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Tuesday July 17, 2012 Serving Surrey and North rth Delta www.surreyleader.com www.su su u rr r r ey rrey eyleader.com
Surrey council gives initial approval to a development that would see forested area on heritage property razed
332 trees on Bose Farm in Newton facing the axe by Kevin Diakiw SURREY COUNCIL HAS given preliminary approval to a development on a
heritage site that would see the razing of more than 300 mature trees. The developer is planning to remove 332 sizable trees – many of them more than 25 metres (82 feet) tall – from the back end of a forest on the 7.8-hectare (20-acre) heritage Bose Farm at 16420 64 Ave. Platinum Enterprises is planning to build 65 single-family homes and 158 townhomes on the property. The developer has agreed to preserve the Henry Bose farmhouse, milk cooling shed, and calf barn on the heritage property. At a land use meeting last Monday, Surrey council voted four to three in favour of sending the proposal forward to public hearing. Mayor Dianne Watts was away, and Coun. Mary Martin, who was chairing the meeting, did not vote. Couns. Bruce Hayne, Barinder Rasode and Judy Villeneuve opposed sending it forward. “I’ve heard really loud and clear from our town hall meetings how we need to manage our growth better when it comes to issues like our environment,” Rasode said Thursday. “And I think this is a perfect opportunity for council to say ‘hey, we need to pay a bit of attention here.’ ” Veteran Coun.Villeneuve also took a stand against the removal of trees on the site. “For me, I was a bit horrified with that number of trees,” she said. “I just don’t want that site to look like the Mary Hill Bypass.” She said there are several sites throughout the region like it and she thinks it’s just a “blight on the landscape.” Newly elected Coun. Hayne also objected to the clearcut. “It passed, and I figured it would pass, but I wanted to raise my objection to the removal of those trees,” Hayne said. “We’ll see where it goes at the next public hearing in July.” Coun. Barbara Steele said council asked the developer to save as many of those trees as possible. “The reason I’m in favour of it, I think it’s a Judy development that’s overdue,” Steele said, adding she’s Villeneuve pleased with the heritage preservation on the site. “I went for the scenario that isn’t 100 per cent perfect.” Martin, who did not vote, said Thursday she has great concerns with the removal of the forest. “This is like a pristine forest area and I’m very concerned about it,” Martin said.
“I was a bit horrified with that number of trees. I just don’t want that site to look like the Mary Hill Bypass.”
Diving into summer
EVAN SEAL / THE LEADER
Looking to beat the heat during last week’s stretch of warm weather, Sebastian Karolczuk, 16, does a back flip at the Hjorth Road Pool near 148 Street and 104 Avenue. All of Surrey’s outdoor pools are open through Sept. 3. Check http://www.surrey.ca/ culture-recreation/10922.aspx for schedules.
See BOSE HERITAGE SITE / Page 3
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