Updated Design for the Langley City Centre SkyTrain Station

Langley City's Advisory Design Panel, which includes folks from our community, architects, and landscape architects, provides feedback on the design of building projects in our community. They also provided input on the design of the Langley City Centre SkyTrain station.

Based on the feedback from the Advisory Design Panel and other feedback received, South Fraser Station Partners (the station builder) updated the design.

The updated designs are below.

Render of Langley City Centre SkyTrain Station with proposed design changes. Select the rendering to enlarge.

Illustrative Landscape Plan of Langley City Centre SkyTrain Station. Select the rendering to enlarge.

View of the Langley City Centre SkyTrain Station from the transit exchange showing wall design. Select the rendering to enlarge.

There is also a Propulsion Power Substation on Industrial Avenue, which will supply power to the SkyTrain tracks. The original design was a blank concrete box. The updated design is below.

Rendering of proposed SkyTrain Propulsion Power Substation on Industrial Avenue near 201A Street. Select the rendering to enlarge.

Please look through the Langley City Centre Station Design Submission #2 package for more information.

March 10 Council Notes: Housing Matters, Electric Kick Scooters, Budget

At its Monday night meeting, Langley City Council gave third reading to a rezoning bylaw which would enable the construction of a 10-unit "phase two" extension of a townhouse project at 5080 & 5096 208 Street. You can read more about this project in a previous blog post. After the applicant finalizes the project's details and pays the required fees and deposits to the City, Council will consider the final reading of the rezoning bylaw and issue a development permit.

Council gave final reading to approve our 2025-2029 Financial Plan or 2025 budget. You can learn more about the ongoing operating part of the budget and the one-time capital part of the budget in previous posts.

Council received a recommendation from our Accessibility Advisory Committee to consider creating a micromobility devices plan. While micromobility devices vary, the term generally refers to electric kick scooters in BC. These devices cannot be used on public sidewalks and streets unless you are in a "pilot" community. Langley City is not a pilot community. While several members of Council expressed that the committee's recommendation was broad and may have exceeded the committee's mandate, Council agreed to consider this recommendation during our upcoming strategic planning sessions.

Council also approved a recommendation to update our Environmental Sustainability Committee membership to include a seniors representative.

Like many municipalities, Langley City must submit reports to the province on its housing target order for net new completed housing units. Our community's cumulative ordered targets are:

Year 1: 251
Year 2: 541
Year 3: 890
Year 4: 1,318
Year 5: 1,844

Langley City is required to submit a six-month report to the province. We had a net increase of 237 units, or 94% of the province's one-year target for our community.

The 6-month net increase in units by bedroom count is:
Studio: 43
One-Bedroom: 123
Two-Bedroom: 56
Three-Bedroom: 14
Four or More Bedrooms: 1

As a note, the net number is new units minus demolished units.

Langley City Council also approved seeking grants from the Union of BC Municipalities for $40,000 to purchase supplies for Emergency Support Services and $39,870.25 for supplies for our Emergency Operation Centre.

Climate and Metro Vancouver's Water Supply

The water in our region comes from the North Shore and Coquitlam Mountains. We depend on snowpack levels and their melt rate to provide enough water to Metro Vancouver during summer. Climate change is impacting our water supply and how we manage it. The Region District publishes a report that outlines annual weather and climate patterns. The following experts are from a report covering 2024.

An overview map of the Metro Vancouver watershed, including weather monitoring stations (orange triangles.) Select the map to enlarge.

Temperature Trends: This year was the third warmest year on record at the Vancouver Airport since 1936 (behind 2015 and 2023). Despite being a warm El Niño year, the coldest temperatures ever recorded occurred during the January deep-freeze. The Orchid Lake weather station in the Seymour WSA dropped to a low of -22.7°C on January 12. December was a stand out month, averaging 2.7 degrees warmer than normal.

Precipitation Patterns:
Annual precipitation amounts were well above normal in 2024. At the Vancouver Airport, this was the wettest year of this century, and among the top 10 wettest years since records began in 1937. October was an exceptionally wet month, which included the record-breaking October 19-20 atmospheric river. The summer months were quite dry, but each month saw at least one moderate rainfall event. July was the driest month, with no rainfall recorded until July 29.

Snowpack:
This was a very poor snowpack year. There was almost no mountain snowpack until the end of February. Conditions did improve in March, but average snow water equivalent values were only half of the historical average at the start of the melt season. Fortunately, relatively cool and damp spring weather slowed snowmelt and kept reservoirs full for longer than expected.

Drought and Wildfire Risk:
Drought was a concern again in 2024, but it was not as exceptional as the previous few seasons. The Lower Mainland basin was at drought level 3 (adverse impacts possible) for most of the summer. There were fewer days in high and extreme fire danger this year than the previous few years. Fire danger was high for most of July; however, well timed storms provided relief when conditions were becoming very dry.

The short of it is that climate change is making it more difficult to predict how much water we will have available for use. Water conservation will continue to be an increasingly important action that we must all take during the summer.

For more information, please read "Water Supply Areas – Climate Report 2024 Annual Weather and Climate Summary" on page 101 of the March 12, 2025, Metro Vancouver Water Committee Agenda.

Volunteer for a Langley City Committee

Langley City Council is looking for people to volunteer for some of our committees. These committees advise Council on various topics and can also do on-the-ground work. For example, the Accessibility Advisory Committee is working on audits to find areas where there may be barriers for people with a disability. Crime Prevention Committee members attend or host community events to raise awareness about how to make our community safer.

The following committee has vacant positions. Some of these positions have specific requirements.

For more information and to apply, please visit Langley City's website.

Environmental Sustainability Committee:
Promoting environmental awareness, education, and best practices throughout the City of Langley.

-One Post-Secondary Institution student representative
-One Member representing Indigenous Peoples

Arts, Recreation, Culture and Heritage Committee:
Provides advice on the implementation of various arts, recreation, culture and heritage initiatives.

-One Multi-Cultural Organization representatives
-One Heritage representative (anyone passionate about heritage)
-One Member representing Indigenous Peoples

Crime Prevention Committee:
Share messaging about crime prevention and promote community connectedness through community engagement.

-Two Community Members at Large representatives
-One Social Services Representative

Socio-Cultural and Economic Development Advisory Committee
Provides advice on social, cultural, and economic growth.

-One Social & Cultural Diversity, Inclusion, Equity Perspective Representative

The Importance of the Neighbourhood Park

I recently read a report called "The 2024 Canadian City Parks Report." One of the sections of the report contained data on what kind of parks people visit regularly. About three-quarters of Canadians visit local or neighbourhood parks regularly. The next most popular outdoor public space people use is trails at around 40%. It got me thinking about Langley Prarie Park, which is tucked away behind the Varsity Condos on Fraser Highway.

Iris Mooney Park

I was on the Parks, Environment, Recreation and Culture Advisory Committee (over a decade ago) when we discussed this park. I remember that the City wanted to put a lot of stuff into the park, but residents in the area just wanted a simple park with some benches and a walking loop. The City went with the simple design.

Having access to high-quality, if even simple, public parks is critical for people's health, happiness, and social cohesion. I live in the Brydon Neighbourhood, and I see how Brydon Park is a hub where kids play with other kids in the neighbourhood, and people get to talk to their neighbours.

Langley City's goal is to ensure everyone is within a five-minute walk of a park or green space.

There are some gaps. In my neighbourhood, people on Brydon Crescent need better access to park space. The City plans to build a pedestrian bridge to connect the southwestern section of Brydon Crescent to the trail between 53rd and 200th Street, enabling better park access.

Map showing sections of community within a 5-minute walk of a park. Areas without colour overlays are outside of the 5-minute walk zone. Select the map to enlarge.

More broadly, there is a lack of parks or greenspace in our Downtown/Northwestern part of the community. The City has identified the need for this space in our Park, Recreation, and Culture Plan.

While having destination parks, such as City Park or Sendall Gardens, is good, it is our neighbourhood parks that people visit the most and what builds community. As more people live Downtown and near Willowbrook Mall, we must build (and the City does plan to build) neighbourhood parks in these areas to ensure that everyone in our community is within a 5-minute walk of a park.

Your Input Needed on Langley City's Public Parking Strategy

With the pending arrival of SkyTrain, continued growth, and an increased number of people visiting our community for shopping, work, or recreation, Langley City is developing an on-street and publicly-owned lot parking strategy. The strategy will apply to all areas north of the Nicomekl River.

Based on research, such as from the late Donald Shoup, we should not have more than 85% of parking spaces full on any given block. This percentage works out to about one free space in every block, which prevents people from driving in circles looking for parking.

On average, in Downtown Langley today, we have about 60% utilization at the busiest times, though there are hot spots. The following map shows utilization when parking demand is the highest. The Fraser Highway One-Way exceed 85% utilization on Saturdays from the last morning until the afternoon.

Existing Typical Saturday Peak Parking Demand. Select the image to enlarge.

There are many ways to manage parking, including adjusting time limits, making it easier to find areas with ample available parking, and implementing parking permits, resident-only parking, or paid parking. The City has yet to determine what, if any, solutions we would need for our community.

An example of a solution could be to let people know there is always ample parking at Timms Community Centre/City Hall, just across the street from the Fraser Highway One-Way.

If you travel to Downtown Langley City (whether walking, cycling, taking transit, or driving) or living in Langley City, the City wants to hear from you.

Please consider taking Langley City's Parking Survey. It will take about five to ten to complete. You could also win a $50 Visa gift card. The deadline in March 9th.

For more information on parking in Langley City, please view the Public Parking Strategy presentation.

Derby Reach Proposed Campground Expansion

Derby Reach Regional Park is a popular destination for day trips and overnight camping. The current Edgewater Bar Campground, which has 38 campsites that can accommodate tents and RVs, is usually booked for the camping season within a week of reservations opening. The Metro Vancouver Regional District wants to expand the campground with 30 additional campsites.

The following image shows the proposed layout for the campground expansion.

Proposed concept site plan for the Edgewater Bar Campground expansion. Select the image to enlarge.

The proposed expansion will occur in the current grassy space so that it won't impact the forested and bog areas.

The Metro Vancouver Regional District will be completing planning work this year, and their current target is to include the expansion within the regional district's 2026 budget.

February 24 Council Notes: Regional Sewage, Motions, and Provincial Advocacy

Yesterday, I posted about the housing items from Monday's Langley City Council meeting. Today, I will post about the remaining items from that meeting.

Council received a presentation from Jerry Dobrovolny, the Chief Administrative Officer for the Metro Vancouver Regional District, and Cheryl Nelms, who is part of their major project delivery office. They gave a presentation and answered questions from Council on the North Shore Waste Water Treatment Plant. As you may know, there have been some serious challenges with the construction of the project, which resulted in a 3.5 times increase in price from its 2020 budget. These costs are reflected in this year's sewer rates, including those of Langley City. Council asked several questions about the project, the distribution of costs across the region, and lessons learned to prevent cost overruns like this from happening for future projects. You can learn more about the North Shore Waste Water Treatment Plant on Metro Vancouver's website.

Council also gave third reading to our 2025 - 2029 Financial Plan. You can learn more about the budget and proposed project in previous posts.

Council also considered a motion to record who moves and seconds motions in our minutes. City staff noted that this would be against best practices as minutes are supposed to reflect the collective actions of a council and are not transcripts. Council elected to maintain our current policy.

One of the ways local governments can advocate to the province is through the Lower Mainland Local Government Association. This organization represents local governments from Lillooet to Hope. Local governments submit motions to debate at the annual conference and, if approved at the conference, are forwarded for debate at the annual Union of BC Municipalities conference in the fall. If approved at that conference, they are submitted to the province, which responds, including noting any action they might take.

Langley City Council approved submitting the following two motions to LMLGA.

Enhancing Housing Stability through Preventive Measures and Supportive Programs

WHEREAS the housing crisis in British Columbia is influenced by both insufficient housing supply and escalating demand pressures, leading to affordability challenges and housing insecurity that forces many individuals and families into unsafe and precarious living conditions, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation and victimization; and

WHEREAS preventive strategies, including the provision of adequate supports and access to portable rental subsidies, are essential to maintain housing stability and prevent homelessness;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia, in partnership with local governments and non-profit housing providers, expand programs to reduce housing vulnerability by expanding portable rental subsidies, enhancing support services, investing in preventive strategies, and providing direct grants to municipalities.

Enhancing A Collaborative, Sustainable, and Inclusive Approach to Food Security and Well-being

WHEREAS food insecurity remains a critical issue in British Columbia, exacerbated by climate change, economic instability, and supply chain disruptions, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, Indigenous communities, and socioeconomically disadvantaged regions; and

WHEREAS a resilient and inclusive food system requires sustained investment, cross-sector collaboration, and policies that integrate infrastructure development, technological innovation, cultural food systems, and community-driven approaches to ensure equitable access to nutritious food, economic resilience, and regional food security;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia collaborate with municipalities to develop and implement a comprehensive food security and well-being strategy that ensures sustainable investment in local food systems, strengthens regional and provincial food networks, promotes innovation in agriculture and food technology, and enhances access to culturally appropriate, affordable, and nutritious food for all communities.

February 24 Council Notes: Housing Projects Considered

On Monday night, Langley City Council addressed two housing redevelopment applications.

Council gave first and second reading to a rezoning bylaw to enable the construction of 10 new townhouses at 5080 & 5096 208 Street. This proposed project is "phase two" for a 26-unit townhouse complex just south, which received third reading of its rezoning bylaw last summer. The project applicant noted that they would be building both phase one and phase two at the same time if the Council grants final reading of the rezoning bylaws and issues development permits for these projects.

Rendering of proposed 10-unit townhouse complex at 5080 & 5096 208 Street. Select the image to enlarge.

All the units in this proposed townhouse project will have double-wide garages and three-bedroom + flex room units.

This proposed project is subject to Langley City's Townhome & Plex-Home Best Practices Guide due to its locations along 208th Street. Council had a good discussion about outdoor space, such as yards, centralized greenspace within a project (when it should be provided), and access and applicant-funded enhancements to existing or new public parks and green spaces. This project will have direct access (via phase one) to Nicholas Park.

At the same meeting, the Council gave final reading of a rezoning bylaw and issued a development permit to enable the construction of a 5-storey, 132-unit apartment development at 20719-20731 Eastleigh Crescent. You can read more about this project in a previous post.

How is Hiring of RCMP Officers and Firefighters Going in Langley?

I don't usually like to compare Langley City and the Township of Langley. Still, some information has been circulating online suggesting that the City isn't investing in policing or our fire service.

At the beginning of this current election term, Langley City Council passed a motion to hire nine firefighters over the election term. The Township of Langley Council passed a motion to hire 44 firefighters (11 per year) over the same period.

Langley City Council approved two new firefighting positions in 2023, three in 2024, and we gave third reading to our 2025 budget last night to add another two. The numbers add up to seven new firefighting positions, or 77% of what we promised to deliver, with another year to reach 100% of our promise.

If Langley City Council continues on our current path next year, we will have increased our full-time suppression firefighting staff by 40% in four years.

The Township of Langley approved 11 firefighting positions in 2023 and zero in 2024 and is proposing to add 11 firefighting positions this year. These numbers add up to 22, or 50% of what they promised to deliver with a year to go.

We share the Langley RCMP detachment with the Township of Langley. The Township of Langley approved five new RCMP positions in 2023, two in 2023, and is proposing another two this year. That is a total of nine new positions. Langley City Council approved three new positions last year. Factoring in population and population growth, Langley City and Township have contributed proportionately to additional RCMP hires over the current election term so far.

We must invest in frontline policing and firefighting. We also know that to improve community safety over the long term, we need to deal with the root challenges, which include poverty, mental health, addiction, and cycles of violence.

For example, Langley City Council has partnered with the Langley School District on Project Black Feather to help young people before they enter a life of crime. We have also created two new City positions to work with the province government, health, and social service provider sector to better advocate for, support, and coordinate the delivery of support services for our community. We have launched our Citizens Assembly on Community Safety.

Ensuring we increase frontline positions, as appropriate, while also working to address the root causes of safety impacts is how we move the needle to improve community safety in Langley City. What we are doing isn't flashy, but over time, it will positively impact current and future members of our community.

Preparing for Wildfire Smoke Season, Taking Care of Your Health

It is still winter, so you might wonder why I'm writing a post about wildfire smoke season. It is always better to be prepared than to deal with something in the middle of an event. For example, finding an air conditioner in the middle of the summer is more challenging and more costly than getting one right now.

Wildefire Smoke over Downtown Vancouver. Source: Nick Dobbing

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has provided guidance on preparing for and protecting yourself during wildfire smoke season.

The BCCDC provides data that show not only does smoke impact your health in conventional ways, such as increased risk of asthma, reduced lung function, lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke, but there is growing evidence that it can cause reduced mental function and increased risk of dementia later in life. If you are pregnant and exposed, smoke can also have an impact on your baby.

The good news is that we know simple ways to clean indoor air and protect yourself if you need to spend significant time outdoors during a wildfire smoke event. We learned many of these things during the pandemic.

If you have a forced-air heating or cooling system, purchase MERV 13-rated filters and change them regularly. You can also purchase a portable air filter with a HEPA filter or even search the internet for how to DIY an air filter. You'll also want to seal any gaps and cracks around windows and doors. Your favourite home improvement store can help you find the right products.

You should also pick up some N95 masks if you have to spend significant time outdoors.

For more information, please visit the BCCDC's webpage on Wildfire Smoke to learn more and get planning today!

Only 2% of New Rental Units Meet Regional Affordability Measure

As the Metro Vancouver Region, we have set a goal to have 15% of new rental units in transit-oriented areas meet our affordability targets. The provincial government has set similar targets for our region.

The following tables show the affordable rental breakdown based on the number of bedrooms and median household incomes.

Number of Bedroom	Median Income Target	Affordable Rent
1 Bedroom	$60,700	$1,517
2 Bedroom	$75,350	$1,884
3 Bedroom	$90,000	$2,250
4+ Bedroom	$113,500	$2,813

98% of the 2,545 affordable housing units built between 2018 and 2023 were built by the government and non-profits (which usually rely on funding from the government.) The provincial and federal governments are responsible for funding these units.

Local government can also support affordable housing projects by contributing land, reducing development charges, creating partnerships, and having policies to encourage affordable housing units. An example in Langley City is a proposed BC Builds project (on 200th Street near 49th Avenue), a partnership between the province and the Pacific Nazarene Housing Society, where the city is contributing land.

Local government support must be balanced to ensure we aren't further driving up the cost of market units.

The data shows that the provincial and federal governments will continue to be critical in getting affordable rental units built in our region. Only 2% of housing units built between 2018-2023 were affordable for people who make the median income in our region. I believe it will require a "wartime" effort level of response, like right after World War 2 when the federal government made it a priority to ensure everyone had an affordable home.

For more information on our Metro Vancouver affordable housing targets and progress, please read the February 6th Regional Planning Committee agenda.

Grand Opening - The Station Café @ Timms Community Centre

Before COVID times, the Langley Senior Resources Society operated the Station Café at Timms Community Centre. The café provided light meals and snacks. This iteration of the café closed some time ago but has now been reimaged and reopened as a community food space.

One of the most basic and fulfilling things is to connect with others over a shared meal. The Station Café will further the City's goal of connecting community members. You can expect City-led events and activities at the café that help foster getting people involved in our community by promoting civic engagement.

The café's operator is Indigenous, and the café is supported by funding from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

Next week will be the café's grand opening, which is open for all to attend.

Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Welcome ceremony at 10:00 a.m., coffee and treats available at 11:00 a.m.)

I look forward to seeing people come together in this space at Timms Community Centre.

Strata Retrofit Program - Going Electric, Saving Money

If you live in Langley City, there is a good chance you live in a strata building, which may be older. I lived in an older building and served on its strata council for many years. Over time, we needed to replace or renew many building systems, such as hot water, lighting, and roofing. We tried to do "green" things like replacing our lights with LED, but many of the systems we replaced like for like, including our hot water system.

Many strata, even with experienced strata property managers, do not have the expertise to understand what provides the most long-term value, improves building systems, and lowers climate change impacts. The good news is there is now a program that can help stratas with retrofitting called the "Strata Energy Advisor Program."

If your building is four stories high or has more than 30 units, has an upcoming end-of-life replacement project, and uses natural gas for heating, hot water, ventilation, or fireplaces, you could qualify for free support.

For more information, check out the Strata Energy Advisor. You can sign up for a mailing list, attend a virtual seminar, or sign up for the program. You can also send this information to your strata.

The Zero Emission Innovation Centre also has programs for market rental buildings, commercial buildings, and non-profit-owned buildings. Please visit their website for more information.

February 10 Council Notes: Housing Matters

Yesterday, I posted about Monday's Langley City Council meeting but did not post about the housing and transit-oriented projects that Council considered. Today, I wanted to touch on those projects.

A typical development project consistent with our Official Community Plan and needing rezoning requires four separate votes from Council for approval. These votes include first and second reading, third reading, final reading, and issuing a development permit.

Significant Council discussions on a project will typically occur during first and second reading since changes to provincial law now limit public hearings for most projects. There is usually a delay between third reading and final reading/issuing a development permit as a project applicant needs to finalize their design plans and engineering requirements and pay deposits to the City before it is ready for consideration of final approval.

Overall site plan of 5501 204 Street and 20300 Douglas Crescent. Select the image to enlarge.

All that being said, Council gave third reading for the following projects. I've included links to previous posts for more information on the projects:

• Langley Mall Redevelopment (20300 Douglas Crescent)
• 26-Unit Townhouse Project (20815 45A Avenue, 4560, 4570 & 4580 208 Street)
• 6-storey, 70-Unit Apartment Building (20239-20249 54A Avenue)

Council also gave final reading and issued a development permit for the following projects:

• 14-Unit Townhome Project (4503 & 4513 200 Street)
• 6-storey, 136-Unit Apartment Building (20619 & 20629 Eastleigh Crescent)

February 10 Council Notes: SkyTrain Construction and Budget Feedback

At Monday's Langley City Council meeting, staff from Transporation Investment Corporation, a provincial crown corporation, gave an update on SkyTrain construction. The project is in full swing, with work at the future Langley City Centre SkyTrain Station underway. They noted that this station will have a centre platform and two elevators, ensuring that even if one elevator is out of service, the stations will remain accessible.

Council asked several questions on public art and design. The SkyTrain team told us they will incorporate public art into the project. Like at Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station in Coquitlam, the Langley City Centre Station will have a track stub. Council asked if it would be designed to soften its impact, and the SkyTrain team said it would not.

Council also ask many questions about construction and its impact on residents, businesses, and accessibility. The SkyTrain team told us they plan to minimize all impacts and maintain accessible access on our sidewalks and streets at all times. The key takeaway was that people should visit the Surrey Langely SkyTrain project website and sign up for the email list. They also provided the 24/7 project hotline, which is 1-844-815-6111.

Later in the meeting, Council provided a formal opportunity for the community to provide feedback on the proposed 2025 budget. Three people provided feedback. One person supported the proposed budget, and one business owner wanted the City to provide financial compensation to businesses on the Fraser Highway Oneway because of the current construction project. Another person had a question about two staffing positions, wanted Council to remove the proposed infrastructure level increase and wanted a freeze on any Council compensation increases.

Later in the meeting, Council gave final reading to a bylaw to update some job titles. Council also approved signing an agreement between Metro Vancouver and ourselves for Next Generation 911. The short version is that Next Generation 911 will provide your exact location when you call. Munipcailities need to provide the geographic data to enable this feature. This agreement was around how we provide and update this data.

Council also approved a motion from a member of Council to receive an operational review report of our fire/rescue service and deferred another motion to release it publically until Council had received the report.

Council also released a January version of the City's organizational charts and referred to City staff a letter from Squamish Nation asking for us to work on a climate strategy.

Cost-Sharing Aquatic Facilities in Langley City and Township

Langley City and Township have a long history of working together on recreation facilities. For example, the City helped fund the construction of McLoead Athletic Park, WC Blair Pool and George Preston Recreation Centre. The City also provided operating funding for booth Blair and McLoead until 2006, when the City exited these agreements and gave up ownership rights of these facilities.

Council recently received a letter from the Township of Langley asking that we work towards a multi-year funding agreement to support aquatic facilities. City and Township residents use aquatic facilities and, more generally, recreational facilities across municipality borders.

For example, about 52% of swimming lessons at Al Anderson Memorial Pool in 2024 were for Township residents, 35% for City residents, and 13% for Surrey residents.

The City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver have a joint funding agreement and operate under the North Vancouver Recreation and Culture brand (even though each community owns and maintains its facilities.) This type of agreement could be a model for Langley City and Township.

At last night's Council meeting, Langley City Council asked our staff to "explore inter-municipal recreation services cost-sharing models, with a focus on aquatic facilities, that may be applicable within the context of the City of Langley and the Township of Langley" and formally reply to the Township to let them know.

I look forward to seeing what's possible and how we can cooperate to provide fair and equitable cost-share of aquatic facilities to benefit residents in both communities.

Making our Community Less Lonely: Building Housing for Social Connection

While it may seem that we are more connected than ever, loneliness and isolation are rising. The pandemic showed us that no amount of technology replaces face-to-face interaction with others. Langley City is a walkable community, and we've intentionally designed our public spaces, parks, libraries, and community centres to help people connect.

Langley City is also a community where 80% of households live in apartments or townhouses. So, there is an excellent opportunity to think about how we design semi-public spaces in and around these buildings to support bringing people together. Community gardens are one of the most basic and powerful connectors I've seen. We have many community gardens in our parks and new apartment projects. Of course, we can go beyond community gardens.

SFU, Happy Cities, and Hey Neighbour Collective have been researching and developing design toolkits to help municipalities and home builders create buildings that support social connections. To be clear, this isn't about co-living, as most people also love the privacy of their own home, but it does include outdoor and indoor amenity spaces of buildings, how buildings connect with the street, lobbies, balconies, hallways, and other common spaces.

The following are the six design principles for the "Building Social Connections" toolkit.

• Location: Maximize opportunities for interaction by locating social features and spaces in convenient, visible, and prominent locations with natural light; Multiply social impact through co-location.
• Invitation: Maximize spontaneous daily encounters by designing places to pause and interact; Use the built environment as an icebreaker for social interaction.
• Activation: Create interesting, functional spaces and a centre or heart for the community through diverse scales of common spaces with intentional things to see and do.
• Inclusion: Create spaces that are accessible and safe for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds; Reflect different cultural preferences and identities.
• Transition: Balance high-quality, livable private homes with common spaces; Consider thoughtful transitions and gradients from public to private space.
• Evolution: Nurture a sense of belonging through stewardship of common spaces; Allow spaces to evolve with residents over time to meet changing community needs.

A visual example of the "Invitation" principle. Select the image to enlarge.

One of the things that stood out to me is that many of these considerations can be applied to existing buildings with simple retrofits or even just new furniture.

If you are interested in how to design buildings that help combat loneliness and support community, check out the toolkit and visit the Hey Neighbour Collective website.

Apply Today for Langley City's Citizens' Assembly

As I've posted about in the past, Langley City is starting a Citizens' Assembly on Community Safety to create a Made-in-Langley-City action plan to improve safety and well-being.

A Citizens' Assembly is a form of direct democracy where regular folks create City policy. The City is fully supporting assembly members with data, people with knowledge about community safety best practices, and people to help facilitate the assembly process.

If you are over the age of 16 and either live in or own a business in Langley City, you can apply to become a member.

The City will randomly select 29 people from those who apply to join the assembly. The selected folks will reflect the current makeup of our community. People will receive a living wage when attending the assembly meeting, and the City will provide support to help them participate in the assembly.

I genuinely believe the only way to create a safer community where people's well-being is improved is when we all come together. We live in a divisive time, so I'm proud that we are coming together to solve real challenges in Langley City.

The deadline to apply is Friday, February 7th. Last week, Langley City mailed out an application postcard to every household in our community. You can also directly apply at https://langleycity.ca/CitizensAssembly

Don't delay, apply today!

Langley City's Proposed 2025 Capital Projects Budget

Last week, I posted how Langley City compares with other Metro Vancouver municipalities regarding total property tax and debt per household. Yesterday, I posted a breakdown of the proposed 2025 property rate, including proposed changes that Council is considering. Today, I wanted to highlight our proposed 2025 capital projects budget.

The City pays for these projects through reserve accounts, development fees and contributions, casino revenue, grants, and loans. Every year, the City takes a portion of property tax revenue and puts it into reserve accounts. These reserve accounts are savings accounts. The property tax infrastructure levy I posted about yesterday is one component. The City also receives grants from the federal government, province, ICBC, and TransLink to help fund specific projects.

This year's proposed capital budget is $16.3 million. The following chart shows the breakdown of projects by type. You can hover or click on each pie slice to get more information.

Some of the biggest proposed projects for 2025 include:

• $2.9 million to renew the water main on 200 Street (between 44 Ave to 50 Ave)
• $2.3 million to renew the storm sewer on 198 St (between 55A Ave and 54 Ave)
• $1.3 million to renew the storm sewer on 201 St (between Michaud Crescent and 56 Ave)
• $800,000 for road rehabilitation

There are a lot of smaller projects in the capital budget, including walking, cycling, repaving, and transit improvement. One of the projects that I'm looking forward to seeing completed is the Linwood Park Shade Sails/Picnic Area and Aquatic Facility Feasibility Study.

For more information, you can read the capital projects plan in the City's proposed 2025 - 2029 Financial Plan.

Langley City's Proposed 2025 Operating Budget

Last week, I posted about where Langley City stands today with property tax and debt compared to other municipalities in Metro Vancouver as Council was preparing to discuss the 2025 budget. Council gave first and second reading of the preliminary budget last Monday.

Today, I will review the ongoing operating budget, and later this week, I will review the capital projects. I wrote a post called "Infographic: understanding how revenue the City of Langley receives is used," which provides a good overview of our various funding sources and how we use them.

Maintaining our status quo funding levels requires a 4.3% property tax increase in 2025.

Status quo doesn't mean maintaining the same level of service. As our population grows, we need to increase our level of service.

For example, let's say we have 10 spaces for a recreation program. Maintaining our status quo funding means maintaining those same 10 spaces. The demand for those 10 spaces increases as the population increases, and the level of service decreases as a result. So if our population grows from 20,000 to 30,000, we need to provide 15 spaces to maintain the same level of service.

Back to the 4.3%, the biggest driver of this increase is wages and benefits, which are negotiated through collective agreements. The federal government negotiates the RCMP collective agreements. Municipalities negotiate other collective agreements, though collective agreements across local governments in our region have some consistency.

About 40% of the $2.7 million in status quo operating cost increases is due to our RCMP contract, detachment, and community policing office. About another 30% is other employee wage and benefit costs.

Other drivers for the 4.3% increase include fire rescue service equipment, our library contract with the Fraser Valley Regional Library system, and increases in software license costs.

This $2.7 million was offset by increased projected taxes due to population growth, reduced debt services costs, and increased fees. The net status quo overall increase works out to $1.8 million.

Council also preliminary approved other increases in the 2025 budget. This includes:

• An increase to our infrastructure levy to pay for roads, water, and sewer projects. This increase works out to $418,000 or 1%
• Two additional firefighters to keep up with population growth and prepare for SkyTrain. The cost is an additional $350,000 or 0.8% increase in property tax
• A new IT worker to help ensure we are safe from cyber security attacks. This cost is an additional $99,500 or 0.2%
• A new recreation worker to support our events. This cost is an additional $89,000 or 0.2%
• Keeping our pool open an extra month (in September.) This cost is an additional $68,240 or 0.2%

All in, the proposed 2025 property tax increase is 6.7%.

If you'd like to learn more about the 2025 budget, please consider attending Langley City's budget open house from 6 pm until 8 pm on Thursday, February 6th, at City Hall. You can find out more about the budget and the open house on Langley City's website.

26-Unit Townhouse Project on 208th Street in Uplands

Last Monday, Langley City Council gave first and second reading, which if approved, would allow the construction of a 26-unit townhouse project between 45A Avenue and 46 Avenue on the east side of 208th Street in the Uplands Neighbourhood.

Render of the proposed project at 20815 45A Avenue & 4560, 4570 and 4580 208 Street. Select the image to enlarge.

In BC, anyone can build up to four housing units on a lot. Langley City has a minimum lot size of 5,995.69 sq. ft. for our regular detaching housing zone. Many larger lots in our community can be subdivided if the resulting new lots meet the City's minimum lot size requirements. Building up to four units and subdividing a lot does not require the approval of Council. The minimum parking requirement is 1 to 1.5 parking spaces per unit, in alignment with provincial standards.

Langley City Official Community Plan allows for townhouses and 'plexes at a slightly higher density than the provincial minimum along the 200th Street and 208th Street corridors. The City requires increased parking and the implementation of our Townhome & Plex-Home Best Practices Guide in exchange for this slightly higher density.

If the builder followed the "by right" provincial minimums, they could build 24 housing units with 36 parking spots for this proposed project. Council would have no say.

Because they are choosing to go through our rezoning process for 26 housing units, they must provide 52 residents parking spaces (2 per unit) plus six additional visitor parking spaces. They must also setback the townhouse units further away from the existing properties to the east and preserve some of the trees on the site. The townhouses themselves must also step back in height on their eastern edge. The project must include at least 50% of the units with side-by-side garages (this proposed project has 58%.) The project must contribute $36,000 to help improve a nearby park (in addition to regular contributions and fees.) The project also cannot allow balconies facing to the east. The project must widen the sidewalk on 208th Street along the project.

Tree management plan for the proposed project. Select the image to enlarge.

With two additional units, the City can achieve a significant number of additional benefits for the neighbourhood.

Six-Storey Apartment Project on 54A Avenue

On Monday night, Langley City Council gave first and second reading to a rezoning bylaw, which if approved, would allow for the construction of a six-storey, 70-unit apartment building at 20239-20249 54A Avenue.

The following shows a rendering, site plan, and landscaping for the proposed building.

Rendering of proposed apartment project at 20239-20249 54A Avenue. Select the image to enlarge.

Landscaping and site plan for 20239-20249 54A Avenue. Select the image to enlarge.

Plan for rooftop patio common area at 20239-20249 54A Avenue. Select the image to enlarge.

There are a few things that I wanted to call out about the proposed apartment.

It will have 13 studios, 31 one-bedroom, 21 two-bedroom, and five three-bedroom units.

There is another proposed development to the north. If both these projects are approved and are constructed, a new section of the lane will be built connecting Michaud Crescent to 54A Avenue, providing another connection to improve access within the neighbourhood.

Lately, some underground parking excavations have caused some partial cave-ins, which is concerning. While the City requires new measures to reduce this risk, it has been more prominent with two-level underground parking. This project proposes to have one level of underground parking, which is typical for the area.

Langley Mall Site Rezoning

In Langley City, we have a few large properties in our downtown that will be undergoing redevelopment over the next few decades. The first property is the location of Fitness Unlimited. You can read more about that site in a previous post. The second large site is the Langley Mall, right by City Hall. In a typical redevelopment project, City Council considers the rezoning and the development permit together.

Zoning addresses the density, height, general layout of buildings, public space on a property, and permitted uses. A development permit addresses the design and details of a building, landscaping, and private common spaces.

Because these are such large sites with redevelopment occurring over several decades, Council initially considers approving the overall zoning for a large property and considers issuing a development permit for each building separately as they come forward.

The following rendering shows the proposed site layout.

Overall site plan of 5501 204 Street and 20300 Douglas Crescent. Select the image to enlarge.

Overall, the buildings will have ground-level retail, including space for a grocery store. The proposed rezoning will also accommodate office spaces and residential units. Overall, the proposed rezoning will allow buildings up to 15 stories. The rezoning would enable approximately 1,900 new housing units to be built. This site will be a 5-minute walk to the new Langley City Centre SkyTrain station.

The site will have new public access roads and public park space.

One of the questions I've heard from the community is if the grocery store will be shut down due to the redevelopment of the Langley Mall site. The applicant noted that because this will be a multi-phase project, they are planning to move the grocery store to one of the new phases before the redevelopment of the section of the mall with the grocery store.

Typically, Langley City has separation distances for certain uses, such as beauty/wellness centers and pharmacies. As this site could accommodate up to 1,900 housing units, the rezoning will specifically allow up to 8 beauty/wellness centers (salons/barber shops) and three pharmacies on the site.

Langley City is working on several policies, such as inclusionary zoning to require a certain percentage of below-market rental units and a policy to require a certain number of three-bedroom units. This project will be subject to those policies when Council adopts them.

The Langley Mall was originally a greenhouse farming operation; as the site redevelops, it will include design elements to show the history of the site and Langley City.

Langley City Council gave first and second reading to the rezoning bylaw for this site on Monday.

January 27 Council Notes: Business Relocation, Policing, Appointments, and Housekeeping

Last night was a long Council meeting as we addressed several housing proposals, the proposed redevelopment of the Langley Mall, and the 2025 budget. This post will cover some of the other items addressed last night.

Langley City has a 400-metre separation distance for businesses classified as Beauty and Wellness Centers, including salons and barbershops. This distance ensures a variety of business types spread throughout our community. Sometimes, businesses need to relocate. The owner of a salon in the Eastleigh Professional Centre is moving their business to Fraser Crossing Mall due to the redevelopment of the former building. Langley City Council supports businesses, so like Council has done in the past, we gave first and second readings to allow this business to relocate even though it will be closer than 400 meters to another Beauty and Wellness Centre.

Council also gave first, second, and third readings to update our Officer Establishment Bylaw. This update was a housekeeping item to change some job titles.

Council previously issued a development permit for the redevelopment of the Eastleigh Professional Centre at 20644 Eastleigh Crescent. The applicant changed the unit count/mix but not the actual footprint or design of the building. This change is another housekeeping item. Council had to rescind the former development permit and issue a new one to make it consistent with the new unit count/mix.

I posted two weeks ago that we need "A Path Forward for Policing in Langley." I put forward a motion asking Council to request that the BC Policing and Security Branch appoint an independent and impartial facilitator to help Langley City and Township come to new agreements on policing that will serve both our communities well. Council supported this motion.

Finally, Council appointed people to our committees and task groups for 2025. You can learn more about these committees and task groups on the City's website and learn who was appointed by reading the January 27th Council agenda.

Debt and Property Taxes: Langley City and the Rest of the Region

It is budget season in Langley City, and Council will consider introducing our 2025 – 2029 Financial Plan tonight by giving it first and second reading. There will be two in-person opportunities to provide feedback on the budget; the first will be an open house on February 6th, and the second will be at the February 10th Council meeting. Council usually approves the budget in late February/March. I'll post about the budget over the next month or so. You can also stay current by visiting Langley City's 2025 Financial Plan webpage.

I believe that Langley City residents and businesses received good value for their money. It is always good to see how we compare to other municipalities. Of course, each municipality may offer different services and have different service standards based on the priorities and needs of each community. For example, New Westminster operates an electrical utility.

The following tables show the average 2024 municipally-controlled property tax values for attached and detached housing. Notably, about 80% of Langley City's housing is attached units.

Average 2024 Municipal Property Tax for Attached (Multi-Family) Housing. Select the table to enlarge.

Average 2024 Municipal Property Tax for Detached Housing. Select the table to enlarge.

The following table shows the debt load and debt per capita at the end of 2023. This year is the latest information available from the provincial government.

Metro Vancouver municipalities and their comparative debt levels as of December 31, 2023.

Langley City has one of the lowest property tax rates in Metro Vancouver, well below the regional average. Langley City's debt load is in the middle of the road. Other municipalities in our sub-region carry higher per capita debt loads.

A Video Series on Homelessness: Why is it hard to move the needle on reducing homelessness?

People experiencing homelessness has always been a concern, now more than ever. I put together a video series to answer some of the common questions people have asked me about homelessness.

Throughout the series, I will highlight some solutions to prevent homelessness and give people a path out of it. While these solutions require action by the federal and provincial governments, local governments have a role in advocating and helping coordinate solutions in our community. This role is what Langley City is now taking on.

This sixth and final video answers the question, "Why is it hard to move the needle on reducing homelessness?"

A Video Series on Homelessness: What services are needed to give people a pathway out of homelessness?

People experiencing homelessness has always been a concern, now more than ever. I put together a video series to answer some of the common questions people have asked me about homelessness.

Throughout the series, I will highlight some solutions to prevent homelessness and give people a path out of it. While these solutions require action by the federal and provincial governments, local governments have a role in advocating and helping coordinate solutions in our community. This role is what Langley City is now taking on.

This fifth video answers the question, "What services are needed to give people a pathway out of homelessness?"