When I read that headline in a local paper it struck me as being more like the headline from a news report of flooding in the third world than in a city in BC.

It is a little concerning that Abbotsford’s mayor, an ex-school teacher and ex-principle, does not see a clear connection between cutting down trees; removing the ground cover; replacing the trees and ground cover with asphalt, concrete and acres of shingled roofs; and increased runoff.

It is also concerning that Abbotsford city council was unaware of the Agricultural Land Reserve and of the federal fisheries regulations concerning streams. After all, if council had been aware of the land reserve or fishery regulations they would have taken those restrictions into consideration when planning and approving development on the mountain wouldn’t they? That would be the prudent, common sense course of action would it not?

Surely if council had been aware of the land reserve and fishery restrictions and prudently taken those restrictions into consideration in planning and approving development on the mountain they would not now be using the land reserve and fishery regulations as excuses for not taking action to help citizens and remedy a problem they caused or significantly contributed to – would they?

Why is the mayor, council or anyone for that matter surprised that increased runoff has resulted in the stream bottom accumulating sediment? It would seem to me that the increased sediment in the stream is a symptom or supporting evidence of a runoff problem, not another convenient excuse for city council to do nothing.

The most mindboggling aspect of the report on the problems with flooding was the mayor’s statement: “The mountain hasn’t seen a lot of development in the past two or three years, but the flooding keeps happening.”

WHAT? Let me get this straight.

The city approved development without requiring any remedial action by the developers involved to compensate for the difference in runoff that occurs between land with trees, bush, grass and other assorted ground cover versus the same area covered with asphalt, concrete and shingled roofs.

The development took place, there was an increase in runoff that occurred after the development took place, this increase in runoff resulted in flooding for those located downhill from the development (hardly unexpected in light of the laws of gravity), city council has done nothing to address or remedy the flooding problems, and the mayor is surprised that the flooding hasn’t, somehow miraculously, stopped?

Moreover the mayor cites the fact that the flooding hasn’t stopped, even thought there has not been much new development, as ‘evidence’ that development is not causing runoff problems.

HUH?

The development caused increased runoff leading to flooding, nothing was done to address the issue/problem of extra runoff, why would Mayor Peary, or anyone, be surprised the flooding continued? Having done nothing to solve the problem of flooding why would you apparently (from your statement) expect the flooding to stop?

Expecting the flooding to stop when no action has been taken is illogical; to use the fact that, having done nothing to solve the flooding problem, the flooding continues as proof that the development had nothing to do with the flooding is……mindboggling and extremely concerning.

The responsible, thoughtful response would be to hold off approving the new development until the Integrated Stormwater Management Plan is prepared.

Why is it unlikely council will act responsibly and put the development on hold until the Plan is done?

Money.

Abbotsford has been so financially mismanaged that council desperately needs the development fees to fund their spend, spend, spendthrift ways.

No doubt the City will cry ‘we are to poor’ to take any action to address the flooding – even though council has unlimited funds when it comes to behaviours subsidizing the purchase of a professional hockey team by privileged, wealthy Abbotsford citizens.

Which in light of the revelations in the diplomatic documents released on WikiLeaks, is behaviour in keeping with that of a third world government.