FRASER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MINUTES

February 22, 2017

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 gathers four times a year to discuss issues that affect our community
• 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). 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. If you are not currently on the email list, go to our website and sign up (on the right side of website page).  You will receive four notifications and four reminders of the upcoming meetings per year.  There may also be notifications of open houses or events affecting FH residents.
• Our Community Association mailing address is PO Box 74042, Surrey, V4N 1N9.

 Treasurer’s report

• Financial statement – total account balance is $2602.24

RCMP update on safety and security – District Commander Sergeant Laurie Clarkson was in attendance tonight.  She can be reached at Laurie.Clarkson@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.  District #2 Community Response Unit 10395-148 St.  phone # 604-502-6500 – you can leave a voicemail on Laurie’s number if there is something taking place in community that you want brought to the attention of RCMP and is not urgent.

• Crime stats have gone up with average of 33% across all areas in Surrey
• Crime types – main ones reported are:

1. Suspicious persons (all hours day/night) – call these in. Some coming to your door say they are from the gas company and want to see your bills, they come into your house.  DON’T let them in – if you don’t recognize them, they shouldn’t be there.  Don’t hesitate to call RCMP.  The more calls they get and descriptions of individuals, they can form crime patterns of where events are happening and who is responsible.
2. Unspecified (barking dog etc.),
3. B&E residential (Jan went down) – last week a couple of individuals were picked up that were believed to have done a number of FH B&Es,
4. Theft from vehicles – had gone up across the Lower Mainland – don’t leave things in the vehicle. Some thieves look into vehicles and if see stuff, take it.

• Security systems are a deterrent – alert company something is going on
• Surveillance cameras an asset as have picked up information
• Jewelry – videotape what is in your home so you have a record of it
• If going away, have someone stay in your house or get someone look in daily
• Empty residences in your area – you can call City or RCMP and let them know

Blair Berkner is the Community Programs Coordinator.  He can be reached at: Surrey.Crime.Prevention.District.2@remp-grc.ga.ca or phone 604-502-6509.

Mail and Identity theft prevention – biggest increase in this crime type Surrey-wide between Sept 2016 and Jan 2017 – 60% from townhouse or condo complexes, 3 community mailboxes, 2 individual mailboxes and one mailbox completely stolen

• Video shown to those attending this meeting – a fellow broke into a condo complex and cleaned out 108 mailboxes in less than 4 minutes. Make sure to remove your mail daily
• Mailbox theft increases around Christmas and tax season (now) – CRA information sent to you and has SIN number on it. Thieves are looking for mail with your identification numbers such as bills, statements, cheques (both ones you’ve ordered or those made out to you)
• Thieves watch for parcels left at doors. Make arrangements for delivery, if you won’t be home
• Damaging effects – many people won’t know the negative effects from these thefts until 8 or 9 months later at which time, thieves may open a cellular account in your name
• Pick up your mail on a daily basis and have invoices or statements sent to you online
• If you move, change your address with Canada Post
• If you are going traveling or will be away from home, rent a mail box at a store or depot or have your mail held at the Post Office.
• Individual mailboxes on houses – If you want to have mail delivered to a community mailbox, you can ask Canada Post (number on mailbox). Nesters has a waitlist for boxes in the store
• Shred your personal information when no longer needed (Shredathons put on by RCMP – bring donation for Surrey Food Bank)
• If see suspicious activity around mailbox, vehicles or people, call it in to RCMP
• Emergency – if see crime in progress, call 911
• Contact number for Canada Post is on all mailboxes
• Contact Canadian Fraud is you are a victim of stolen identity 1-888-495-8501, Equifax Canada at 1-800-465-7166 or Trans Union Canada 1-877-525-3823
• Surrey RCMP site – they release stats quarterly by regions (e.g. Guildford)
• Cosmos (City of Surrey) – click on the public safety tab and you will see crime types and where they were committed – site is updated 1^st week of every month
• Thieves were accessing homes mainly through sliding doors/windows. The RCMP will come to show you how to secure your home (contact Blair)

Developments:

• RCG Group development at 160 Street & 108A Ave; Presentation by Michael Burton-Brown, Architect at Abbarch – email mbb@abbarch.com
• A parking deficit for the mall on the northwest corner of 160 St/108 Ave was identified by tenants and an independent group. The property north of this part of the mall was purchased to provide 37 more parking spaces.  The application is in to the city to develop 2 city lots on the remaining part of this land.  The City wants the laneway landscaped
• There will be a gates on the 108A access (open during mall hours and closed before and after hours) and greenery in and surrounding the lot.
• The lot will be illuminated in such a way that there will not be light spill-over to residences
• Developer will keep some trees on the site and on the lots to be developed
• Currently, people have been parking on 108A but once developed, no parking here
• Size of lot approx. 122 by 200 ft
• Resident asked if there will be a crosswalk between lot and A&W. No, so the safest place to cross would be at 108/160 corner where there is a crosswalk.
• This lot will be monitored by Mobile Security and Diamond Parking. They will ticket if using this lot for student or long term parking
• Gordon Walker, Senior VP Real Estate Development, gdw@rcggroup.com

• Highcrest Development on 9989 Barnston Drive East – New Proposal

1. Joe Dhaliwal, the developer of Highcrest, wants to reduce commercial / retail space from 142,000 sq. ft. (which was zoned commercial) to 10,000 sq. ft. Original proposal was to have a drugstore, gas station and shopping centre comparable to Nester’s market area (Nesters, in itself, is 12,700 sq ft).  The whole plan got approved by the City on the basis it would contain this commercial space.
2. If commercial /retail space is lost here, the mall containing Nesters will be very crowded once the full Highcrest project is completely finished.
3. The Parkcrest development will be adding another 90 to 95 homes (108 south to #1 and Parkview Place to 167) which will also tax the current FH mall.
4. 172 to 175 Streets – there will be another group of 40 homes going in there
5. There is no transportation in that area and the families that bought into this complex were informed commercial space would be coming. Retail is needed to service the number of total residences that this site will eventually contain.  There is a social benefit of a commercial centre containing a food store and a coffee shop in that it acts as community centre for residents.
6. Currently, at Highcrest, there is a townhome building under construction (4 storey of condos – 115 units)
7. Liane McMahon has been keeping track of this development since 2008 and has made a comprehensive list of each stage of the project since 2003 – (from bylaws, corporate reports etc. on City website)
8. Residents, please write to councillors and mayor in opposition to this reduction of commercial area proposal when this application goes to public hearing
9. If residential is passed and commercial reduced so significantly, our community will never get a chance to have the commercial area set aside for residents
10. As a community, we expect development to take place in Hubs and City Centres but not the high density proposed for this small area.
11. Most of Fraser Heights is an RF community and the hope was that Abbey Ridge would be developed similar to west part FH
12. Emails will be applied for 1^st and 2^nd hearing but residents must write again when goes up for last hearing/development
13. FHCA will post on website pertinent facts about this project and if you are on the email list, you will receive an email as to when 3^rd hearing is set.
14. Arrive at City Hall between 6:30 and 6:55, write your name/address on the list kept at the reception desk whether you are for/against the proposal and then you can stay or leave. You can also indicate whether you want to speak to it – use sound reasons e.g., social cost, benefit, how it will affect neighbourhood, families in area.  Please note that anyone, anywhere in Surrey, can sign these sheets to agree or oppose the proposals even if they have no vested interest in the projects so please, make sure you do show up and bring your neighbours as well.
15. These sheets are delivered to mayor when the hearing starts. Please make sure your signature has been witnessed by the City Clerk as at the last hearing, there were 15 in favour and 89 opposed but the mayor wouldn’t count them as some people had signed without the Clerk witnessing the signatures.
16. The new City hall has a parking lot under the building that can be entered off 104 Ave – it is well lit and on council meeting nights, parking is free for about 8 hours. Remember to enter your licence plate # at the parking kiosk on the main floor and that is where signing of sheets takes place.  Security guards can help you if in doubt.
17. The council meeting is streamed live or it can be watched the next day
18. When writing letters or emails, one could add a piece about the elementary and high schools (Bothwell and Fraser Heights) as Bothwell has space for about 100 more students and Fraser Heights is over capacity. Some FH students have had to go to North Surrey for high school as there has been no room in their own catchment

• Abbey Ridge proposal 7916-0032-00 – follow up from Public Hearing of Feb 20 at City Hall

1. Came up a couple of votes short to get this proposal referred back (previously, Parkview Place had been referred back and the outcome was more favourable).
2. RF13 – 41 lots on north side of development of Lyncean Drive with 2 car garages was passed. More proposals will be coming so watch for green signs to go up.
3. There was no opposition to proposal of RF and RG (big lots)
4. One more coming up by same applicant, Canadian Horizons at 182A – 40 RF13 lots
5. An alternate to RF 13 are the RFG lots which are smaller than RF but 500 to 600 sq ft larger than RF13 and the developer puts up part of the land for parkland (part of the Parkview development was RFG)

Public Art in Fraser Heights:

• The project will be relocated to the Community Center and will not be in the traffic circle at 156 St/108 Ave
• Volunteers are needed to help select what structure/art would best suit our community
• Instead of art, the 156/108 traffic circle will have plantings done in spring

The last FHCA meeting for the 2016/2017 year (before end of school year) will be:
Wednesday May 10, 2017

FRASER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MINUTES
November 30, 2016

President’s report
• Web site – www.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 gathers four times a year to discuss issues that affect our community
• 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). 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. If you are not currently on the email list, go to our website and sign up (on the right side of website page). You will receive four notifications and four reminders of the upcoming meetings per year. There may also be notifications of open houses or events affecting FH residents.
• Our Community Association mailing address is PO Box 74042, Surrey, V4N 1N9.

Treasurer’s report
• Financial statement – total account balance is $2,727.97

RCMP update on safety and security – District Commander Sergeant Laurie Clarkson was in attendance tonight. She can be reached at Laurie.Clarkson@rcmp-grc.gc.ca. District #2 Community Response Unit 10395-148 St. phone # 604-502-6500 – you can leave a voicemail on Laurie’s number if there is something taking place in community that you want brought to the attention of RCMP and is not urgent.
• Crime stats (suspicious persons, B&E, theft from motor vehicles) were up from 2015 to 2016 (Sept – Nov). The lowest amount of crime was in Nov 2016 of the past 3 months.
• If you see something suspicious, call 911 or non-emergency # 604-599-0502 to report it or call your block watch captain who will contact RCMP (Blair and Laurie) You can now also use the new Surrey RCMP app to report incidences.
• Surrey RCMP have just released an app that can be downloaded for free. It contains “Call Us, Police Station Locations, News, Events, Help Identify, Missing Persons, Most Wanted, Emergency Alerts and Crime Stoppers”. It is worth downloading onto your mobile device.
• There was a request made by a resident, who lived in the vicinity of the two recent homicides, for more police patrols and asked if the city was going to put cameras in the streets (as Abbotsford has). Laurie said there were more patrols now but did not know if Surrey was going to install cameras.
• If you notice any suspicious cars, take plate numbers, contact RCMP and the police will run them immediately – you can do this anonymously but it is better to leave a contact name/number in case they need to follow up later on.

• Blair Berkner is the new Community Programs Coordinator. He took over from Heather Paradis, who is on maternity leave. He can be reached at: Surrey.Crime.Prevention.District.2@remp-grc.ga.ca or phone 604-502-6509.
• Blair brought a handout on outdoor lighting for safety and security (put out by bchydro.com). Motion sensor lighting helps deter crime and prevents concealment of thieves (especially in these dark winter months when it is easier to hide in the dark). If you call Blair, the RCMP will come out and do a home security assessment to let you how to make your home safer. If you put lights on timers, use multiple on/off times and vary those times for the days you are absent. More information can be obtained by calling Hydro at 604-431-9463
• Project Iris is a registry for anyone with a video surveillance camera system so if something happens in your neighbourhood, those people on the registry can be asked for footage (they can choose whether to provide police with footage or not). RCMP/City of Surrey want to put together a collective data base for residential and businesses who have cameras that record live footage. See information at City of Surrey website under www.surrey.ca/publicsafety or http://www.surrey.ca/community/20957.aspx
• Contact Blair if your neighbourhood wants to start a Block Watch
• Don’t leave your car warming up outside unless you sit in it.
• Alarm your house – windows and doors can be wired
• Jewelry/cash – put in secure place such as a safe bolted to the floor

Development – Update on Oct 18 Public Open House for Abbey Ridge (east of 172):
• Originally this area was called East Fraser Heights/Abbey Ridge but FH was dropped from this name. Anything north of #1/ south of SFPR is normally considered part of FH
• A year ago, the FH REC centre was packed for an open house about this area.
• At the meeting on Oct 16, 2016, Don Luymes stated that the density of Abbey Ridge was scaled back slightly from what had originally been planned.
• Since then, some FH directors and residents had a meeting with Canadian Horizons who have made 3 proposals for that area
• The area from 182A/98 Ave has a 40 lot subdivision that has all RF 13 lots proposed (these are 8 to 10 units per acre). These are small lots with big 3 storey homes, most containing suites and have an extra parking spot along the front of the house.
• The 49 lot subdivision has 8 RF or slightly bigger and 41 lots are RF13.
• The community wants to stop this. We need to get as many people to go to City hall/write emails as possible so these proposals don’t get passed. See Surrey.ca for list of councillors and their contact information (http://www.surrey.ca/city-government/2999.aspx). This is just the start of developing that area so if this is allowed, it will set a precedence of small lots/big houses for future developments in that area.
• The map showed townhouses on a site by the gorge
• This developer, Canadian Horizons, has spent the last few years assembling land in FH – they were proud of the RF12 in Morgan Creek they have completed (very small lots with large houses and suites).
• Stage 2 hasn’t passed but will be going before council before Christmas. Please write the mayor and each council member before Christmas
• The City is only required to send letters to residents that live within 100 meters of a proposed development. One block is 200 meters so 100 meters is a ½ block in any direction from the site. Those selling their lots won’t protest and often, they’d be the only ones getting the letters. Let your neighbours and our FH Community Association know if you see green signs going up.
• Ed MacIntosh created a page of the information you should include in your email which you can get by emailing him or at www.fhca.ca.
• State you are opposed to the proposal. Note the proposal # on your email. Say you are not opposed to development but not at the density proposed. If you have ideas as to what you’d like put in that area, suggest it (e.g., RF housing instead of RF13).
• These small lots could devalue the property values of existing homes in the area.
• The townhomes at High Crest are still being constructed – these will have a heavy impact on our community as well.
• Abbey Ridge children would be in the Bothwell catchment area. Bothwell does have some space for new elementary students but not at the density proposed by all the developments going into this area. Fraser Heights Secondary School is 40% over capacity and has multiple portables on site (and this is after an extension to the school). The school population figures were as of Nov 2016 – the total capacity may not be correct as class sizes will be reduced as per the Supreme Court of Canada ruling which will come into effect in 2017 Sept.

SCHOOL / CAPACITY / ENROLMENT / (UNDER) OVER
Bothwell / 315 / 210 /(105)
Dogwood / 490 / 367 / (123)
Erma Stephenson / 415 / 463 / 48
Fraser Wood / 528 / 528 / 0
Fraser Hts Secondary / 1000 / 1405 / 405

List of Developments:
• 5 new developments have passed 3rd reading at City Hall this year
• All were RF subdivisions – total of 43 homes
• Council meeting on Monday Dec 5th (advertised in Now paper this past Thursday) – the revised Parkview Place proposal is up for final reading and will most likely pass. It originally was full of RF12s a year ago but residents sent letters and showed up at public hearings to get the density decreased. There are now 58 lots – density 5.14 units per acre.
• 11 RF homes had already been passed
• Note, with all the development in the Parkview Place area, there will be around 99 homes which will make it fairly densely populated with limited access.

Trans Mountain pipeline:
• Meeting at Holiday Inn at Guildford on December 1, 6 to 8 p.m. to show proposed routes.
• They are staying to the Perimeter Road side, will jump up one of the hills and then back down

Traffic Circle (108 Ave/156 St) Public Art presentation by Liane Davidson (Visual and Community Art Manager):
• Surrey Public Art was established in 1998 (see website www.surrey.ca/publicart or http://www.surrey.ca/culture-recreation/1653.aspx) and is put on City land, usually in a high traffic area so will be seen by many. There is a map online of all public art in Surrey and a page on Guildford/FH on the site. Public art is at 152 St/Lincoln Dr (north end of Aquatic Centre) to welcome those coming off the Port Mann Bridge into Surrey.
• It is funded by taking 1.25% of hard construction costs when building new civic facilities, not from public taxes.
• Public art is guided/selected by residents
• In 2006, there was a recommendation for art in the traffic circle at 108 Ave/158 St but no money was available at that time. Instead, a tree was planted in that circle.
• $90,000 was budgeted for public art at 108 Ave/156 St a year ago and an infrastructure was installed in the traffic circle to support the art. The project is on hold to allow the community time to think about it. Planting a big tree is not an option for this roundabout as there are too many services running under the circle that could be compromised by a tree.
• Artwork that sits high above a traffic circle helps identify a roundabout is ahead. It is lit at night with soft light.
• Although the Public Art was recommended for the roundabout, it is possible to suggest other sites as long as they are on City land. There is a structure already inside the FH Rec Centre.
• 104 Ave/160 St is also a FH Gateway but it is provincial land so the City cannot place art there.
• If you have ideas on other locations in FH for public art, contact Liane
• Art Themes our community might like to explore could be about transportation past and present, nature, Circle of Connection etc., (as we are like an island between two Hwys (#1 and #17 or SFPR).
• Multipurpose Room 5 is reserved at Rec centre for Tues Jan 10th, at 7 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss sites and locations and what type of art for the Public Art in FH

Fraser Heights Pond Planting presentation by Tamsin Baker:
• Tamsin Baker is the Stewardship Coordinator of the South Coast Conservation Program which facilitates the conservation of species and ecological communities that are at risk. They can be contacted at www.sccp.ca, on Facebook or contact them directly at info@sccp.ca
• BC Conservation Data Centre – their guide shows how various species are doing – red is for endangered or threatened, blue is to keep an eye on, yellow – the species is OK
• Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)
• Development and changes in landscape are the biggest threats to animals/plants
• Rare Critters of FH:
a) Fraser Glen Pond at Fraser Glen Dr and 104 Ave has the Pacific Water Shrew (an insectivore). These little pointed-nose rodents are federally endangered. They exist in only 25 locations in Canada. They like to hunt for insects in the water. Hairs on their feet allow them to run across the water really quickly (also called Jesus Shrew). To capture prey, they blow bubbles
b) Pacific Great Blue Heron is a species of special concern. They may stand along pond feeding or may nesting there. Their nests are protected by law. Give them a lot of space and do not disturb.
c) Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly – It is found from July to Nov
d) Anderson’s Water Boatman – swims in the water. Its hind legs look like oars and it eats plants by injecting a straw-like structure into the plant, injecting digestive enzymes then sucking up the juices formed.
• City of Surrey is onboard with the various projects of planting native species and removing invasive species (such as blackberry). In 2015, part of the southern side of Fraser Glen Pond was planted along with BCIT student volunteers. A March 2016 planting had the help of high school student volunteers. At last month’s planting, it poured with rain but many volunteers helped and 400 plants were put into ground that day. The City supplies the tools, plants and food for the volunteers.
• There will be more work parties for this pond – the dates are to be determined.
• There is a Nature Stewards program that can help residents to improve their own property using native plants (may even get some free plants). For information on this, contact Tamsin at tamsin@sccp.ca, 604-202-2381, or www.sccp.ca
• Beavers still exits at the pond – new plantings have been fenced so beavers don’t eat them

The upcoming FHCA meetings for the 2016/2017 year will be:
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Wednesday May 10, 2017