Council Denies Development Permit for 8-lot Subdivision in Mossey Estates

On December 9, 2024, Langley City Council received an application for an 8-lot subdivision at 20525 and 20541 46A Avenue. At the time, it required both rezoning and a development permit, as 4 of the proposed new lots would be in an environmentally sensitive area. Council at the time had significant concerns about the proposal and referred it back to City staff to work with the application to develop an updated proposal. On May 12, 2025, the application came back to Council for consideration with no changes. At the time, Council voted against rezoning or issuing a development permit for the proposal.

At that time, Council had concerns about the impacts of removing mature trees within the environmentally sensitive area and the design related to the slope, as this proposal is also in a natural hazards area.

Since that time, Council adopted a new zoning bylaw in compliance with provincial legislation, which simplified our detached/’plex home zoning. As a result, the 8-lot subdivision no longer requires rezoning but still requires a development permit due to the property's slopes and its location within an environmentally sensitive area.

Council received an updated application last night seeking approval of a development permit for that 8-lot subdivision.

Trees within the environmentally sensitive area of 20525 46A Avenue.

The updated application did address the natural hazard area concern by providing a terrace retaining wall, though the majority of Council was concerned not only about the removal of the 83 trees required as a direct consequence of this subdivision application, but also the knock-on impacts to the overall environmentally sensitive area adjacent to this proposed subdivision, the lack of habitat compensation within the neighbourhood, and that overall, the subdivision application did not consider the topography or mature trees to Council’s satisfaction. As a result, Council did not issue a development permit last night for the subdivision.

Proposed Changes to Beef Up the Securing of Vacant Properties and Buildings

Over the last year, housing project activity has slowed in Langley City and throughout Metro Vancouver. While we’ve always had some lots with non-occupied buildings, demolished buildings, or simply vacant, the number has increased recently. Langley City currently has a Community Standards Bylaw that requires one of the following for these lots:

• Securing windows, doors and other openings of vacant buildings
• Installing fencing
• Activating a security alarm system
• Deploying security guards
• Installing exterior lighting, other measures and devices

One key challenge with the bylaw is that it requires only one of those measures. On many of these properties, we are seeing trespassing, unsafe occupancy of vacant buildings, illegal dumping, property damage, and fires, among other unsafe activities. The current approach isn’t working.

Council will hear from City Staff today regarding proposed updates to our Community Standards Bylaw.

A key proposed change is that all vacant properties must be fenced, and all vacant buildings must have windows, doors, and other openings secured. The proposed changes include beefed-up, prescriptive rules for securing vacant buildings. The default fencing type is proposed to be chain link, with the option to use temporary construction fencing for up to 3 years for projects with active development applications, provided the fencing is bolted together.

The proposed changes also make it clear that the City can require the remediation of hazardous or nuisance conditions on a property.

Council will have their say on the proposed changes today.

In-Person and Online Events to Learn About Invest Langley City

As you may know, Invest Langley City is our community’s vision for infrastructure. It outlines the projects the City plans to build over the next decade or so, including water, sewer, transportation, parks, public safety, and recreation facilities to meet the needs of residents and businesses.

Although many of these projects will be incorporated into Langley City’s rolling five-year capital project plan in due course, Langley City is seeking public feedback on if we should move forward with two projects as part of the next municipal election: expanding Timms Community Centre, including a performing arts centre, and building a new or renewed aquatic facility. These are significant projects with significant financial considerations for our community.

To learn more about these two proposed projects, ask questions, and provide feedback, the City is holding several in-person pop-up events and an open house. There will also be a virtual open house. In addition, you can complete an online survey between April 7 and May 1, 2026, and enter a draw to win $100 Langley City Downtown Dollars.

The pop-up events will be:

National Day of Pink
Date: Wednesday, April 8
Time: 12pm to 2pm
Location: Timms Community Centre

Pool Opening Event
Date: Saturday, April 18
Time: 2pm to 4pm
Location: Al Anderson Memorial Pool

Earth Day Event
Date: Saturday, April 25
Time: 12pm to 2pm
Location: Douglas Park

The open house will be:
Date: Tuesday, April 14
Time: 5pm to 9pm
Location: Timms Community Centre

The virtual open house will be on Wednesday, April 29th, between 6pm and 7pm.

To find out more about the in-person events, sign up to receive an update when the survey goes live, or register for the virtual open house, visit the Invest Langley City project page on Let’s Chat, Langley City!

Ensuring a Safe and Secure Drinking Water Supply

When I ask people what is required to support urban populations at the most basic level, they usually say roads and housing. And while important, the most basic requirement is access to a safe water supply and sewage. In the Metro Vancouver region, we have one of the cleanest drinking water supplies in the world, but we still face risks due to climate change and continued population growth.

The Metro Vancouver Regional District is updating its Drinking Water Management Plan to ensure a continued safe and secure supply.

The plan is organized into five main goals and five priority areas, with a total of 92 action items. The five main goals are:

• Provide high-quality drinking water
• Provide uniterupted drinking water service
• Manage the drinking water service in a cost-effective way
• Manage water to protect and enhance the environment for all
• Develop and manage a skilled workforce to support the drinking water service

The five priority areas are: a resilient water system; water supply quality and quantity; environmental protection and enhancement; conservation and efficiency; and operations workforce development. You can read more about the 92 actions in the draft report.

The drinking water system includes both Regional District infrastructure, such as water reservoirs, treatment plants, and water mains and member jurisdiction-owned and managed local water distribution systems.

Inside Langley City-owned water reservoirs

All member jurisdictions of the Regional District will need to endorse the plan for it to come into effect, including Langley City, as we will need to take actions to support it.

For example, if the plan is endorsed, Langley City would need to “protect water quality in local distribution systems by implementing a regional cross-connection control approach and collaborating with Metro Vancouver to optimize water quality” as an action.

If you’d like to learn more, please visit the Metro Vancouver Drinking Water Management Plan Update page.