Dear Editor,
Application made to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) to subdivide a unique 37.9 acre plot of ALR land in Murrayville.
A submission to subdivide the 37.9 acre Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) land, which is located on the south side of 48th Avenue in the 21400-block, was approved by the TOL council in January of this year and has been forwarded to the ALC for consideration. Reference ALC application # 101080.
This land has previously been the target of attempts to subdivide. In 2016/2017 there was an application to have this land removed from the ALR to support a residential subdivision. At that time, meetings with residents of Murrayville, and specifically Macklin Corners, demonstrated strong opposition to the application to exclude this land for the purposes of residential development. The application did not proceed.
As this is not an application for an exclusion of the land from the ALR there is apparently no requirement, by Township nor the ALC, for public notification of or input into the proposal. The proposed subdivision plan is based on the minimum parcel size per lot being consistent with the Township鈥檚 zoning bylaw. It is proposed that there will be seven rural lots, ranging in size from approximately 4.2 acres to 6.3 acres. More detail can be found on the TOL website under Building & Development/Development/Development Activity/Development Activity Portal Reference TOL #AL 100458.
The land itself is part of the wonderful green space that separates 91原创 City from the Township and is habitat to a wide range of animals from the graceful deer to the lowly field mouse. Additionally, it is a habitat for the environmentally useful bat, which supports to control the mosquitoes within the area, and in turns supports the Township鈥檚 ongoing health program to eradicate and/or curb West Nile virus and lessen the need for the use of airborne pesticides. It also serves as habitat for a wide range of birds, including eagles, hawks, and owls.
While the proposed plan complies with the minimum lot size requirements for land zoned RU-1, it does nothing to improve the likelihood that the subdivided land will be used for agricultural purposes as contemplated under the act. It does not encourage farm use of the land. It is more likely the subdivision of the land will result in the landfill of the land for homes, garages, driveways, building of fences, public access roads, and other structures.
How does that positively support and protect the agricultural environment of the land? Keeping the lot whole will demonstrate the importance of keeping such unique ALR land for the future.
The ALC Act states in part that community benefits from the preservation of the limited agricultural land include: 鈥淎cts as an urban containment boundary鈥�, 鈥淢aintains rural character and lifestyle鈥� and 鈥淧rovides for a pastoral environment鈥�. Subdividing this land does not align with any of these benefits. The gradual slope of the tree line, at approximately 45 Avenue, gives a wonderful vista from 48 Avenue.
The sketch plan for the development also indicates a public pathway running along the north, east and south sides of the property. It follows the route of the protected and active fish bearing stream and is directly behind the established homes in Macklin Corners. The plan calls for an 鈥渟econdary emergency access road鈥� which crosses over this protected waterway.
How is this important environmental feature of the land going to be protected? The noted 7.5 metre SPEA setback is significantly less than the suggested required distance shared with this writer by the TOL staff.
Additionally, there have been numerous calls by residents to the police and Township to remove the homeless squatting along the east side of the property, leaving behind used drug paraphernalia and other debris which requires clean up. Is the TOL going to take on responsibility for overseeing the security and safety matters arising from a public pathway behind existing taxpayers property? Is such a public pathway even allowed by ALC, on privately owned ALR land?
This large lot of land, contained in the Murrayville Community Plan is an integral part of the 鈥渉istorical Murrayville鈥� rural setting and deserves protection from development. With the rapid development occurring in the Willoughby and Brookswood areas, there are few remaining opportunities to safeguard such a large and uniquely located property.
As guardians of our scarce and diminishing agricultural land, especially in the urbanized areas such as the Lower Mainland, the public relies upon the commission to protect this land and to ensure that any attempts to weaken the preservation of ALR is not successful.
To comment to the ALC on this application you can submit your comments, for placement on file and consideration by the board, directly to ALC.SouthCoast@gov.bc.ca. Additional information on what the ALC considers when reviewing an application is contained in the ALC Act Policy P-14.
As there will be no public announcement on the decision by the ALC regarding the application, I urge residents of Murrayville to log onto the ALC Portal or the TOL website for any updates to the application. If the application is approved by the ALC, there must be an application to the TOL for a subdivision plan providing the public with another chance to submit comments.
D. Harkin, Murrayville
