July 23, 2018 Council Meeting Notes: Financial plan update, lane closure, construction projects, and new community standards bylaw approved

Today will be my second-to-last post about the July 23rd Langley City council meeting; the last council meeting before the summer break. I have posted about Langley City’s new community vision, future rail rapid transit, a new smoking bylaw, and community grants awarded in previous posts.

A Committee of the Whole was held for people to provide feedback about an update to the City’s financial plan, and for a lane closure as shown in the following map.

Lane closure near 55A Avenue and 196 Street, highlighted in red. Select image to enlarge.

I posted about the financial plan amendment which includes $1.5 million from TransLink to support our road network and active transportation in a previous post. The lane closure will allow for a realignment of the lane near 55A Avenue and 196 Street to prevent the lane from being flush to the sound wall along 196 Street.

There was no feedback provided by members of the public. Council gave final reading for the lane closure and the financial plan amendment.

Council also gave first and second reading to discharge land-use contracts for properties located at 4538 204 Street and 4945 205A Street to allow for secondary suites. Land-use contracts were used in place of zoning back in the 1970s. They create a lot of problems today as they supersede zoning. For more information, view the presentation “Terminating Land Use Contracts: Don’t Wait.”

Langley City council approved tendering a contract for $610,391.32 to Mission Contractors Ltd. to replace the Muckle Creek culvert at 48 Avenue, and $609,000.00 to Mainland Civil Site Services Inc. to replace the Muckle Creek culvert at 50 Avenue.

Council also approved up to $12,000 to share 40% of the cost with the strata at 20897 57 Avenue to install a fence as shown in the following picture.

Location of proposed expanded metal fence at 20897 57 Avenue. Select image to enlarge.

Council gave final reading to a rezoning bylaw and issued a deployment permit for 5471 & 5481 199A Street. You can read more about this development project in a previous post. Council also gave final reading to an updated Community Standards Bylaw, and bylaws that support it. You can also read about this in a previous post.

July 23, 2018 Council Meeting Notes: New smoking bylaw moving forward. Second round of community grants approved.

Last Monday was the final council meeting until August 23, and as such, there were a significant number of items on the agenda. You can read about our new community vision which was approved last week, as well as the City’s position on rail rapid transit.

Due to the pending legalization of the use of non-medical cannabis this fall, as well as updates to provincial legalization around smoking and vaping, Langley City council gave three readings to an updated Smoking Regulation Bylaw. The following major changes are part of the bylaw:

• Including cannabis in the definition of smoking
• Increasing the buffer from three metres to six metres away from all doorways, air intakes and open windows where people can smoke or vape
• Prohibiting smoking or vaping of tobacco in a vehicle with children under the age of 16
• Prohibiting smoking or vaping of cannabis in a vehicle
• Restricting smoking or vaping in all parks and plazas, expect for smoking tobacco which will be allowed only in designated smoking areas.

Designated smoking areas will be clearly marked. The next step for this bylaw will be for it to be approved by Fraser Health before it can come back to City council for final adoption.

Langley City has a policy of providing a portion of the proceeds we receive from the casino back to community-based groups that provide programs and events that make our community a better place. This year, $168,000 was made available for community grants. Council approved $125,976 in grants to organizations back in February.

A second intake for community grants was opened, and last Monday council approved another $21,400 in grants to the following groups and organizations:

Organizations	Grant
Boys and Girls Club of Langley	$3,200.00
Canadian Animal Rescue & Extended Shelter Society(CARES)	$500.00
Children’s Wish Foundation	$1,000.00
HD Stafford Middle School	$1,500.00
Langley Cares Foundation - Langley Lodge	$2,500.00
Langley Children Committee - Data Research Day	$600.00
Nicomekl Elementary School	$5,000.00
Southgate Christian Fellowship	$4,500.00
Weekend FuelBag	$2,600.00

Since the inception of the Community Grant Program in 2006, council has contributed over $1.7 million to non-profit and community organizations that benefit Langley City.

Tomorrow, I’ll be posting about the remaining items addressed at last Monday’s council meeting.

While SkyTrain is preferred, light rail will serve the needs of Langley City

Monday night was the last Langley City council meeting until August 23. Over the last few days, I have posted about our community’s new vision “Langley City: Nexus of Community” and its accompanying implementation plan which was adopted at that meeting. Over the next week, I will be posting about other items covered at that meeting.

Back in the summer on 2016, Langley City council received presentations about the merits of light rail and SkyTrain as solutions for providing high-quality, rail rapid transit between Downtown Surrey and Downtown Langley along Fraser Highway. At the end of the presentations, council asked staff to investigate what would be the prefer technology from our community’s perspective.

Langley City staff did an evaluation of both SkyTrain and light rail technologies. They found that SkyTrain provided better overall safety, travel time, and reliability compared to light rail. Light rail performed better for overall accessibility and ability to integrate into the community due to ground-level stations. City staff found that SkyTrain would be better for Langley City, though both technologies would have a positive and transformative impact on Langley City.

Currently, it can take 70 minutes to travel between Downtown Surrey and Downtown Langley on bus. With the new Fraser Highway B-Line, it will take around 40 minutes. Light rail would take around 30 minutes, and SkyTrain around 20 minutes.

Beyond travel time, light rail or SkyTrain gives people a way out of congestion in a way that buses and B-Lines cannot; buses still share most of the road with other traffic. As our part of the region continues to grow, rail rapid transit will be the only way that we will be able to move people around effectively.

Offices, industry, and shops are choosing to locate near rail rapid transit as this is something that both employees and customers prefer. Rail rapid transit, combined with rental housing located near stations, supports more affordable housing and transportation options for all people.

Langley City’s new vision is based on having rail rapid transit in our Downtown. For our community to thrive, it will be imperative that we have rail rapid transit access.

There is a three-phase transportation plan for our region called “The 10-Year Vision” which is currently in phase two implementation. During the negotiations for phase two funding, Langley City council wanted to ensure that our community wouldn’t be forgotten.

There is a saying, “don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good.” Based on the funding available, and that Langley represents 5% of our region’s population, we didn’t want to be left behind in the 10-Year Vision. For example, there is a real possibility that SkyTrain could terminate at 160th Street with no rail rapid transit to Langley City in my lifetime.

As reported publicly, light rail between Downtown Langley and Downtown Surrey would cost $1.9 billion to build, and $18 million a year to operate. SkyTrain would cost $2.9 billion to build, and $26 million to operate.

I’m a pragmatic person, and while Langley City council will continue to advocate for SkyTrain, it is unlikely that an extra billion dollars will be found by the province and federal government. Langley City council made the following motion on Monday:

WHEREAS the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation and TransLink Board have finalized more than $7 billion in transportation improvements under Phase 2 of the Mayors’ 10-Year Vision on June 28, 2018;

WHEREAS the approved funding for Phase 2 of the Mayors’ 10-Year Vision includes a $30 Million investment for project development and potential early works for the Surrey-Langley Light Rail Transit Line;

WHEREAS Langley City Council will continue to lobby the Federal and Provincial governments and TransLink to secure additional funding for SkyTrain Technology; and

WHEREAS Langley City Council fully expects the Federal and Provincial governments and TransLink to fulfill their commitment to fund Phase 3 of the Mayors’ 10-Year Vision to construct the Surrey-Langley Light Rail Transit Line within the next eight to 10 years;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Langley City Council publicly release the following resolution with respect to the extension of the light rail transit line from Surrey to Langley that was adopted by City Council at the December 11, 2017 Closed Meeting of Council, with amendments that remove confidential information:

WHEREAS Langley City Council supports the principle that the preferred South of Fraser Rapid Transit (SoFRT) be based on a comprehensive regional perspective and that the preferred rapid transit network selection criteria include performance, affordability, deliverability and connectivity.

WHEREAS Langley City Council concludes that the SkyTrain technology for Stage 2 – Fraser Highway Corridor between King George Station and Langley is superior to Light Rapid Transit (LRT) based on the perspective of safety, travel time, reliability and potential for future extensions.

WHEREAS Langley City Council recognizes the capital cost and annual operating cost differential between SkyTrain technology and LRT technology is significantly higher and that the Federal funding is based on a set allocation model which will not be increased if SkyTrain technology is chosen for Stage 2 – Fraser Highway Corridor between King George Station and Langley.

WHEREAS Langley City Council would desire the Province and the region to secure the additional funds for the SkyTrain technology for Stage 2 – Fraser Highway Corridor between King George Station and Langley.

WHEREAS Langley City Council recognizes that securing the additional funds for the SkyTrain technology for Stage 2 – Fraser Highway Corridor between King George Station and Langley may not be forthcoming or possible and hence delaying the funding approval for the Phase Two Investment Plan.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Langley City Council accepts the LRT technology for Stage 2 – Fraser Highway Corridor between King George Station and Langley, with the track being elevated between Willowbrook Mall and east of 200th Street, subject to the following conditions:

1. Inclusion of funding to procure the Stage 2 – Fraser Highway Corridor between King George Station and Langley City as part of Stage 1 – Surrey City Centre to Guildford and Newton.
2. Inclusion of sufficient road right of way width on Fraser Highway to facilitate cycling lanes in the future.
3. Inclusion of adequate pedestrian connectivity and interface infrastructure between the terminus station and the proposed bus depot north of Fraser Hwy and east of 203rd Street.
4. Inclusion of a park and ride facility adjacent to the terminus station.
5. Provision of appropriate infrastructure at the terminus station to extend the rail line to communities east of Langley City.
6. Consideration of a rapid transit maintenance facility in Langley City.
7. Consideration of a rapid transit security satellite office in Langley City.

While SkyTrain is the preferred technology for Langley City, light rail will serve our community just fine if the conditions outlined in the motion are met. I certainly don’t want our community to be left behind because of a rail rapid transit technology choice.

Overview of implementation plan for Langley City: Nexus of Community

Yesterday, I posted about the new comprehensive vision for our community called “Langley City: Nexus of Community” which was adopted by council on Monday. For a more high-level overview of the vision, please read my previous post. Today, I wanted to highlight the 24 recommended implementation tasks, grouped by the major themes in the vision.

It will take a lot of work by council, city staff, and the community to make this vision a reality. This is something that I'm excited to start working on.

Because we can’t do everything at once, the implementation plan includes suggested phasing. Some implementation tasks are to be completed in the next year, some in two-three years, and others in three-five years. Some tasks are on-going such as “Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting”. Other tasks can only be implemented as opportunities present themselves such as building a Community Health Centre.

Building a Strong Foundation

Official Community Plan: Update the Langley City Official Community Plan (OCP).

Zoning Bylaw: A Zoning Bylaw update should be considered in conjunction with OCP changes to address the Future Vision.

Capital Plan: Develop the City’s upcoming Capital Plan, or Financial Plan, in line with the Vision.

Expanding Development Services: Review staffing levels to ensure the City has sufficient resources to implement the Vision.

Advisory Design Panel: Create an ADP to review the design quality and integration of uses of major developments.

Community

Downtown and Transit Corridor Masterplan: Update the existing Downtown Masterplan and expand to include the Rapid Transit Corridor along Fraser Highway.

Neighbourhood Plans: Initiate a Neighbourhood Plan for the residential area south of the Nicomekl River that introduces gentle density and more housing options, undertaken with sensitive and inclusive community engagement.

Prosperity Fund: Establish a fund dedicated to projects that implement the Vision.

Development Cost Charges Review: Review the current City Development Cost Charges (DCCs) for opportunities to incentivize development within the Downtown core.

Pre-Zoning: Following a Zoning Bylaw update, the City should take a proactive approach by rezoning areas where it wants to encourage redevelopment.

Site Assembly: Explore opportunities for the City to provide large sites for large developers who can help transform the City and advocate positive change by leadership and special projects.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting: Develop an annual monitoring, evaluation and reporting system to record progress on the Vision Implementation.

Connected

Transit Hub: Develop a comprehensive plan for the Transit Hub, both to leverage from the improved rapid bus connection (2019) and to prepare for future fixed rail. This project could most effectively follow from the Downtown Master Plan and Transit Corridor update.

Review of Transportation Planning: Review the Transportation Master Plan to determine any conflicting objectives and use the Vision to establish future project priorities.

Economic Development: Consider an economic development function separate from the Development Services Department.

Education Partners: Initiate a partnered project, or series of projects with Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) and other local tertiary education providers.

Business Partnerships: Continue to work closely with the Urban Development Institute (UDI), the Downtown Langley Business Improvement Association and the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce.

Experiences

Iconic Entertainment/Cultural Development: Provide an iconic entertainment or cultural development for the downtown.

Downtown Facade Program: Continue and expand the successful Downtown Façade Program.

Neighbourhood Matching Fund: Develop a neighbourhood matching fund that is public realm focused. Establish a set amount of funding to support projects that aim to activate public space. Conditions are that the local group financially matches the payment through volunteer hours, fundraising or in-kind donations.

Integration

Housing Partners: Langley City should work with housing partners to implement housing pilot projects that address the “missing middle”.

Healthcare Partners: Seek partnerships with healthcare providers to create an innovative Community Health Centre that co-locates Public Health, Home Health (i.e.outreach) and Mental Health facilities in a single location with Rapid Transit access.

The full implementation plan which includes further details about the tasks can be downloaded from Langley City’s website. Two tasks not listed here relate to public awareness and engagement around the vision.