Editor: The communities of South Surrey and South Langley have been closely following GG Metro Holdings “truck park application” and associated rezoning application for a 77-acre parcel of land located immediately to the west of the Langley border along 16 Avenue.
These lands are also at the epicentre of a Special Study Area, about to undergo a Local Area Planning process, which will determine what, if any, land use changes are warranted to this agricultural and rural residential area of Surrey.
Part of the planning process will be an open house on Tuesday, May 31 at 5:30 p.m. at Shannon Hall in Cloverdale. The city is holding a public information meeting to provide a forum for the public to comment on the development of a land use plan being prepared for the South Campbell Heights area of Surrey.
Your readers will be aware that this area is actually referred to by residents and maps as the Hazelmere Valley.
Why is it that the public notice of this meeting makes no reference to the truck park application?
Is it because the city realizes that if the two are linked, they will be opening up a fiery discussion for the meeting, where residents will likely slam the city’s fast-tracking of the application as they did at the last community meeting?
Is it because the city councillors want to be able to continue to claim there is no active file for the truck park in front of them?
There is — reference COS File #15-0227, which council unanimously fast-tracked on Sept. 14, 2015.
It is worth noting that Coun. Tom Gill has facilitated GG Metro’s fast-tracking of the application, despite having no evidence it is needed, nor that this is an appropriate site.
And now the city is bulldozing forward with a Local Area Plan for the area in an attempt to retroactively defend their previous actions.
Given that this development zone lies over top our Brookswood aquifer, which supplies water for thousands of South Langley residents, I hope that concerned residents of Langley come out on May 31 to hold the City of Surrey accountable.
Brian Coote,
Langley
