Wednesday, February 27, 2019

February 25, 2019 Council Meeting Notes: Updates to the Advisory Planning Commission. Development Projects Approved.

Yesterday, I posted about the proposed 2019 Langley City budget and community grants that were approved at Monday night’s council meeting. Today, I will be covering the remaining items that were on the agenda.

George Garrett, former CKNW report, presented about the Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society. He noted that around 3 years ago the Canadian Cancer Society stopped funding their volunteer driver program which provided a way to transport people who otherwise couldn’t get to cancer treatment. Garrett stated that his organization picked-up where the Canadian Cancer Society left off, and now provides about one-third of the volunteer cancer driver trips in our province. He requested that Langley City provide a community grant to the Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society to support their program.

Council also received an update about recreation services from its director, Kim Hilton. She stated that Family Day long weekend programming was well received, including a family art drop-in program at Timms Community Centre where 125 people attended. She noted that the family art drop-in will be back. For a list of recreation opportunities, please visit the City’s website.

Council gave third reading to bylaws to support a proposed 4-storey, 14 unit "stacked townhouse" development at 20172-20178 53A Avenue; and, a proposed 5-storey, 104-unit apartment at 5470, 5480, 5490, 5500, 5510 199A Street. Council also gave final reading to discharge a land use contract for 5139 209A Street. You can read more about these items in a previous blog post.

Council also gave first, second, and third reading to update the Advisory Planning Commission Establishment Bylaw. The Advisory Planning Commission provides advice to council about proposed development projects in our community. All development projects are reviewed by this commission before going to Langley City council for review.

The commission is made up of six voting members from the community, and one voting member who is an Accessibility Representative. There are other non-voting members on the commission including a representative from the school board, RCMP, and City council. Members serve a one-year term.

The proposed updates address some housekeeping matters and also clarify details about how the commission should go about reviewing development proposals. The commission can provide advice on most aspects of a development proposal to council including the overall design of a proposal, the relationship of a proposal to its surrounding, parking layout, siting of a building, building materials used, and overall quality. This is not an exhaustive list. If the updated bylaw receives final reading, the next step will be to appoint commission members for 2019.

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