December 22, 2022.
Hello Nigel,
Thanks for your note.
City staff anticipate a Corporate Report on the matter of the Heppel Farm (Federal Lands) in North Campbell Heights ALC Inclusion proposal in the New Year. This Council Report is anticipated for the January 16th, 2023 regular Surrey City Council meeting and is expected to provide options for Council to respond to the proposed ALC ALR Inclusion of the Federally owned lands in North Campbell Heights.
The outcomes of Councils resolution from that report will be provided to the ALC as the City’s formal comment to the Provincial ALC on the matter, and will provide to the Provincial ALC prior to the Public Hearing on the matter expected on January 23rd, 2023. Outcomes and comments from that report and the outcome of the ALC Hearing to potentially add these lands into the ALR may ultimately dictate the City’s future direction on any Local Area Plan (LAP), Official Community Plan (OCP), or Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) changes in the area.
You will be able to access the future corporate report by reviewing the Council Agenda for the January 16th meeting, which would likely be released online by the City Clerks office on Friday January 13th, 2023. You may then want to follow up after the January 16th Council meeting, as city staff will have a better understanding at that time about Councils chosen direction, and potentially any next steps for land use consideration in the area.
Best Regards,
MARKUS KISCHNICK, MCIP, RPP |SENIOR COMMUNITY PLANNER
June 2021. Correspondence with Mark Kischnick, Senior Planner with the City of Surrey
Hello Nigel,
Thanks for your email.
I thought it may be helpful to frame a response to you around how land use plans and process are organized legislatively, approved, and implemented; and then discuss your objective request.
RGS In Metro Vancouver overall land use direction is provided by the Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy “RGS” bylaw, which are approved by the Regional Board made up of local municipalities (Mayors) in Metro Vancouver. In the Metro Vancouver Growth Strategy 2040 Plan this area of land (federal lands) in Campbell Height are designated as “Mixed Employment”, and are within the regional urban containment boundary. Mixed Employment areas are intended for future industrial, commercial and other employment related uses to help meet the needs of the regional economy. Mixed Employment area, such as this, which are located outside of Urban Centres and Frequent Transit Development Areas are primarily intended for industrial and business uses that would not normally be attracted to those more urban locations.
OCP
In Surrey, the Official Community Plan “OCP” Bylaw provides the overarching policy framework for the growth and future land uses, and is to be consistent with the RGS. Secondary Land Use Plans (Such as Local Area Plans “LAPs” or Neighbourhood Concept Plans “NCPs) are then also created in some areas to provide more details and development consideration, which are approved by City Council by resolution. The Current OCP designation for these Federal lands is Currently “Mixed Employment”. These MIXED EMPLOYMENT designation areas are intended to support a mix of industrial, commercial, business and office uses.
LAP
In 2000, Surrey City Council endorsed Corporate Report C018 which approved the Secondary Plan ( Local Area Plan “LAP”) for North Campbell Heights, including the Land Use Concept Plan. The land use concept is consistent with the RGS and OCP. The Federal Owned Lands) are identified as future “Technology Park and Business Park” and a portion of “Open Space Corridors/Buffers” in the North Campbell Heights Plan.
Zoning
Every property in the City of Surrey is assigned a zone. These zones are regulated in the Zoning Bylaw 12000 and the Zoning Bylaw 12000 Schedules. Zoning dictates what can be done on the property (today). These lands (Federal lands) are currently zoned General Agricultural (A-1), in the Zoning Bylaw. The A-1 Zone is intended to accommodate agriculture uses on lots of a minimum size of 2 ha. A future rezoning on the property to something other than Agricultural uses, would need to be part of a larger significant rezoning and development application review process, including public hearings. Any rezoning in the city is expected to be consistent with Secondary Plans (LAPs), OCP, and RGS.
Preservation of Agriculture - Request)
In order to effectively ‘down designate’ the future uses of these lands, to maintain ‘agricultural use’ as you inquired about; an amendment to the LAP, OCP and possibly the RGS the would be required. Any Amendment of this significance would need to come from a resolution of Surrey City Council in terms of the LAP and OCP, and the Metro Vancouver board in the case of the RGS. To have these lands designated as “Agricultural” rather than “Mixed Employment” and “Technology Park and Business Park”, would also characteristically be done at the request of a land use application by the land owner, and/or City Council directly. Unless city staff receive direction from Surrey City Council through Senior Management, in order to pursue such an amendment process to down-designated and deviate from existing land use plans directives in the area, the current LAP, OCP, and RGS designation will persist.
That all said, please note that, until such time as a rezoning is applied for, considered, and approved, these lands will remain agriculturally zoned. Only if the federal government applies for a rezoning would a change in use be considered long term; so an understanding of the long term goals for these lands by the federal government would really determine if/when any change to land use may occur. Any rezoning would be subject to formal public hearing and review process through Surrey City Council. I am not currently aware about the long term planning for these lands by the federal government, nor any rezoning application for the properties.
So, overall, In terms of methods to pursue your objectives of maintaining the agricultural uses on these federal lands indefinitely, that would need to come from Surrey City Council and possibly Metro Vancouver, (in conversation with the Federal government). At this time it is not something city staff has received direction on nor could pursue autonomously, as it would deviate from current Regional and City plans and policies for the area.
If you would like discuss this item or land use processes further feel free to reach out to me at 604-591-4485 or follow up via email.
Best Regards,
MARKUS KISCHNICK, MCIP, RPP |SENIOR COMMUNITY PLANNER
CITY OF SURREY
Community Planning Division
Planning & Development Department
13450 104th Ave, Surrey, BC, Canada V3T 1V8 T 604.591.4485 | F 604.591.2507 | www.surrey.ca
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Subject: Email response
Mr. Kischnick,
I wonder if you received the following email. It was sent to your offices in June, but perhaps it went astray.
Can you advise?
Regards,
Nigel Bell
From: Nigel Bell Sent: Monday, June 7, 2021 11:21 AM To: mkischnick@surrey.ca Cc: Rod Hull; Sarah Dennis Subject: Federal Land within the Campbell Heights Development
Dear Markus Kischnick,
Recent communication with Mark Sadoway of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs suggested that you may be the appropriate contact for raising the possibility of changes to the Campbell Heights Development plans.
The 300 acres of federal property bordering Langley, 36 Ave., and 192nd St. Have been identified as part of future Campbell Heights development. Two thirds of the current use of the property are agriculture, and have been in production for almost 50 years feeding the lower mainland. The remaining one third is forested, and is enjoyed as a park and preserve by local residents.
Our intent is to explore the possibility that the Campbell Heights plans exclude these federal lands. Our efforts and activity toward preserving existing use have been documented on the website beautifulbrookswood.com.
So, given that the possibility exists that changes can be made to the Campbell Heights plans, perhaps you can advise us about how to approach this objective.
Sincerely,
Nigel Bell
Cc: Rod Hull, Sarah Dennis
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