CBPOA - July 4th, 2018, General Meeting Minutes

Directors present: Andrew, Ed, Derrick, Rona, Robert, Erik.          Alexandra Neighbourhood House.

There were over 120 people present at the meeting.

1)    Call to order at 7:30PM.

2)    Presentation.  Fraser Smith, General Manager, Engineering, City of Surrey.

        Carrie Baron and Matt Osler also attended.

Fraser came to the meeting to address the Crescent Beach home owners’ concerns regarding the damaging effects of the recent publicity in the media around “managed retreat” as the preferred option for the City of Surrey, coming out of the Coastal Flood Adaption Strategy, (CFAS), project.

In introducing the presentation, Fraser stated, there is no intent to move ahead with, and no strategy to go forward with managed retreat. It is one of four options emerging from the (partially completed) CFAS project work which is being conducted in response to the Province directing Municipalities to consider a one metre rise in sea levels by 2100.

The City is keenly interested in investing in Crescent Beach and continuing with the Climate Change Adaption Plan for the village adopted in 2009. Work and costs, (over $10 million) to date, for drainage improvements and high tide splash over containment were described. A further up to $15 million is planned over the next 10 years for on-going maintenance and repair; and observation, learning and planning how to adapt, will all continue.

No decisions with respect to medium term and long term actions will be made until observations of sea level rise match predictions. Extensive future consultation will help inform all medium term and long term decisions.

The CFAS project is now in phase 4 of 5, focussing on key actions and options, (how will we implement some of these adaptation ideas), to consider in the medium and long term, (30 to 80 years). Managed retreat is one of four options to emerge and no decisions have been made around implementation.

There followed a very impassioned question period, members are very upset and angry with how the messages were miss-handled through the media and the impact of this on property values and home ownership plans.

-         What was the process to determine the so called preferred option?

-         Where did managed retreat come from?

-         People attending the Crescent Beach workshops did not see managed retreat as an option yet others outside of Crescent Beach managed to influence its outcome.

-         Managed Retreat came out as a lowest cost option; was the value of the housing included?

-         Why is no other community being considered for managed retreat and why was it released for Crescent Beach?

-         Is Surrey prepared to say, managed retreat is not an option?

-          It should be taken off the table.

-         They have also been saying it doesn’t affect property values today, which is clearly incorrect.

-         Why did you take a planning process public that affects property values?

-         The graphs in the workshop materials do not support the option selection.

In summation Fraser stated,

-         We have heard, as home owners, you want managed retreat off the table as an option for Crescent Beach.

-         The way the information was handled by the City was unacceptable and a poor job,

-         We have heard that you want the City of Surrey to come out publicly with a statement clarifying the real story and where the City stands on Managed Retreat and other options for Crescent Beach,

-         We heard that the inappropriate publicity is having an effect on property values.

Fraser Committed that,

-         Something will come out publicly from the City

-         Some things will come back to the CBPOA

-         He is willing to come to further meetings.

The meeting thanked Fraser with a round of applause.

Following the presentation and questions there was a short break.

3)    Adoption of the May 2^nd, 2018n general Meeting draft Minutes.

Proposed: Liz   Seconded: Robert     all in favour.

4)    Matters arising from the minutes.

Following up on the March meeting, where it was suggested that the speed humps on McBride be located at the intersections with the Blackie Lane paths, Traffic Planning came back and provided their rationale. They will locate one speed hump at the Blackie Lane path where it goes to the beach. The other has to be located towards the further end for maximum speed control effectiveness along McBride.

Following up on the May 2^nd General Meeting, a letter was sent to the City Business Systems Coordinator expressing concern about the creeping growth of the paddle board operation and the loss of car parking spaces.

Further, it was requested that the traditional parking spaces and capacity be reinstated and available for use in the summer months. The City marked out the Blackie Spit car park area for the May long weekend.

5)    Directors’ Reports.  5:1) Treasurer. No report. In answer to a question, the funds are as stated at the May meeting. 5:2) Membership. No report, no changes.

6)    What are our options as an Association with respect to the CFAS implications, including a motion to be presented by Mark Nelson.

From the floor, Surrey needs to say – this is our plan for the Crescent Beach community and the CBPOA needs to be able to put pressure on City Staff for an end date for this.

-         The CBPOA will write to Fraser Smith confirming the commitments tonight and ask for timelines on these.

-         It was suggested a CBPOA sub-committee be established, (small number of members, say 5), to work with the City to ensure they come through on their stated commitments. Volunteers can contact any Director. (It is unfortunate that with Judy Villeneuve not running for Council again, Crescent Beach will not be represented on Council. So, we need the sub-committee to keep the pressure on).

-         Members who have been in the Crescent Beach workshops are astonished at the preferred outcome for Crescent Beach. Where did this come from? Do we want to obtain the data, go through it and come up with a Crescent Beach preferred direction/option? Then go to the City and say – this is what we want to do; even if it is a do nothing option.

-         If we do decide to analyse the data, a ranking criteria of “human cost” should be included in any re-ranking to generate solid options for Crescent Beach.

-         It’s an election year and we’re likely to see a lot of new faces on Council. We should arrange to have an all-candidates meeting to discuss Crescent Beach issues, future plans and how we need Council to ensure we avoid future misinformation episodes with the potential to damage property values. Need to act quickly, as the election is in the fall.

Mark Nelson presented the motion: “I move that the Crescent Beach Property Owners’ Association, (CBPOA), hire a law firm to provide CBPOA members with a legal opinion regarding options of how to protect our investments in our Crescent Beach property. This is the result of the City of Surrey’s engineer Matt Osler’s comments to CBC about the City of Surrey’s managed retreat option for its Coastal Flood Adaption Strategy”.

This focussed the conversations of the members around the various pros and cons of the potential to pursue a legal action route.

Carolyn Allen seconded the motion.  Vote by a show of hands.

In support of the motion: 4. Against: 30, (unofficial count). Motion defeated.

Members were encouraged to talk to their neighbours about these various suggestions and options.

7)    Call for nominations for the September AGM.  The positions of President, Vice President and Membership Coordinator are up for election for a two year term. Please contact any Director to express your interest.

8)    New Business. Here we all are in this lovely old complex. I encourage all of you to contribute to the Crescent Beach Community Services. Just go across to the office and join the organization.

9)    Motion to adjourn.  Proposed: Mark. Seconded: Robert. Meeting adjourned at 9:35PM.