Surrey council voted against supporting an Agricultural Land Reserve exclusion application from a South Surrey golf course at a public hearing Monday.
The exclusion application, to remove approximately 50 acres of land from The Hills at Portal Golf Course (formerly known as Peace Portal) for future residential development purposes, was put forth by golf course owners Joe Haley and Randy Bishop.
The business partners purchased the nearly 100-year-old, 150-acre course in 2021, and say the move would mean a nice, that everyone can enjoy 鈥� not just golfers 鈥� as they would gift the remaining 100 acres to the City of Surrey for a public park.
At the hearing on Monday (April 14), several people spoke about the removal, with the majority opposed to the exclusion of land from the ALR. Council also received several written submissions prior to the hearing, with eight expressing support, 42 expressing opposition, and five expressing concerns.
Many speakers were homeowners in the communities neighbouring the golf course, known as Summerland and Douglas, who cautioned against any more development in an area they say is already over-congested and under-serviced.
"We have a lot of concerns. ... This is a very busy and dense community with limited roads. On days that the border is busy, it鈥檚 very difficult to travel in and around our neighbourhood. There鈥檚 no grocery stores, no doctors, there鈥檚 no public transit ... I鈥檓 not sure how another 250 to 300 homes is going to impact us, but I think it鈥檚 going to be very negative," one area resident said, adding that a public park "will bring some people and some transient activity that I鈥檓 not in favour of."
"I feel this will devalue my home and all my neighbours' homes as well."
Many speakers brought up the potential damage to wildlife and the environment, noting the salmon-bearing Little Campbell River flows right through the course as well as Semiahmoo First Nation land.
"Increased development, runoff and habitat disruption could do permanent damage to this sensitive waterway, threatening both environment and cultural heritage tied to it," one speaker said.
Others noted that the upkeep and maintenance of a public park will be paid for by the city's taxpayers, not by the golf course owners, while one speaker pointed to the heritage aspect of the site, built in 1928, saying it was "tilled and groomed by Clydesdale horses" and "working labour from men and women" rather than large machinery.
One speaker opposed to the development said he was employed at Peace Portal Golf Course from 1979 to 2021, spending the last 27 years in upper management, and the last 14 as a general manager.
He noted there have been several million rounds played at the historic course and questioned whether the Douglas community has enough infrastructure to support another 50 acres of housing.
"Unless there鈥檚 been significant changes to Douglas Community Plan, I surely don鈥檛 think so," he told council, continuing with, "Do we need another park? We鈥檙e so close to the Redwood Park, Campbell Valley Park, the Glades, Darts Hill Park, et cetera."
He said the 100 acres gifted to the city isn't valuable as park land and floods every winter.
"What is the cost to taxpayers to operate (a) 100-acre park? I surely don鈥檛 know, but I do know the golf course showed a profit for each and every of the 42 years I was employed there," he said.
Former Surrey mayor Doug McCallum also spoke against the exclusion, noting the ALR's history and purpose, and proposed the city buy it and keep it operating as a golf course.
"Currently in the ALR, the general rule for taking land out is, if you want to take 20 acres out, then you have to give 20 acres back in 鈥� you have to own some land somewhere else in B.C., and put that back (into the ALR), so there is no lessening of the ALR in B.C.,"McCallum said. "This applicant has refused to do that."
Scott Pelletier, lead planner for WSP Land Development, was one of two speakers to support the ALR exclusion.
"We understand that this change might be disappointing and create a sense of loss within the golfing community. However, the reality is, the land is unlikely to remain a golf course the next 10 years," he told council and the gathered crowd. "Times have changed, and as stewards of the land, we鈥檙e faced with the choice to chart the most sustainable and beneficial path for the future."
"The key question before us is whether this land, which is unsuitable for farming, should be preserved as a public park or whether we should pursue other development options that would not require rezoning or trigger public process," Pelletier said.
He said there was only one question to talk about.
"We鈥檙e here tonight to discuss one central question 鈥� should this land be accessible for the many or remain exclusive for the few? The reality is, the golf course is no longer viable," he said. "We recognize that for many, this change stirs a sense of loss, but we ask (that) instead of holding onto the past, we ask you choose to build something that outlives us all. Be bold, and think beyond the timeline of this meeting," Pelletier urged.
Semiahmoo First Nation Coun. Joanne Charles said that SFN had not been invited to be a part of previous meetings about the potential changes to the golf course.
"This council has adopted and considered the framework for UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People) and it鈥檚 really important that you give some consideration to what UNDRIP is," Charles told council members. "I鈥檓 here in my personal space as Joanne to say 'no,' as well as our council perspective, to say 'no' and that we will be following up this meeting with a legal letter to yourselves, and to the ALR, and to the ALC," Charles said.
The land in question "that you鈥檙e talking about here was former reserve land," she reminded council. "There is a land claim specific title that can be placed on this land, and we will defend that as far as we can in a court of law."
Mostly all of the Summerfield and Douglas communities are provided with services that trespass on former reserve land, Charles said.
"So any new services going in are not going to be approved by Semiahmoo. We still have to deal with the trespass in question of your infrastructure that鈥檚 on former reserve land," she continued, adding she understands that it was former councils and former governments who allowed it to happen, "but the reality is, at the end of the day, is we鈥檙e talking about a land deal here, and a land swap. Semiahmoo First Nation tried to buy this land on a few occasions, and nobody wanted to sell to us."
Charles urged council not support the ALR exclusion, saying SFN will be following up "from a legal perspective to make sure that our Aboriginal rights and titles are looked after."
"Portions of that golf course belong to Semiahmoo First Nation," she said.
After hearing all of the speakers, Coun. Mike Bose cited concern about precedent supporting the exclusion would set, 鈥渁nd lack of benefit to agriculture. I know that not every development that鈥檚 going to happen in and around agriculture is going to have a true benefit, but this lacks any benefit to agriculture.鈥�
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, who had to admonish the crowded council chambers against clapping, cheering or booing more than once, said she couldn't support the exclusion.
鈥淎fter carefully considering all perspectives, including the potential benefits of new housing and public parkland as well as the very serious concerns about the environmental impacts, the historical preservation and infrastructure capacity, I personally find the risk to move forward just completely outweighs the benefits,鈥� she said.
Ultimately, council decided 鈥渢hat council not support the exclusion of a portion of the site from the Agricultural Land Reserve for residential development.鈥�
In an email attributed to The Hills at Portal Ownership Group, Haley and Bishop expressed their thoughts on council's decision.
鈥淲e respect council鈥檚 decision and appreciate the present-day concerns raised by local golfers and neighbours, though we believe this outcome does not reflect the best long-term choice for the broader community or future generations," the statement said.
"Operating businesses come and go 鈥� but parks create lasting value accessible to all communities. While change can be uncomfortable in the short term, we believe the long-term benefits of public green space far outweigh the temporary loss of a private golf course. We remain committed to thoughtful stewardship of the land and will take time to carefully consider what comes next.鈥�
鈥� with files from Tom Zytaruk
