The Surrey Board of Trade supports the request for an Official Community Plan amendment and rezoning to re-develop the northern, non-ALR portion of the Coyote Creek Golf Course (7778, 7858, and 7902 152 Street).
“The Surrey Board of Trade supports and attracts business to Surrey. As an independent voice of business in Surrey with 6,000 business contacts, the Anthem proposal will be an integral addition to Surrey’s housing, livability, commercial and cultural needs,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade.
In the evaluation, deliberated by the Surrey Board of Trade’s Development and Land Use Team, the Surrey Board of Trade supports this development because:
1. A variety of 325 new housing units (duplex, townhouse, and market rental apartments) helps to address the needs of the underserved ‘missing middle’ for whom single family housing is not desirable or attainable. There will be 60 dedicated market rental housing units to address the need for more purpose-built rental housing in Surrey. In fact, 5% of the 60 rental units will be rented at 20% below market rates;
2. A further 3 acres will be dedicated for a new road linking 77 Avenue to 152 Street to help enhance accessibility and improve local traffic patterns, which we know is a goal of Surrey transportation planners;
3. The creation of approximately 4,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, including a new 2,000 sq. ft. daycare will provide much needed child care for Surrey’s families;
4. The creation of new pedestrian and cycling paths along 77 Avenue and 152 Street will promote alternate modes of transportation and make for a safer, more attractive streetscape;
5. The construction of the Coyote Creek development would create 100-150 full time construction jobs during the approximately three years of construction. In terms of long-term jobs created on site, it is estimated that the daycare and retail space could generate 10-15 new jobs. Furthermore, Anthem’s Coyote Creek development would also help generate new employment opportunities at the neighbouring Eaglequest Coyote Creek Golf Course. There are currently approximately 75 people (full and part time) employed at the golf course. The business owners expect that the sale of the northern portion of the course to Anthem will allow them to inject the funding needed to revitalize the course into a sought after 9 or 12-hole executive course with increased business and facility usage. With an increase in business it is estimated that the golf course would need up to 25 additional employees, for a total of 100 staff. The planned upgrades to the clubhouse will also provide better quality meeting space for businesses throughout Surrey, which the Surrey Board of Trade continually indicates that Surrey needs;
6. The proposal includes many components that would benefit not only future residents of the development, but that would also contribute to increased livability for the community at large. The public, including immediate neighbours, will have access to the following: Approximately 5 acres of new public parkland and pathways on what is currently private, pay to access golf course land, daycare, commercial space, public art, multi-use pathways and green infrastructure; and,
7. Anthem has met informally with the Surrey Board of Education in order to identify and better understand the circumstances of the local schools in the catchment area. Surrey is a fast growing municipality, and as a result, the vast majority of its schools could benefit from expansion and additional seats. As part of the 2018-2019 5-year capital plan, two schools in the Fleetwood area, including William Watson Elementary in the immediate catchments area, have been earmarked to receive significant upgrades totaling a shared $13 million towards the creation of 365 new seats. As the Provincial Governments works towards its commitment to providing hundreds of millions of dollars for school upgrades, the School District can use additional tools, such as the adjustment of school catchment boundaries, to mitigating capacity issues and help better distribute school populations during periods of growth. It would be several years before any new residents would be moving into our proposed development, allowing the School Board further time to continue with their capital program.
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