May 26 Council Notes: Salmon, Habitat Compensation, Committee Work Plans, and Housing

Langley City Council received a presentation from Nigel Easton and Bruce Downing about the Nicomekl Enhancement Society (NES) on Monday. NES is a volunteer-led society that operates a salmon hatchery and performs environment restoration work along the Nicomekl River and its tributaries. NES volunteers release salmon into Pleasantdale Creek and Anderson Creek, which flows through City Park. The presenters requested that the City install signage indicating where they release salmon within the City. Council asked our Environmental Sustainability Committee to investigate installing these signs. Salmon are an indicator species; if you have healthy salmon in a river, you have a healthy river ecosystem.

Later in a meeting, Council gave first, second and third reading to amend the City’s 2024-2028 Financial Plan to reflect the year-end financial results. This amendment is a housekeeping item.

Council also approved our new Habitat Compensation Works on City Lands policy. This policy outlines the process to follow if development occurs in “low to moderately low” environmentally sensitive areas, which is strongly discouraged. Restoration should occur on impacted sites; however, if that is not possible, environmental restoration should be conducted on City property as close to the site as possible or within the City’s Habitat Bank areas.

Council approved issuing a development permit amendment to allow the strata at 20454 53 Avenue to convert an unutilized amenity space into a dwelling unit. The strata would still have both indoor and outdoor amenity spaces consistent with our current requirements, the required parking, and be paying development cost charges and community amenity contributions. The City issued the original development permit in 1980.

Council also approved the Socio-Economic Development Advisory Committee work plan and the Environmental Sustainability Committee work plan.