Tree Bylaw and Zoning Bylaw Online Feedback and Open Houses

Way back in 2010, Langley City Council proposed a tree bylaw to prevent cutting down trees that had a diameter of 20cm or larger without a permit on private property. I was part of the City's Park and Environment Advisory Committee at that time. The bylaw caused panic in the community, and people started cutting down trees left, right, and centre, concerned that the bylaw would make it impossible to remove trees without costly studies and permits. The Council of the day abandoned the bylaw due to widespread concerns in the community.

Fifteen years later, Langley City is considering a tree bylaw again. Langley City's goal is to expand our tree canopy. A tree bylaw is one tool that can help with this goal. A tree bylaw can help manage trees on public property, during redevelopment, and on private property. While the City can use a tree bylaw to protect existing trees, the bylaw can also set requirements for tree replacement and how the City manages public trees. To prevent a repeat of 2010, the City is seeking feedback on what people would like to see in a tree bylaw. You can visit Let's Chat Langley City to provide your feedback on what you would like to see in a tree bylaw.

The City is also hosting an open house as follows. You can drop by anytime between 6 pm and 8 pm.

Date: Monday, June 16
Time: 6 pm to 8 pm
Location: City Hall/Timms Community Centre

Langley City's current zoning bylaw dates back to 1996. Though it has been updated over the years, it is long in the tooth. While the Official Community Plan sets the overall land-use vision for the community, the zoning bylaw implements the nuts and bolts of the land-use vision, such as maximum building height and how far a building needs to be set back from property lines. The City has been working on a new zoning bylaw.

Over the last few years, the City has received feedback from the community for the new zoning bylaw. Keep your eyes on Let's Chat Langley City for more details, but save the date for an open house of our proposed updated zoning bylaw.

Date: Wednesday, June 25
Time: 4 pm to 7 pm
Location: City Hall/Timms Community Centre

Planning for the Future Relies on Regional Data Models

As our population grows and communities change, people can take it for granted that water will flow, toilets will flush, and new streets and parks will be built. Assuming everything will just work is a good thing, but there is a lot that goes on that many people may not be aware of. In Metro Vancouver, we have access to high-quality data models that help us make better-informed decisions about how we plan for the future.

There are 21 municipalities in Metro Vancouver. We know that planning for the future requires looking at both the regional and local levels. As a result, local governments in Metro Vancouver have primarily tasked the Regional District with creating data models to help plan for the future. These models provide both regional-level and neighbourhood-level information.

The key data models used by local governments, TransLink, and the Regional District are as follows.

• Immigration Model - Models growth within the region based on past settlement patterns.
• Behavioural Model - Models where and what types of housing people want, including size, tenure (rent/own), and type (attached/detached).
• Growth Projections Models - Models future population, employment, and housing units required based on immigration and behavioural models.
• Land Use Model - Forecast land-use requirements based on the growth projections models.
• 3D Urban Form Model - Used in conjunction with the land use model to help visualize the future built form, including building heights and lot coverage.

No models are perfect, many factors can impact future growth, such as federal immigration numbers. City plans throughout our region, including Langley City's Official Community Plan, utilize these regional models to inform future planning decisions.

Green Bins in Apartments and Reducing Single-Usage Items

People in the Metro Vancouver region do their part to reduce waste and recycle. Over the last decade, we have reduced our waste by 11%, even as our region's population has increased. As I've posted in the past, people in apartments and townhouses recycle and use organics bins less than people who live in detached housing. There is an opportunity for changing behaviour.

From Metro Vancouver's Food Scraps aren't Garbage Campgain. Select the image to enlarge.

As people in townhouses and apartments often need to store organic waste under the sink or in their garage, there is concern that it may smell unpleasant, attract insects, and generally be messy and dirty.

With this in mind, Metro Vancouver has updated its resources with a larger focus on people who live in apartments and townhouses. Metro Vancouver's "Food Scraps Aren't Garbage" site has tips on how to manage organics cleanly and how to get a program set up in your building (if you don't have one already.) One tip is to store your green bin in the freezer.

This summer, Metro Vancouver's "What's your Superhabit?" educational campaign will be back. The program's goal is to educate people on easy ways to reduce the use of disposable cups, containers, and utensils. This year's campaign will focus on people under the age of 44 who tend to use more single-use items. Some simple reminders include using a travel mug, using a reusable water bottle and bringing a set of utensils to work.

While there are certainly other barriers to reducing waste and using the organics bin, changing behaviour is critical. The overall goal of Metro Vancouver's campaigns this year is to let people know that everyone is using fewer single-use items and using green bins, and that you should join the party.

Upcoming Events: State of the City, Community Dialogue on Safety

There are two upcoming events in the City this June that I wanted to highlight.

The first event is a Community Dialogue on Safety. As you may know, Langley City has a Citizens’ Assembly. The assembly consists of 29 members from our community who put their names forward and were chosen through a lottery system, taking into account our community’s demographic makeup. The mandate is to deliver a set of recommendations to Council that will improve community safety, transitioning from a more reactive to a proactive safety model.

An upcoming Community Dialogue will allow Citizens’ Assembly members to collaborate with attendees and share insights about safety and well-being in Langley City.

Name: Community Dialogue
Date: Wednesday, June 11
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Council Chambers, Langley City Hall

This event is open to anyone in the Langely City community. If you are unable to attend in person, you can also participate online.

The Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce will host the annual State of the City Address. I will deliver a presentation about what has been happening in Langley City over the last year and where we plan to go in the coming year. This year’s address will focus on community safety, community investments, and Langley City’s new data-driven approach to decision-making and organization accountability. We will be launching our KPI dashboard. KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, are measurements that help track progress toward objectives and flag issues early, allowing organizations to make adjustments. There will also be a question-and-answer period and dinner.

Name: State of the City
Date: Thursday, June 19
Time: 5:30 pm  - 8:15 pm
Venue: Coast Langley City Hotel 
Cost:  $55

You can register to attend the State of the City Address on the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce website. The City will also post videos from the address on its website.