Sign-Up for the Tri-It Triathlon

One of my favourite events to volunteer at is back after a two-year break. The Langley City Tri-It Triathlon is fun for the whole family, including people who have never competed in a swim, bike and run event.

There are categories for ages 5 and up, including a special 65+ category.

To learn more, including how to sign up, please visit: https://langleycity.ca/recreation-culture/community-events/tri-it-triathlon

(If you look closely at the parking lot gate by Al Anderson Pool, you might see the accidental permanent mount/dismount line I installed one year.)

Council Notes: 2022 Budget Approved, Property Tax Options, Alcoholic Beverages in Parks, Earth Day, and Climate Change

On March 21st, Langley City Council gave final reading and adopted the 2022 municipal budget for our community. Mayor van den Broek, Councillor Martin, and Councillor Storteboom opposed adopting the budget. You can learn more about this in a previous post.

As I posted about previously, the most significant cost increase in Langley City’s budget this year is for policing. This increase in cost is due to the recent contract between the federal government and National Police Federation.

There are several options available for paying property tax. In Langley City, you can sign up for the Tax Prepayment Plan, which allows you to pay your property tax in installments instead of one lump sum.

You can also defer paying property tax if you are:

• 55 or older
• A surviving spouse of any age
• A person with disabilities
• A parent, stepparent, or financially supporting a child

For more information on how this program work, please visit the Government of BC’s website.

Council also gave first, second, and third reading to a bylaw to enable the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages in select Langley City parks this summer. You can read more information about this in a previous post.

Council approved a request from the Environmental Sustainability Committee to spend $2,000 to support our local Earth Day and Pitch-In events on April 23rd. The committee will use the funds to purchase plants, planting supplies, prizes and advertising. Learn more about this year’s Earth Day events on Langley City’s website.

Council also approved an update to “Council Policy CO-71 – Asset Management Policy.” This update integrates climate change into our asset management practices and decision-making, including building infrastructure adapted to climate change when the City renews assets.

Langley City Development Matters: Two Proposed Apartment Projects. Public Hearing for 6-Unit Rowhouse in Uplands.

Last Monday, Langley City Council gave first and second reading to a rezoning bylaw that would enable a 6-storey, 92-unit apartment on the southeast corner of 55A Avenue and Brydon Crescent. The City has scheduled a public hearing for the evening of April 4th, where people can provide feedback about the proposed rezoning and apartment project.

A rendering of the proposed apartment project at 5494-5508 Brydon Crescent & 19890 55A Avenue. Select the image to enlarge.

Council also gave third reading to a rezoning bylaw which would enable a 6-storey, 49-unit apartment development at 20032 & 20038 56 Avenue, near 200th Street. You can read more about this project in a previous post.

Council also held a Public Hearing for a proposed 6-unit rowhouse development at 20816 45A Avenue along 208th Street in the Uplands neighbourhood.

A rendering of the proposed rowhouse project at 20816 45A Avenue. Select the image to enlarge.

Langley City’s Advisory Design Panel, which includes members of the public, RCMP, architects, and landscape architects, made the following recommendations about the project:

• Enhance the separation between the visitor parking space and 45A Avenue frontage
• Update the design of balcony separation screens to tie into the broader project architecture and improve privacy
• Adjust the front yard fencing to separate units with shared entrance paths
• Provide a drawing of the north frontage, including conceptual off-site landscaping
• Use alternative material to wood for the south and east fencing. The proponent updated the fencing to solid aluminum
• Update the design of the side elevations
• Improve accessibility for delivery services to units by including addresses in the driveway
• Consider the maintenance of landscaping in relation to the project’s fee simple tenure

The proponent of the project accepted the panel’s recommendation.

In addition, City staff noted that the project’s proponent would need to implement improved triple-glazed windows and soundproofing to reduce sound transfer from 208th Street into the proposed units. They also noted the 208th Street frontage of the proposed project would have a double row of trees.

Council received ten pieces of written correspondence about the project. About 20 residents from the area attended the public hearing, and about ten residents provided comments at the hearing.

Except for one letter, all were concerned or opposed to the proposed rowhouse project.

The three significant concerns expressed by people who provided feedback were the impact on neighbourhood character, on-street parking, and increased traffic in the Uplands neighbourhood that may result from this project.

Residents also had concerns about the yard sizes of the rowhouse project units and the limited park space east of 208th Street.

Residents also expressed general concern about the speed of traffic on 208th Street and the need for a traffic light to help people make turns into and out of their neighbourhood.

Residents expressed concern at the public hearing about the number of for-sale signs along 208th Street. They thought it might note an accelerated rate of redevelopment along the corridor.

Property Crime Mostly Down Except for Theft From Vehicles. Concerning Public Shootings in Langley.

Last Monday, the Officer in Charge of the Langley Detachment of the RCMP and his staff presented their first-quarter report to Council.

Overall, since 2020, most property crime categories are trending down. There are exceptions, such as possession of stolen property and theft from vehicles which is trending up. Besides the regular theft of items that people leave in vehicles, catalytic convert theft, pickup truck tailgate theft, and gasoline theft by drilling gas tanks are up.

First-quarter property crime statistics for Langley City. Select table to enlarge.

The regular advice of removing anything, including items that may have no value from your vehicle or that isn’t bolted down or locked up, is still relevant.

Parking your vehicle in an enclosed garage or gated parkade also lowers your chance of a criminal targetting you. Criminals will choose the path of least resistance, so the more inconvenient you can make targetting your vehicle, the better.

On the topic of violent crime, there have been five confirmed shooting incidents in Langley this year. Three of the shootings occurred in the Township and one in the City. Another location is currently under investigation. Two of these shootings have occurred in public places, including close to an in-session elementary school. As a result, the Special Response Team and Strike Force have stepped-up law enforcement, targetting people and groups associated with these shootings.

One of the tools the RCMP uses is vehicle checks, and as a result of checking 129 vechile, the police have found $30,000 in cash, $27,500 in black market drugs, and a laundry list of weapons, including knives, batons, and brass knuckles.

These public shootings put innocent people in danger, and I hope the RCMP can subdue this violence in our community.