Abbotsford council has approved an amendment to the city’s Official Community Plan that will provide the framework for development and preservation of McKee Peak.
The McKee Neighbourhood Plan was approved unanimously, after the amended bylaw was read a third and final time. Mayor Ross Siemens has emphasized that the plan will guide future development, and no development applications have yet been made for that area of McKee Peak.
Several councillors read statements about why they support the plan, which has drawn plenty of criticism in the past.
Coun. Patricia Ross said that protecting the environment has been her “life’s work,” and that the plan gives direction to the city to protect a large area that remains at risk.
She spent time addressing what she called misconceptions that were brought up during the public hearings and in letters to council.
The approval follows a consultation process that included two public hearings, one in March and another in June. The first drew about 50 speakers and lasted nearly five hours. But due to a procedural error, a second hearing had to be held. That one was about two hours long, and included about 30 speakers.
Comments from both hearings remain on record, and the concerns brought up included wildlife protection, the preservation of First Nations cultural sites, and the impact on the trail network.
“The city does not own the land,” Ross explained. “We have no ability to protect it and I’ve seen plenty of devastation of this land already.”
One example she pointed out is the Abby Grind, which was created without any city input and has become a popular draw to the area. The area is “extremely sensitive habitat,” she said, and there was never any council approval for that to become a recreational area.
Council would have never allowed a hiking trail in such an area, she said, and the impetus of the McKee Neighbourhood Plan was to protect such sensitive areas.
“Protecting the environment was our starting point,” she said. “We recognized the value and unique richness of this area … before we developed this plan.”
She and other councillors pointed out that the city does not own the land, and that it would be “billions of dollars” to purchase it all.
She also used the example of the phantom orchid, an endangered flower that grows in the area.
If that plant is doing well, she said, “it is indicative of a healthy environment for all species.”
Coun. Simon Gibson noted that as a new member to council, he is coming in late to the conversation. He applauded council for its years of work toward protecting McKee Peak with “tenacity and vision.”
He said this is likely the last large portion of the city to be developed and it’s important to get it right. It could take up to 40 years for the neighbourhood to be fully developed.
Mayor Ross Siemens was the final speaker, adding that “change is hard but it’s necessary.”
“We can either plan for it or we can chase it and correct it,” he said. “I believe this plan strikes the balance and I’m very proud of our staff for how they worked on this.”
READ MORE: Second public hearing held in Abbotsford for McKee Neighbourhood Plan
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