A revised plan for a neighbourhood on the Surrey-91原创 border received a thumbs-up from Surrey council early Tuesday (July 27) morning, following a public hearing that stretched over six hours and logged comments from more than 100 people.

The Safe Surrey Coalition majority voted just before 2 a.m. to give third reading to a bylaw that amends the city鈥檚 Official Community Plan to align with the Stage 1 Land Use Plan for approximately 600 acres in South Surrey鈥檚 Campbell Heights 鈥� bounded by 20th Avenue to the north, the 196th Street border with 91原创 to the east, 8th Avenue to the south and approximately 186th Street to the west.

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The lands are outside of the agricultural land reserve, currently designated rural and a Special Study Area. They also sit above the Brookswood Aquifer, which interacts with the Little Campbell River and other aquifers in the area.

Among other things, the amendments expand the urban containment boundary south of 20 Avenue and redesignate the area as employment lands, essentially 鈥� upon approval from the Metro Vancouver board and final adoption 鈥� clearing the way for industrial development.

91原创 Township council voted on July 12 to write to the City of Surrey expressing 鈥渃oncern鈥� about the proposed OCP changes, particularly because of possible impacts on the Brookswood Aquifer.

According to the city clerk, the city received 1,123 written submissions supporting the plan and 497 opposing it. Of 89 who called in but did not wish to speak, 32 were in support of the bylaw and 57 voiced opposition.

Those who spoke in favour of the plan during Monday鈥檚 public hearing cited the need for land to expand business, and described the area in question as unsuitable for farming.

South Surrey physician Sean Petrovic said he has tried for two years to lease out two properties he has in the subject area to no avail, due to soil conditions.

鈥淢y lands presently provide little to no economic benefit to the community and anyone who argues otherwise is out of touch with reality,鈥� Petrovic said. 鈥淭hese lands would be better-suited to a business-employment designation.鈥�

Another supporter who said he has a business moving to the 3300-block of 194 Street said there are many businesses wanting to move to the area that 鈥渏ust can鈥檛 find land.鈥�

Redesignating the subject lands for employment is 鈥渁 much more reasonable thing to do in Surrey than just grow hay,鈥� he said.

Others who spoke said the redesignation translates to 8.5 million square feet of building area and the creation of 17,000 to 20,000 jobs, as well as $20 million annually in tax revenue for the city.

Opponents, meanwhile, emphasized the area鈥檚 sensitive habitat, and the risks industrial development poses for the Little Campbell River, which bisects the site.

Municipalities 鈥渘eed to consider environmental consequences鈥� before building out, said one caller, who identified herself as a biologist who has studied the area for the past decade.

She noted the plan also goes against a commitment to work with the Semiahmoo First Nation on water quality.

David Anderson, a director of A Rocha Canada鈥檚 Brooksdale Environmental Centre 鈥� located on 18 acres of the subject site 鈥� and Sarah Rush, of Friends of Hazelmere Campbell Valley, reminded Mayor Doug McCallum and Safe Surrey Coalition council members of a pre-election commitment to support the urban containment boundary and preserve the area.

鈥淭ake note of what you said, take note of what you promised and abide by your commitment,鈥� Rush said.

McCallum made a point of disputing the claim, saying the coalition had committed to not allowing residential development to go below 16 Avenue, but 鈥渁lways said鈥� that it would look to allow industry in the area.

Tuesday鈥檚 vote authorizes staff to submit a regional growth strategy and regional context statement amendment application to the Metro Vancouver board for approval of the land-use designation amendments.

A similar effort in 2018 was rejected by the board, which referred the application back to Surrey for consideration of an alternative option.

鈥� with files from Tom Zytaruk