It is safe to say that during the election my activities increase to the point I am guaranteed at least a five pound weight loss, due to the amount of meals I forego to get out the door and onto the campaign trail. If you think this is not a good thing, it simply indicates you may not be a woman in your fifties, as most of us welcome any weight loss that doesn’t involve a diet, or illness.
However, the age of technology is anchoring politicians significantly more to the computer, as many constituents want to engage us online. Some of the questions emailed to us will be one offs such as, “Would Maple Ridge be willing to introduce a snare, leg-hold and Connibear trap ban?” But then there are the topics that generate repeated questions such as—you guessed it—shopping for east Maple Ridge. And although this topic will be broached in a variety of ways, sometimes with colorful language and interesting descriptors of council, my answer is consistent.
I believe that land in the Albion Flats should be removed from the Agriculture Land Reserve for business, commercial and recreational uses and I agreed to forward the more comprehensive proposal, inclusive of both the west and east sides of 105, to the Agriculture Land Commission for comment. I based my position on the feedback I have had from the community over the past three years, the reports provided by the consultants who were hired to do the feasibility studies and council’s commitment to increase our business tax base and job opportunities.
Once the ALC returns their comments, council will use the feedback to determine the actual application that will be forwarded to the ALC. I believe it is important to continue this work and I am prepared to do so.
By the way, the Official Community Plan committed council to having to complete an Agriculture Plan prior to doing the Albion Flats area plan. I was assigned to this body of work, along with Councillor King, and we delivered that plan at the end of 2009, which enabled the Albion Flats work to proceed.
Links:
1) Minutes of the council workshop providing the proposal we sent to the ALC—it is 4.2 of the agenda
3) Maple Ridge Socio-Economic Trends and Implications for the Future of Albion Flats