Thursday, July 22, 2021

CBPOA - July General Meeting Draft Minutes

 

Crescent Beach Property Owners’ Association

Wednesday, July 7, 2021 General Meeting Minutes

Directors present: Jim, Henri, Bruce, Liz

Held via Zoom with approximately 24 members present.

Councillor Annis was present for part of the meeting.

 

1.     Call to order at 7:30

2.     Update by City of Surrey Engineer Tindi Sekhon on Phase III of the Crescent Beach Utility Improvement Project:

·       Construction of the Phase 3 project is planned for October 2021.

·       The City has reviewed 3 traffic management options on Sullivan St and McBride Ave during construction. The 3 options being reviewed are:

o   A sectional road closure from 7:30am to 4:30pm – Mid-October to Mid-April. Where the road is closed in blocks (i.e. on Sullivan St between Kidd Rd and Dunsmuir Rd). Traffic personnel to be on-site to assist construction activities, residents, and public.

o   Single Lane Alternating Traffic from 7:30am to 4:30pm – For the duration of the project. Where one lane is open for each direction and controlled by Traffic personnel to assist construction activities, residents, and public.

o   Directional Road Closure from 7:30am to 4:30pm – For the duration of the project. Where one lane is open for a direction and controlled by Traffic personnel to assist construction activities, residents, and public

·       Option 1a is the most feasible approach as it will provide the contractor with work space and allow for all the associated drainage works to be completed within the section closed. The expected number of personnel on site during construction can be up to 8 Archaeologists (including 5 First Nation representatives), 2-3 traffic personnel, 6-8 construction personnel, and engineering inspector. The amount of personnel may be different as it depends on the contractor’s methods and workplan.

·       The contractor will be required to open the road at the end of each work day.

·       A temporary traffic re-route plan will be reviewed. At this time it is anticipated that traffic may be re-routed through streets that connect Sullivan St and Beecher St. The route will be based on the extent of the sectional closure. More details will be provided.

o   (One item that wasn’t discussed at the meeting is, Tindi would like to send information to the CBPOA and potentially impacted residents of the sectional road closure option with detour routes. Any feedback will help with planning the project.)

·       Groundwater levels were reviewed on the project, based on the geotechnical tests groundwater levels appeared to be near the bottom of the pipe trench. This was also experienced in Phase 2 works when works were continuing in O’Hara Lane in October/November. Further review is being done with the geotechnical and engineering consultant.

·       The City has been working with First Nation Communities on the project. One comment by First Nations is to keep the surplus excavated cultural soil within the Archaeological boundary. The City is exploring the opportunity to place surplus excavated cultural soil in Blackie Spit in the grassed area outside (East) of the Dog Park, south of the Blackie Spit parking lot. The City is carrying out an Environmental assessment and survey of the area. The assessment and survey is underway, some survey work may be done at night time.

·       It was mentioned that the park site owned and managed by Camp Alexandra has a low section where water would pond, about 15 years ago lots of soils (gravels) were brought in to help with the ponding.

o   The City will review the park frontage along Sullivan St.

·       The City awarded a design contract to a consultant recently to complete the drainage design for the remaining streets in Crescent Beach, from Sullivan St to Maple St. Construction will be planned in phases. More details to be provided as the design progresses.

Presentation by RCMP Sgt Afshin Mehdizadeh (Ash) regarding safety in the beach area:

Sgt Ash Mehdizadeh is committed to try to resolve our issues, including afterhours noise, drinking, partying and speeding, and gave his direct office number (604-507-5959) to call if we see the need.  He cautioned the general public not to get involved with individuals who are disobeying the bylaws, and to continue to call the RCMP non-emergency number to report a problem and document issues in the Crescent Beach area.

·       Sgt Mehdizadeh explained that, in March, 2020, his staff (District 5 – South Surrey) was given the responsibility of being the Covid Compliance Enforcement Team, following up every call made from the public regarding Covid 19.  This responsibility has absorbed many resources.  Also, at the same time, the volunteer RCMP program was cancelled, again limiting resources.

·       Resources must be prioritized.  When a call is made to the non-emergency RCMP number, a case number is assigned and a file is opened and should be followed up by an RCMP member.  At the same time, there will be a queue of calls, with robberies, kidnappings, shootings and domestics taking precedence over after- hours noise and partying (for example).

·       Regarding enforcement, roadblocks have been carried out and will continue.  Some members are training on ATVs to access beach areas.

·       Sgt Mehdizadeh is committed to deploying members to the beach area when they are available, especially during busy periods at the beach.

·       Sgt Mehdizadeh’s Recommendation:

Start or continue the Blockwatch program in the Crescent Beach area.  This provides extra safety and security to the public, is effective, and provides better communication between residents and the RCMP.

 

3.     Adoption of May 2021 Draft Minutes (as circulated). Moved by Trish, seconded by Don, carried.

4.     Matters arising from the minutes: none

 

5.     Directors’ Reports

a.     Treasurer – no changes since the last meeting, approximately $40,000 in the bank account, and an expenditure of approximately $16,000 towards two AEDs to be installed in the Crescent Beach area.  Moved by Carolyn, seconded by Ron, carried.

b.     Membership – the 2021 membership campaign was launched on July 1 with 13 canvassers.

6.     Correspondence and Updates

a.     Update regarding the Start Me Up Save Stations (AED) Project – City is in the process of installing the two AEDs purchased by the CBPOA.  Installation will take place on Sullivan Point near the lifeguard tower, and at Blackie Spit Park near the pier.  These locations were chosen because they are high traffic areas. There will be an additional cost for concrete pads to house the defibrillators.

b.     Transportation Update from Ken Karunaratne, City of Surrey -  

                                                    i.     Pedestrian Safety for Whistle Cessation – The City has heard from BNSF regarding the redline version of the lease agreement City staff provided them.  They have informed the City that they will be meeting next week to discuss the changes in the lease agreement City staff provided to them and should be able to provide us an update after this meeting.

                                                   ii.     Conducting Traffic Counts – As requested by the CBPOA, Transportation staff conducted traffic counts at the intersection of Crescent Rd/128 St on Saturday May 22, 2021 from 12 to 9 PM. Between 2020 and 2021,  there was an increase of over 30% in vehicles entering and exiting the beach area, with approximately 6500 to 7000 vehicles coming and going from the beach during this 9 hour period.

c.      Request for consultation from the Surrey Police Service – as shared in an attachment with the notice of this meeting, the Surrey Police Service invites CBPOA to participate in an interview to identify challenges and opportunities for future policing in Surrey.  Member Bob Gray has offered to chair this group and enough members have let their names stand to participate in the interview.

d.     Leashed dogs on the beach path: Director at Large Bruce Friesen summarized the 20 year history within CBPOA of the issue of allowing leashed dogs on the beach path during the summer months. The current issue is the 5th cycle of discussion in 20 years.  Each time there has been a vote at a CBPOA meeting there has been a passionate discussion followed by an even split in the vote, not a sufficiently clear mandate for the CBPOA to approach the City to request a change in the current bylaw.  Following a passionate discussion, the following motion was put forward.

Moved by Susan Beechinor-Carter, seconded by Kim Snyder, that “we give consideration to addressing the issue of dogs.”

                        The vote was tabled to the September meeting.

7.     Working Group Reports

Blackie Spit Working Group – Ron Sorensen highlighted two current issues.  First, the gates at the parking lot are currently being closed at 10:00 PM, and that is working well.  The Group is still requesting the City plan for four gate closing times over the four seasons. The other issue is that vehicles are using the boat launch ramp on the spit.  Previously this ramp was marked for hand launching only (no vehicles) but the signs are gone and vehicles are getting caught in the saturated sand at higher tides. (Late addition to the minutes: this issue has been referred to Parks and should be resolved in the near future.)

Traffic and Transportation Committee Working Group – Trish McEvoy gave a review of the activities that have taken place since the group was reformed at the May General Meeting (report circulated to Membership July 5, 2021). Of note, the committee has selected the goal of safety for pedestrians, cyclists and dog walkers in the beach area, and identified the increase in vehicular traffic as the primary impact on the community.  A petition began circulating in the beach area, highlighting three issues: Residential Permit Parking, Limited Public Pay Parking, and Speed Humps on every street.  There was a heated discussion about the fact that the petition had not been reviewed by the CBPOA membership or Directors prior to circulation. 

Moved by Michael Eyre, seconded by Bob Poulton, that “regardless of the results of the petition, no decision will be made on submitting the petition to Surrey until a vote has been taken at a meeting of the membership of the CBPOA.” Carried.

 

8.     New Business:

a.     The City has purchased two lots beside the church on Beecher Street, for parkland use.    The addresses are 2732 McKenzie Street and 12254 Beecher Avenue.

 

9.     Meeting adjourned at 9:42 PM

 

Next Meeting: There will be an AGM in September, date and location to be announced.

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