Anaerobic digestive system – completely enclosed.
• No net increase to traffic – instead of going to just the transfer station, trucks will go to both.  Residents cannot take organics there
• Public hearing will be sometime in June to change zoning from light industrial to comprehensive
• The gas produced can fuel trucks or be turned into electricity

Liquor Store Application:

• May 27^th could be the day of the hearing for the rezoning of the site in Fraser Heights mall for the liquor store – The information about the hearing will be in the leader on the 16^th or 17^th if the hearing will be on 27^th.
• May 6^th hearing – there is an application for a Recreation Yoga studio that is behind the Esso station  – rezoning is needed before it can proceed     

Other community news:

• The annual Country fair is June 14^th 
• Utility boxes – the City of Surrey will put wraps around them.  The one FH has applied to have a wrap put around is at the north east corner of 160^th St/104^th Ave as you drive into Fraser Heights.  Please put a tick mark beside your favourite picture(s) from the group of pictures on the front table when you leave
• The addition to high school should be done by Feb 2014.  This addition will include community space, an upgrade to the shop class, 8 classrooms and hopefully, the parking lot will be once again available to park in.  There will still be some portables on site. 
• Teresa Singh is retiring to look after her health so she is closing Urban Homestead (between Quiznos and Petopia in Fraser Heights mall).  A Dollar store will go in there. 
• Craving Thai has closed and a Korean Chinese restaurant will open there.

Next Meeting will be in the fall 2013 in the theatre at Fraser Heights Secondary School at 7 p.m.    – Date to be announced when the arrangements have been made.

FRASER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MINUTES

February 21, 2013

President’s report

• Web site – www.fhca.ca
• Lindsay Ryerson, president
• Reaching members – email, signs on mailboxes and in the Fraser Heights shopping area, word of mouth and websites (fhca and myfraserheights)
• 4 meetings per year

Treasurer’s report

• Financial statement – total account balance is $4018.30

 Police and Security – Staff Sargent Dean Scott

• Dean Scott, Div 2 commander for the RCMP, is assigned to this area – he’s been in the RCMP for 32 years.  Dean is at the RCMP office at 5 every morning so contact him with any concerns you might have – he is excellent at answering emails or forwarding them to the appropriate departments.  His email address is dean.scott@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
• RCMP have analysts who figure out where crime will be occurring so it can be targeted.  The Crime reduction manual through environmental design is good for predicting crime
• Break and enters have been decreasing, in general
• Breaking into cars – 2 people who were responsible for this in FH have now been arrested – they’d do 5 to 7 a night.  Car thefts are probably underreported – 74 in FH, Guildford and Tynehead/Fleetwood areas were reported.  Residents must report these crimes as Police can’t do anything unless they know.  To help prevent car break-ins, leave the glove box open so thieves can see there is nothing in the car.  Do not leave garage openers as they’ll steal them then come back later and break in when residents are gone.
• Break and enters – 7 of the thieves have been caught.  They have been hitting Lower Mainland hard
• Street robberies – about 20 – 100% solved
• Child predator of young girls just was arrested and he’s been incarcerated
• Don’t leave valuables and jewelry in the bedroom, especially between the mattresses.  This is usually the first place targeted.
• Speed Watch volunteers coming out with reader boards to FH.  Team will look at data and police will go after violators.

 Block Watch

• Marlene Drodza
• Vehicle theft – laptop, cash, sunglasses, iPods, cell phones, GPS (remove it and suction cup – as will break in thinking GPS is in vehicle if they see the suction cup),   If successful at getting items from cars, they’ll keep coming back.  Park car in a well-lit area.  Keep things open and visible.  If they see club on wheel, they usually leave car alone.
• Jewelry – don’t leave in bedroom – put it somewhere else.  Thieves usually flip the mattress 1^st thing, grab a pillowcase then go through the drawers.  If they don’t find cash/jewelry in the bedroom, they’ll usually go for cellphones, electronics etc.  Personal electronics have your personal info in them.  There is a program that charges $25 – they give you stickers to put on your items which leave indelible ink on them so they can’t be resold.  Help stop crimes – make sure you record all serial numbers of your electronics.
• Break and enters – make sure you make provisions for lights to be on when you leave the house.
• Look at your house as if you’re a burglar.  Can your address be read, are lights on, leave a radio on.  If someone knocks on your door and no one answers, thieves go to the back and break in so acknowledge you’re there and they’ll move on.
• Volunteer to be a Block Watch Captain – free of charge Criminal Records check will be done on you.  Doesn’t take a lot of time to be a captain – you have to circulate a newsletter about once every 4 months.  Info is relayed to captains to pass onto your Block Watch neighbours.
• There will be a Seniors’ forum this Saturday put on by City of Surrey.  Another forum will be on 31^st May for people 55 and over – info will be in local newspapers.

Traffic Issues

• 104 Ave and SFPR intersection – currently, traffic heading east on 104^th Ave must go through the intersection of SFPR (176 St), then turn around in the Barnston Island ferry parking lot and come back through the intersection to turn north to Hwy17.
• TI Corp – we’re pressing for egress and ingress from Fraser Height onto SFPR. 
• Concern had been that those from outside FH would be rat runners but it would be easier for them to go onto the #1 freeway to 176 then head north down the 176 hill.
• Currently, the easiest way to get onto SFPR is to go to Scott Road Station and get on there.
• The FHCA supports access in and off Hwy 17 at 104 Ave.
• When going south on SFPR, there is no right turn onto 104 – every day, people are doing this illegally.  TI Corp is looking at building a curve adjacent to the jug handle so it will be easier for us to get in and out of FH.  Illegal left turns in the morning are about 1 in every 3 cars.
• Currently, options are being reviewed for us to get access on and off SFPR.  It is high on their priority list as they are very aware of the problem.  SFPR is in the domain of Gateway, not the City of Surrey.
• Email your concerns to T1 Corp of not being able to turn onto the Perimeter road.  They do listen and respond to all concerns – if a common concern, they’ll deal with it.

Dog Off-Leash Park in Fraser Heights:

•  Doug Merry was at the Surrey Bend Open House and stated that the next off-leash dog park to be developed will be either Bear Creek or Fraser View Park (at the north-east corner of 160^th St and 112^th Ave)
• The more people who email him or the City and show interest in this, the better the chance that FH will be the next ones to get an off-leash park.
• Doug Merry can be emailed at djmerry@surrey.ca.  He is the Parks Planning Analyst for Planning, Research and Design.  More information about the off-leash parks can be found on the City of Surrey website – www.surrey.ca.

 Surrey Bend Habitat Enhancement Project:

• An Open House was held at Pacific Academy on Tuesday, Feb 19, 2013.
• All concept maps and information are on the website www.pmh1project.com.  There is a feedback form on that site that can be filled out so residents can have input into this project.  You can email them at info@pmh1project.com if you have any questions or suggestions.
• 104^th Ave will be closed off on the east side of SFPR so there will be no direct access to Surrey Bend or the Barnston parking lot for the ferry.  Access will be rerouted via Daly Road then turn off at Trigg Road to get direct access to Surrey Bend.  This is slated to be completed in 2014.

Member’s corner

• Surrey Transit rally at Surrey Centre – come make your voice heard (bus stop onto 156 not gotten Feb 26 at 3:30 (Tuesday).
• Parking regulations – 8 to 6 in other cities (Burnaby, Richmond, Vancouver – 3 hour restricted parking btwn those hours).  A resident proposed that Surrey do something similar.  If the general community is in agreement with this, our community association will take it on.  Resident said there was a formal proposal at City Hall but the status of it was unknown.  Don’t know how it would be enforced.  Multiple suited areas may be areas that would be checked.  We’ll look into the proposal and see where it’s at.
• 156^th St and 111 Ave – North View kiddies’ park – 156 is becoming a raceway – a resident said she asked police if it warranted a speed bump and they didn’t think it did.  People are taking little kids to park to play and it can be dangerous at times with cars racing by.  City sends those types of complaints directly to the RCMP.  Resident talked to RCMP before Christmas.  It was suggested she check with Dean Scott.  Currently there is no sign to let motorists know that it’s a park and there are no lines on road to indicate a pedestrian crossing.
• The intersection of 156^th St and 108 Ave can be very problematic, especially for pedestrians.  The majority of cars do not stop at the sign and do not figure pedestrians in their four way turns.  Many pedestrians have had very close calls with cars that blow the stop sign.  A round-about was suggested but since the majority of cars are heading west on 108 to go south on 156, vehicles on 156 heading south and those on 108 heading east but turning south on 156 could have difficulty getting into the round-about as the cars from 108 will load the round-about making it difficult for others to enter.
• A resident had asked about a noise reduction wall between her property and the #1 Hwy – she was told it would be installed during the summer 2013
• 104 Ave – btwn 160^th St and 168^th is the City’s domain – they’re waiting till all development is completed before they do the arterial road improvements.  So far, they have only done some patchwork maintenance.

 Liquor Store Application

• A letter was written to Mayor Diane Watts after the last meeting as the predominance of people at Nov meeting were opposed to the liquor store application
• The application is for a full liquor store, not a beer and wine store. 
• City Hall has received in excess of 1100 petitions both for and against – a public info meeting is being organized so all residents can come and give their opinions.  This will be held prior to spring break (Mar 18).  We should know the date shortly.  City Hall will advertise in all local papers and it will be put up on our (fhca.ca) website.
• If want to lend your voice/opinion, please attend the hearing – look at the casino application in S. Surrey – the community was heard and the casino was voted down.

 Next Meeting will be May 1, 2013 in the theatre at Fraser Heights Secondary School at 7 p.m.