September 19 Council Notes: Apartment Approved, Property Tax Exemptions, Asset Management

Last Monday, Langley City Council gave fourth and final reading for a rezoning bylaw which would allow the construction of a 6-storey, 68-unit apartment located at 5394, 5396, 5400, & 5402 207 Street. Council also issued a development permit for the project. You can read more about this project in a previous blog post from April 2021.

Rendering of proposed apartment at 5394, 5396, 5400, & 5402 207 Street from 207th Street. Select image to enlarge.

The general rezoning process is that Council will give first and second reading to a rezoning bylaw at one meeting, allowing City staff to schedule a public hearing about the rezoning. At another meeting after the public hearing, Council will debate and discuss the rezoning. At that time, Council will give the rezoning third reading if they support the proposed project. Between third reading and final reading, the project’s proponent must meet all City requirements around the project, such as construction, water, sewer, and transportation plans. Once City staff are confident that a proposed project meets all City requirements, they will schedule the fourth and final reading of the rezoning for Council to consider.

In the same meeting, Council approved City staff applying for a $24,600 grant administered by the Union of BC Municipalities to help with asset management. The City owns hundreds of millions of dollars worth of infrastructures, such as buildings, roads, street lights, water mains, sewer lines, and parks. The City must renew this infrastructure over time. This grant will help the City develop a framework for renewing its infrastructure, minimizing the risk of failure and replacement cost while maximizing useful life.

Langley City Council can grant property tax exemptions to charitable and non-profit organizations in our community. For the 2023 tax year, Council approved granting permissive tax exemptions to:

Langley Seniors Resource Society: $30,929
Langley Stepping Stones: $6,744
Langley Community Music School $22,892
Langley Lawn Bowling: $22,434
Langley Community Services Society: $7,805
Council of the Salvation Army (Gateway of Hope): $2,015
Global School Society: $11,054
Langley Care Society: $24,289
Langley Hospice Society: $3,170
Inclusion Langley Society: $16,700
Langley Memorial Hospital Auxiliary: $39,077
Langley Food Bank: $11,329
Encompass Support Services Society: $1,864

As a note, church land receives a statutory property tax exemption under BC law. The dollar amounts I posted are for the City portion of property tax. For the full amount, please read the staff report.