After 6 days of public presentations, District of Mission Council has recessed the Public hearing for bylaws relating to the proposed 1400-unit Phase One housing development in Silverdale until Dec. 9/08, after the Municipal election Nov. 15/08.  Public interest in  the proposal was very strong, with 100s of citizens coming to the hearing and over 200 speakers signed up to present their views. Opposition to the proposal grew as major deficiencies were revealed.  Only one person supported the proposal in the last 3 days (12 hours) of the hearing.  Both the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the provincial Ministry of the Environment wrote letters to the District stating they were unable to support the proposal because it posed a serious threat to the abundant wildlife and fish habitat in the area. Letters from Genstar and Madison development corporations dated Sept. 29/08 stated that certain aspects of the current Phased Development Agreement are not economically viable for them leading citizens to question Mission council’s assurance that Genstar will pay for everything.  Citizens were very concerned by Genstar and Madison’s request that Mission Council agree to expropriate land from current residents whose properties may be needed for easements or right of ways; a request which council stated was illegal. Residents of the area were shocked to learn that not only did the council have no contingency plan in place to assist residents whose wells were contaminated by the development, but that they did not even believe that this was the responsibility of the District.  Citizens from the business community criticized the financial planning and the complete lack of risk management analysis needed to protect Mission taxpayers.  It was pointed out that no other community in BC has entered into a 20 year legally binding agreement with a developer and citizens questioned why, in the face of a world wide economic down-turn, Mission is the guinea pig.  Now that Mission council has recessed the hearings until after the election, citizens are left wondering why Council rushed into the hearings so late in their mandate in the first place.  While they were requested by the proponents to do so, clearly Council underestimated the interest citizens have in the future of their community and the concerns people have about this proposal. CAUSS would like to thank everyone who came out to present their views and send a message to council that they cannot simply ignore the obvious problems and ram through a plan of this magnitude.

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Another day of opposition to the proposed genstar housing development occurred Oct. 28.08.  Each and every speaker was opposed to the plan and to the 20 year Phased Development Agreement.  local high school sent in a 2 page petition of students who don’t want a smog coloured future.  Pictures of Genstar’ Maple Crest development were presented which depicted silt filled streams and major erosion problems.  Once again, council stated they had no contingency plan whatsoever to address resident’s concerns of contamination of their wells.  Council candidate Kevin O’Beirne did his own research and presented a well monitoring program currently going on in Whonock that could alert residents to contamination problems and would also serve to support a class action lawsuit if necessary.  To the shock of the audience, Director of Corporate Administration, Dennis Clark stated that there appeared to be a  mistaken belief that council was responsible for well contamination.  If it is council’s plan, and they are willing to go ahead despite knowing the concerns of the public and the provincial and federal ministries of the environment, then they ARE responsible!  The meeting continues tonight, Wed. Oct. 29/08 6:30 at the Best Western.  If you haven’t had a chance to make your views known, come to the hearing.

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Another large crowd attended today’s public hearing, and over the 4 hour session, only one presenter spoke in favour of Genstar’s plan.  High profile speakers including Adrianne Carr of the Green party, and Paul George, founder of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee,  spoke against the development and also spoke against the 20 year Phased development Agreement calling it an afront to democracy.  Speakers also critisized the buisiness case for the proposal which lacked key elements necessary to predict and manage financial impacts to Mission taxpayers.  District staff admitted that some ammenities will be financed by increases in property taxes for Silverdale residents.  The more question people ask- the more gaps are revealed in the planning of this massive proposal.  The hearing will resume Tuesday Oct. 28/08, 6:30 at the Best Western.  All concerned citizens should attend and make their views known. Everyone’s voice matters.

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Mission council changed the rules when they resumed the Public Hearing Wednesday Oct. 22, announcing that the hearing would continue all night until the speakers list was exhausted. Several speakers protested this motion, particularly those who had to work the next morning, and others who were expecting to make their presentations Thursday. After a recess at 10:40, council returned at 11:00 pm and changed the rules again to have the hearing continue until midnight. Citizens expressed numerous concerns about wildlife impacts, traffic congestion, and the inappropriateness of holding the hearings so close to the municipal election. Several people called for a district-wide referendum so that all Mission residents would have a chance to express their support or opposition to to the biggest development proposal in Mission’s history. The hearing will continue Thursday Oct. 24//08, 6:30 at the Best Western. All concerned citizens should come to the hearing to make their views known.

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Due to the tremendous turn-out of concerned citizens, the Silverdale Public hearing will be continuing tonight, Oct. 22/08, at 6:30 at the Best Western.  Please attend  and present your concerns.

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District of Mission Council is holding the public hearing on bylaws relating to the proposed 1400-unit Phase One housing development in Silverdale.  This is the last chance citizens have to present their comments and concerns.

The development will have negative impacts on Silverdale’s wildlife, which includes 5 endangered species, and numerous streams, many of which are fish-bearing.  The hillside aquifer, which provides current Silverdale residents with fresh water, is at high risk of contamination by storm water runoff from roads and chemicals.  Both the federal Fisheries Ministry and the provincial Ministry of the Environment have been highly critical of the planning process and the studies conducted by the developer’s consultants.

Negative impacts to air quality will be felt throughout the Fraser Valley due to the influx of up to 30,000 cars at build-out, and loss of 100’s of acres of forest.

The public hearing will also review a 20-year, legally binding Phased Development Agreement between Mission, and the Genstar and Madison development corporations.  Mission Council has reassured over-taxed Mission residents that “Genstar will pay for everything”.  However, as recently as Sept. 29/08, Genstar and Madison have stated that certain aspects of the current Phased Development Agreement are not economically viable for them.  They have also asked Mission Council to agree to expropriate land from current residents whose properties may be needed for easements or right of ways.

We urge everyone who is concerned about this proposal to come to the Public Hearing.

Oct. 21/08, 6:30 pm

Best Western Mission City Lodge

32281 Lougheed Highway 

 Note: There will be a speaker’s list for those who want to make presentations.  

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CBC investigative reporter Kathy Tomlinson revealed shocking evidence that former Ministry of Environment Senior Scientist, Dr. Marvin Rosenau, was removed from his position after writing a critical report about Genstar’s proposed development on Silvermere Island, in Southwest Mission.  Dr. Rosenau concluded his report stating “This project constitutes one of the most environmentally damaging development projects that I have had occasion to review”.   Silvermere Island is situated in the middle of the Stave River estuary, a major wild salmon run in an area teeming with wildlife and listed species.   Despite the scathing report, Mission’s environmental manager, Mike Younie, told CAUSS that Silvermere remains an open development application.  Letters from both the Ministry of Environment and Department of Fisheries and Oceans to the District of Mission show that there are also many serious concerns with Genstar’s Silverdale megahousing development.  According to Ministry reports, concerns about the environmental base map, terms of reference for the environmental studies, and the content of the studies themselves have been disregarded by the District.   The District promised Mission residents that responsible planning would take place.  The level of political interference into the work of government scientists seriously undermines the credibility of the development planning process in Mission.  For the full story, see Genstar plan will destroy ecosystem, former government scientist warns

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