Re-post Friday: Langley Exchange Project

This following was sent to me by Township of Langley Planning to post.

Over the coming months, TransLink, the City of Langley and Township of Langley will be working together to design new transit exchanges for Downtown Langley and for Willowbrook.

In the next 20 years, as the population rapidly grows in the South of Fraser, the current downtown Langley exchange is expected to see major growth, requiring a significant number of additional bus layover spaces. The proposed development of two new transit exchange locations is aimed at addressing this growing demand. While each exchange has many similarities, there are unique aspects to each exchange.

We will be conducting separate consultations for each project and will ensure close coordination and communication on both projects. The following four phased approach to the planning and consultation process will take place over the coming months:

Phase 1 – Identify the possible opportunities and constraints for the exchanges

Phase 2 – Gather input on design objectives and evaluation criteria

Phase 3 – Gather input on design of preferred options

Phase 4 – Presentation of final designs

The purpose of the first phase of engagement is to gather input from key stakeholders in advance of the staff design workshop and public consultation. TransLink would like to invite you to participate in either one, or both, of the stakeholder workshops that will take place as follows:


Update: Right now TransLink will be starting the first phase of the project and will be going out for public feedback shortly. I'll keep you post on when that happens.

2012 Township Budget - Spending Priorities

I was reading the afternoon Township of Langley Council Meeting agenda and came across the results from the public consultation on the Township's 2012 - 2016 Financial Plan. One of the questions asked was what "the top three programs/services residents would like to see improvements or increases in services, combined with the top three local issues facing the Township over the next five years." The results are:

Programs/Services
1.) Agriculture and Equestrian Centre 11
2.) South Langley Regional Trail 8
3.) Aldergrove Recreation Facility 1
4.) Multi Use Arts Centre/Theatre 0

I hope council doesn't consider feedback from 11 people as broad support for an Agriculture and Equestrian Centre in the Township that doesn't benefit the majority of urban residents in Langley.

I also looked through the list of "top 3 programs/services where would you like to see services reduced or eliminated to reduce taxes". It was interesting that most of the comments focused on cutting council's pay, reducing "fat", or cutting parks, recreation, and culture programs which is interesting because people also answered that parks, recreation, and culture programs were important to expand when asked what the "3 most important local issues facing the Township of Langley over the next 5 years" are. Improving transit service was also high on the list. This shows me that people really want improved service, but don't want to pay for it.

Annual Secondary Suite Fee in the Township of Langley?

So, I was reading the agenda for last night's Township Council meeting and came across the following notice of motion:

At the March 5, 2012 Regular Evening Meeting of Council, Councillor Richter
provided the following Notice of Motion:

1. Secondary Suites

Whereas more secondary suites are being added in Township of Langley homes;
Whereas there are no additional taxes paid by single family home owners with secondary suites; and
Whereas secondary suites do incur additional municipal costs for services such as water, sewer, garbage, recycling, parking, parks, street use, etc.;

Therefore be it resolved that Township Council hold a public hearing style meeting to receive input from the public on whether or not the Township should implement an annual secondary suite fee or tax in future budgets to help offset these additional costs.

While the motion seems like a great idea, I think that one of the challenges that the Township will face is enforcement. I believe there are still more illegal suites than legal suites in our community and adding this fee will be another disincentive for people to make their suites legal.

I've always supported a user-fee system that changes people for what they use instead of a flat-rate system that can be unfair. Water meters capture water and sewer usage. Already, there is a limit on the amount of garbage that can put out. Many city services are already based on user usage fees.

I think the major issue for people is parking or lack there-of, and that can be solved by looking at communities like Vancouver which have on-street parking permits. All the Township needs to do is hand out 1 or 2 parking permits per legal household and change a nominal fee to cover the administration of the program. This would ensure that people with illegal suites are not "steeling" parking. I think this would be a far more effective solution.

Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation March 7, 2012 Motions

I have uploaded a copy of the official letter that was sent from TransLink's Mayors' Council to Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Blair Lekstrom to the document archive of this site. The highlights include the following motions.

Motion #1
The Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation requests changes to legislation to:
-require the approval of both TransLink’s base and supplementary budgets by the Mayors’ Council;
-enable a Graduated Vehicle Registration Fee or a new Regional Carbon Tax in order to avoid the short-term property tax increase; and
-provide for review of TransLink by the Provincial Auditor General or the new Local Government Auditor General.

Motion # 2
The Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation requests that:
a) the Provincial Government of BC amend or introduce legislation prior to June 2012 to enable the following long term revenue sources:
1. Comprehensive road pricing to be built on sound demand management strategies and consistent with the principles adopted by the Mayors’ Council on May 3, 2011;
2. New Regional Carbon Tax;
3. Allocation of future or restructured Provincial Carbon Tax revenues;
4. Graduated Vehicle Registration Fee based on engine size, fuel consumption, emissions rating;
5. Additional Fuel Tax;
6. Flexibility to add other best practices from around the world;
and
b) clarify that any new funding changes are to be implemented by the Mayors’ Council subject to public engagement.

Motion #3
The Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation authorizes the release of the motions from the Mayors’ Council March 7, 2012 In-Camera meeting, and the resulting draft letter to the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, to local councils.

Motion #4
The Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation:
a) requests changes to legislation to:
-add Electoral Area A Director as a full member of the Mayors’ Council;
-allow the Mayors’ Council to call regular or subcommittee meetings when required and for remuneration in a manner consistent with Metro Vancouver to be funded within the Mayors’ Council funding envelope;
b) wishes to engage an independent, third party governance consultant and undertake a process that will review past and current public transportation governance models and best practices from other jurisdictions, with a view to recommending future changes to legislation based on the following principles:
-Openness and transparency to the shareholders (taxpayers) as exemplified by more public meetings;
-More direct involvement of the region in planning, funding and establishment of long term vision for transportation; and
-Review and establishment of long term funding options and allocations based on agreed on plans and vision.

In motion 1, the mayors are basically asking for TransLink to become controlled once again by politicians which is interesting because that is very similar to how TransLink was run originally. I guess it's true that what's old is new again!