Thursday, November 26, 2020

November 23 Council Meeting Notes: Recreation Update, New Bylaw Ticketing System, and Motion to Stop Nuclear Weapons

This week, I posted about a rezoning bylaw to accommodate a 6-storey, 213-unit rental apartment at the former West Country Hotel site. I also posted about Langley City’s new Asset Management Policy. Today, I will cover the remaining items that were addressed at Monday night’s council meeting.

Council gave final reading to amend the Financial Plan for 2020-24 after receiving no public input on the amendment. It is common to amend the financial plan throughout the year, as projects and revenue sources can change. For more information, please read the staff report.

The Director of Recreation, Culture and Community Services, Kim Hilton, provided Council with an update on recreation services. With the dynamic nature of public health orders, Langley City’s recreation services are still available, but limited. For current information about what recreation services are available, please visit the City’s COVID-19 Updates page.

She also noted that the City would be launching a social media Countdown to Christmas, so be sure to check out the City’s Facebook, Insta, and Twitter starting in December.

As a housekeeping item, Langley City is moving from our current bylaw enforcement system, managed under the “Municipal Ticketing Information System” to the streamlined “Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act.”

The streamlined system means that people no longer have to go to court over minor bylaw contraventions. Suppose someone wants to dispute a bylaw enforcement ticket, such as a parking ticket. Under the new system, they will be able to go through an adjudication process. This new system is fair and straightforward for people who want to dispute a ticket and cost-effective for the City as it no longer involves going to provincial court.

Council requested “the Ministry of Attorney General to add the City of Langley to the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Regulation to allow for the City to practice adjudication under the Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act.”

On November 2, Council received a delegation from people representing the World Beyond War. As a result, Councillor Storteboom put forward a motion “that Langley City supports the Mayors For Peace Appeal and send a letter to the Government of Canada to break the unacceptable status quo regarding a tolerant nuclear weapons policy by taking decisive steps toward the global elimination of nuclear weapons of war.”

Council approved this motion on Monday.

While it has been well reported, Council officially released the appointment results to the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board and Fraser Valley Regional Library Board. All members of Council can put their name forward to serve on these paid boards. Every year, Council votes on who will serve for a one-year term. This year, the appointments are as follows:

Metro Vancouver Board Primary: Gayle Martin
Metro Vancouver Board Alternate: Paul Albrecht
Fraser Valley Regional Library Board Primary: Gayle Martin
Fraser Valley Regional Library Board Alternative: Rosemary Wallace

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