McKee Peak is a unique gem of nature in Abbotsford that is under immediate development pressure. A Public Hearing will be held on March 6th to decide its fate. Your voice will make a difference.
If you love nature, and you feel that the needs of nature must be fully incorporated during the development planning process, we want you to attend the Public Hearing or write a submission to city council. We have summarized our key concerns and outlined ways you can help – it is easier than you think!
The City of Abbotsford has created a Neighbourhood Plan for McKee Peak at the western end of Sumas Mountain. The future development will create homes for 20,000 people within 769 hectares, which is largely undeveloped and forested. It contains numerous streams, wetlands, waterfalls, and provides habitat for wildlife, both common and rare.
The plan will have a huge impact on the forests, the wildlife who live there, and the beloved trail system used by outdoor enthusiasts from all over.
FVC Habitat Protection Committee
The area is heavily forested, with the highest percentage of tree canopy cover in all of Abbotsford.
Significant amounts of mature trees and soil will be negatively impacted – forests are nature’s best way of mitigating the impacts of climate change.
The trees, soil, and streams absorb and slow rain water before it enters the floodplains below.
Once removed, the beneficial services these established forests provide to the community will be lost forever.
Large tracts of habitat will be lost. The plan proposes to leave habitat hubs connected by narrow corridors to be used by the wildlife to live and move about. This will negatively impact their survival and increase human conflict.
Animals, both big and small – everything from bears and cougars to mountain beavers and frogs – will be forced to survive in these restricted spaces.
Further habitat fragmentation will occur during development, through the building of roads and detention ponds. This will reduce the limited function of these areas even more.
This is footage of the elusive mountain beaver that lives in burrows along the small streams on McKee Peak. It dries sword fern leaves outside its burrow to eat and must have access to water 24/7 to survive.
This area is considered a biodiversity hot spot by experts.
The unique geological conditions that created the spectacular views, caves, and water features also support a variety of species unlike anywhere else in the Fraser Valley.
The loss of biodiversity, in areas such as this, is contributing to our global extinction crisis.
Madrone Environmental Services Ltd. Report to the City of Abbotsford, 2006
Click on the actions below and pick the one that works best for you.
Check out our latest video exploring the McKee Neighbourhood Plan maps on our YouTube page! Let Joanne walk you through most important things you need to know about the plan’s lack of balance for the environment.
We have also outlined our five topics of concern with the plan in our McKee Neighbourhood Plan Response Info Guide.
Use the links within it to learn more about how the forests, climate, habitat, diversity, and hydrology will be affected.
Reach out to us if you have any questions, so you can feel confident expressing yourself in letters to the City or speaking at the Public Hearing.
We encourage anyone who has an opinion on this plan to speak at the Public Hearing.
You can either plan your own presentation or simply express your support for our (or others) presentations. Please ensure you conclude that you oppose the proposed bylaw and respectfully ask Mayor and Council to send the plan back to staff for revision.
All presenters will be required to state their name and address, and we encourage you to share your affiliation or representation of community group, professional and or career accreditation.
Please note: You are still welcome to speak at a City of Abbotsford Public Hearing if you live outside of Abbotsford.
Meeting information:
Monday, March 6th, 2023 at 6pm
Matsqui Centennial Auditorium
Abbotsford City Hall
If you would like to speak remotely at the Public Hearing you must contact the City Clerk by noon on March 6th. Phone 604-864-5506 or email cityclerk@abbotsford.ca
More details can be found at the City’s Public Hearing FAQ page
Provide a written submission to the City of Abbotsford by noon on March 6th via the following methods:
Content you should include in your submission can be found here.
More details can be found at the City’s Public Hearing FAQ page
Simply attending the Public Hearing will increase our numbers and demonstrate the community’s concern for this plan. If you are uncomfortable speaking we still encourage you to come.
Please note: You are still welcome to attend a City of Abbotsford Public Hearing if you live outside of Abbotsford.
Meeting information:
Monday, March 6th, 2023
Matsqui Centennial Auditorium
Abbotsford City Hall
More details can be found at the City’s Public Hearing FAQ page
The Public Hearing will be livestreamed and archived at www.abbotsford.ca/watchcouncilonline
If you want to know more, you can follow this link to read the full McKee Neighbourhood Plan proposed by the City of Abbotsford.
Go here to see the whole planning process to date.
Questions can be directed to Mitch Comb, Senior Planner at the City of Abbotsford 604-864-5540 mcomb@abbotsford.ca
Watch Joanne walk you through the McKee Neighbourhood Plan maps in detail below!
Joanne Neilson, FVC Executive Director
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