Inside Langford

Bernard Von Schulmann has posted an interesting analysis of the Island Corridor foundation’s situation as it tries to get the money together to get the E&N rail line repaired and trains moving again. In short, they have $7.5 million from the federal government, $7.5 million from the provincial government, and need a smaller amount from the five regional districts the line goes through.

Two of the five have so far agreed to levy the small amount on property taxes. And when I say small, I mean small: a couple of Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s the final day for the City of Langford 2012 Bike Land Tenders. There are some interesting details on the included documents, including bike lanes on sections of Atkins, Jacklin, Meaford, Station, Strathmore, and Walfred. Markings had been made in sections of the existing bike lanes of some of the listed streets recently, possibly related to these new sections of bike lanes. An odd inclusion is the Westhills logo near the bottom left of each page of the “Tender Drawing” PDF.

The Goldstream Gazette is reporting (Fri. Sept. 14th issue, p. A22) that Dory Thuot, a Royal Roads student, is hosting “Your Voice Langford”, an evening of public engagement about the City of Langford. The project is part of her academic research for her Master of Arts in Leadership course, and she intends to look at issues surrounding Langford’s downtown core such as parking, density, development, and issues surrounding how the City engages the community. Thuot is hoping to promote public engagements on the one hand, while investigating what prevents people from being engaged on the other.

The event will take place on Sunday, September 23rd at 7pm Read the rest of this entry »

The issue of a St. Michael’s Unibersity Rowing Facility on Langford Lake saw a lot of discussion and press coverage locally. Check out some of these stories:

Rowing proposal makes waves in Langford

Langford rowing plan docked

The last bylaw in a lengthy agenda, before the almost ever present in-camera session, at this Monday night’s Council meeting, is a bylaw authorizing the City of Langford to borrow $12,250,000 for the Spencer Road Interchange. It will go through First, Second and Third reading and did not have a Public Hearing. This borrowing is part of the $25,000,000 the Langford Council already authorized the City of Langford to borrow for building the Spencer Road Interchange by previous bylaws. Read the rest of this entry »

In preparation for planning how we manage our garbage, recyclables and compostable materials the Capital Regional District (CRD) is conducting a public survey. It is important you have your say. Please note the submission deadline is midnight, Sunday July 15, 2012.

The deadline for supporting improved ALC funding by completing the ALC Fee Review Consultation survey (link) is 9pm THIS Sunday, July 8.

The Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) under the direction of a progressive agricultural advocate Chair Richard Bullock is seeking public support for increasing fees for exclusion, subdivision and change of land use applications to the ALC to enable cost recovery, as the ALC is a funding-starved commission unable to properly protect Agricultural Reserve Lands (ALR).

Here is the web address for the survey:

http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/aboutind/ALC_Consultation/response.htm

The City of Langford has a checkered history of ALR Exclusions. In recent history, starting back in 2006 and continuing through to 2010, there were at least 10 applications Read the rest of this entry »

It’s being reported that the City of Langford hopes to open the Spencer Road Interchange next year. The controversial and oft-delayed project has had a chequered history. Despite promises by Langford Mayor Stew Young prior to the 2008 local government election that taxpayers would not be funding the project past $10 million dollars, the Interchange has been funded by local government well past that amount. The City plan to seek repayment through levies on the surrounding land as it gets developed.

PETITIONS AND DELEGATIONS:
Re: Keeping of Backyard Chickens

“Formal request for a review of existing Land Use Bylaws 3.12.01(1) and 3.12.01 (4) regarding the keeping of backyard chickens and the housing of animals respectively, which were written by the CRD in 1967 and adopted by Langford upon Incorporation in 1992. We would like to see this Bylaw amended to allow residents to keep backyard hens on lots smaller than 1 acre (4,000 m2), and our suggestion is as follows:
1) Reduce the minimum lot size required to keep poultry from one-acre, to one hen for each 166m2 (1,790ft2) of lot area (as currently calculated on page 101 of the Land Use Bylaw document)
2) Amend Bylaw 3.12.01 (4), regarding minimum distance of a building or structure to house animals from 30m of any front lot line or within 15m of any other lot line, to rear of property and 1.524m (5ft) of any other lot line.
With proper education, owning backyard hens – a sustainable investment in food security – is a rewarding experience and is in keeping with our City of Langford’s Official Community Plan (OCP).”

TEMPORARY USE PERMIT
TUP-12-0001 -1064 Goldstream Avenue

“Temporary Use Permit No. TUP12-0001 … for purpose of allowing the storage of funeral service related items, such as coffins, caskets and urns, and may include temporary storage (overnight) of the deceased, on the property at 1064 Goldstream Avenue.”
- one local business person wrote in expressing, Read the rest of this entry »

There is notice of a Special Council meeting tonight, Mon. May 28, at 7PM. This is to replace the normally scheduled Mon. June 4th Council Meeting. By having this council meeting early displaces the normal Mon. 7PM Planning and Zoning Committee meeting moving it earlier to 5PM. Also the items from that committee meeting will be reported to council at the council meeting immediately following it.

CITY OF LANGFORD
*SPECIAL* MEETING OF COUNCIL
Monday, May 28th, 2012 @ 7:00 p.m.
Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, 877 Goldstream Avenue

AGENDA

COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS
Planning, Zoning and Affordable Housing Committee – *5PM* May 28th, 2012
{TO BE CIRCULATED AT THE COUNCIL MEETING)
1. Application to vary the requirement for the location of parking spaces Read the rest of this entry »