Langley City council, May 25: a parking plan for downtown, a $2.5 million budget top-up and a bid to become a Bee City

It ran just under an hour, but this was one of the busier spring meetings at Langley City Hall. Council took delivery of the long-promised downtown parking study, gave three readings to a mid-year budget change that would come back to cause debate, and approved a townhome project on the city’s south side.

A parking strategy for downtown, not your street (yet)

Consultants from Watt Consulting Group presented the final Public Parking Strategy, the follow-up to a draft shown to council in February and an open house after that. It covers on-street parking, loading zones and City-owned lots north of the Nicomekl River, with the focus squarely on downtown. Private lots were left out because the Zoning Bylaw governs those.

The report sets three goals and eleven actions, with short, medium and long-term timelines and rough costs for each. Staff were clear on two points. First, receiving the report commits the City to nothing: any change on the ground needs its own council approval and money in a future financial plan. Second, residential parking (permits on neighbourhood streets) is a separate, later phase that needs more data first.

Council received the presentation and then the report itself. Councillor Mack was recorded as opposed to receiving the report.

Garbage cans and dog waste bins downtown

For ten years the bins along downtown streets came from a contractor who sold ads on them and placed them mostly where they’d be seen, which meant the Fraser Highway one-way. That contract has expired. A 2021 audit found dog waste was the single biggest part of what ended up in those bins by weight, and together with food and yard waste made up about 70 per cent. Recyclables were just over 10 per cent.

The plan staff presented swaps the advertising bins for City-owned garbage receptacles placed where they’re needed, adds dog waste bins in the downtown core, and looks next at parks and trails, organics and recycling. Council received it for information.

A $2.5 million budget amendment gets its first readings

Bylaw 3340 amends the 2026-2030 capital plan. The explanatory note lists nine items, among them $57,000 for staff computers, $70,000 more to rebuild the fire-damaged Portage Park picnic shelter, $180,000 for new firefighter turnout gear, $125,000 for an outside efficiency and effectiveness review, $600,000 for workforce succession and temporary staffing, $500,000 for legal costs on labour and employment matters, and $900,000 for negotiation, arbitration and mediation of policing agreements. Most of it comes from the 2025 operating surplus or reserves.

During debate, a point of order was raised that staff were sharing information from a closed meeting. The chair ruled against it, noting the information had already been made public through a court petition against the City. The bylaw received three readings. It came back for final adoption on June 15, when several residents spoke against it. We covered the efficiency review on its own in Langley City pays $125,000 for an outside City Hall review.

27 townhomes on 200A Street

Council gave final reading to the rezoning of 4505-4535 200A Street from single-family to a comprehensive development zone and approved the development permit for 27 townhomes. The staff report notes the project buys a small piece of road right-of-way and dedicates land to widen the path to Alice Brown Elementary.

Bees, bats and the rest

The Langley Bee Club asked the City to become a certified Bee City through Bee City Canada. A motion from Councillor Mack to pursue certification was referred to the Environmental Sustainability Committee, which already had the idea in its work plan. Council also approved $250 for a bat house at Michaud House, and gave final reading to an amendment to the 2025-2029 financial plan reflecting the 2025 audited statements.

More background: How to read a council agenda · City of Langley council