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Mission mayor answers questions in 1st Facebook Live community chat

Questions answered about waterfront, taxes, vaccine mandates, snow plows, dikes, growth, development
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Mission Mayor Paul Horn held the first ever Facebook Live community chat on Jan. 14, answering questions about city policy, directions, goals, updates, and provided his own candid opinions on topics when asked.

The first 30 minutes were spent giving an update on the biggest projects the city is currently working on. He then answered questions posted in the comment section from members of the public.

Questions were asked about the waterfront, taxes, vaccine mandates, snow plows, dikes, growth and development, infrastructure improvements, the environment charter, homelessness and more.

Almost 200 questions in total were asked, between 80 and 100 people tuned in live, and the videos have thousands of views.

The Record has summarized four of his answers, but those with the time to watch the full 90-minutes can visit the city’s Facebook page.

What’s up with the city’s snow clearing efforts?

Horn said he understands the frustrations of many Missionites, and even he was stuck at home for a few days during the recent winter storms, but that the city’s infrastructure “has its limits.”

There were anywhere from six to 10 snow plows working 24 hours a day through 17 days straight from Christmas Eve, but impacted snow, freezing rain and temperatures made salting less effective, and added complications to the work, Horn said.

He said the city’s policy is to focus on the major traffic routes when it’s snowing, which can be challenging for many along secondary routes..

“I don’t ever want to minimize it,” Horn said, but thanked “incredibly committed” staff took time away from their families to work in difficult conditions.

He said if someone thinks their street is getting missed, there is a Public Works line (604-820-3761) that is answered 24/7.

When asked about the city’s policy on snow shoveling for homeowners and businesses, he said it could use some updates as there are some “unclear” areas.

For instance, if a business was closed over Christmas, if a lot is vacant, or if a homeowner is disabled or a senior. He said as the city grows, the solutions to the snow issues probably involves investment into more people and technology.

What’s being done to upgrade Mission’s dikes?

Following the recent flooding catastrophes in Abbotsford, Horn said dike upgrades are a “very hot topic” at the provincial and regional level.

He said it’s currently the local government’s responsibility to handle diking upgrades, and he’s glad that the provincial government has acknowledged the need to revise that policy.

“We have just over 300,000 people living in the area … That just isn’t enough of a tax base (to upgrade dikes),” Horn said, particularly when it comes to areas with smaller communities in the Fraser Valley Regional District.

Those communities are often only protected by dikes at an agricultural standard that are too small and have gaps in them.

He said all MLAs and mayors involved in the discussions agree it’s going to take infrastructure investment from higher levels of government, and locally, they have plans to build a “super dike” to protect the waterfront development area.

Any update on fixing the Glasgow-Murray Overpass?

Horn said that he’s recently spoken with the Ministry of the Transportation and Infrastructure and said there’s a new plan for an overpass, which he agrees is a better investment.

He said while the current overpass is safe, it’s ugly and gets potholes easier due to a design that incorporated a thinner layer of concrete so heaters (now defunct) could be installed.

“Frankly, I don’t want to put money into something that is probably old technology,” he said. “I’d much rather see us and the ministry focus on doing something that improves that eastern access.”

He said he thinks the better investment is to create a proper bypass that would intersect near the bottom of Stave Lake Street and go down along the flatlands, as it would be safer, take traffic out of the downtown area and could be a stimulus for potential waterfront development.

He said city staff are working on a civic engagement process with the ministry, who are also keen to get semi-trucks routed off 1st Avenue.

Why wasn’t there a public hearing for the Hurd Supportive Housing Project?

While Hurd Park is identified as a park on the sign, it was actually already zoned for institutional uses, so no public hearing was required, according to Horn.

BC Housing, which will build the facility, engaged in the public information processes, and council is open to comments from the public, he said.

Horn added these residential projects are needed in Mission, and they need to go in residential areas, not commercial or industrial zoned areas.

“It’s not right for the people living in the complex, it’s not right for the people working and doing business in those areas, and (commercial) land stock is in very short supply.”

He said it’s important to understand that housing complexes have to sign a good neighbour agreement, have a community advisory committee, come with a raft of services for residents, and there are terms and conditions for tenants.

Horn said community service has told him that conduct agreements are something that the potential tenants strongly support themselves.

“It’s not the community consultation in advance that really matters as much as the community consultation as it operates,” Horn said.


@portmoodypigeon
patrick.penner@missioncityrecord.com

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