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AT YOUR SERVICE – A few Langley Township council members speak to ongoing single-family home demands

Question-and-answer feature calling on those elected to office in Langley
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Do you have a question you’d like to see put to the Langley Township council? Email your idea to editor@langleyadvancetimes.com.

Langley Advance Times is offering this weekly feature called it “At Your Service.”

It’s another forum in which to put questions to our local politicians about key issues facing our community and its residents.

Using a basic question-and-answer format, elected officials will be asked one question at a time and given the opportunity to respond (to a maximum of 250 words) on that said issue.

Alternating between elected groups, Langley City and Langley Township councils, Langley school board, Langley MLAs, and Langley MPs each have a chance to participate.

The answers provided will be published in their entirety online Sundays.

MOST RECENT – AT YOUR SERVICE: New Langley City council look for solutions to rising costs

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QUESTION

Langley Township council was asked: Should the Township discourage development of new single-family housing neighbourhoods?

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ANSWERS

Mayor Eric Woodward

A. This council member failed to reply to this query, prior to deadline.

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Councillor Tim Baillie

A. No.

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Councillor Steve Ferguson

A. This council member failed to reply due to a family emergency.

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Councillor Margaret Kunst

A. No, I don’t think we should discourage development of single-family homes.

We do need to densify where it makes sense to do so, and continue offering housing options including single-family homes in the Township of Langley.

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Councillor Barb Martens

A. Thank you for reaching out for my point of view.

For me, the question is how do we find space and create affordable housing for all people in Langley, mindful of unique needs?

A mix of housing units accomplishes that best.

If single-family housing neighbourhoods can be integrated into that sort of plan, and there seems to be an interest/need to do so, I would want to keep that housing option on the table.

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Councillor Michael Pratt

A. Lots of folks will always aspire to have a detached home with the yard, multiple bedrooms, and all the other benefits that come with single-family detached styles of homes, and the Township will always have those housing choices for people.

As we build out new neighbourhoods that will be in close proximity to rapid transit, we need to focus on building the density that supports higher levels of transit, and detached single-family homes on large lots typically do not help us achieve this.

This does not mean we should completely discourage single-family homes; it just means we have to build them differently.

They should be rear-loaded with the option to build a coach house for family members or to help pay the mortgage.

The lots themselves should be smaller, giving more people the possibility of achieving their dream of owning a detached home.

With these smaller lots and denser homes, that means we also need to deliver the amenities people need closer to where they live.

Our community delivers different forms of housing for people who have different needs and desires when it comes to where and how they live, and that’s something we should continue to encourage.

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Councillor Kim Richter

A. No. People need housing options and choices.

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Councillor Rob Rindt

A. This council member failed to reply to this query, prior to deadline.

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Councillor Misty vanPopta

A. This council member failed to reply to this query, prior to deadline.

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UP NEXT

Next week’s Langley school district trustees are being asked: With Christmas fast approaching, what’s the one thing you’d ask Santa for – on behalf of the school district?

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Watch for their answers online Sunday.

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PAST COVERAGE

AT YOUR SERVICE: City council weighs in on supervised consumption sites

AT YOUR SERVICE: Langley trustees applaud positives found amid pandemic

AT YOUR SERVICE: Township council weighs in on lack of industrial land

AT YOUR SERVICE: MLAs see feds as partners in SkyTrain to Langley

AT YOUR SERVICE: Creating more housing, on all fronts, critical to stabilization: MPs

AT YOUR SERVICE: Heat wave another call to action – City council

AT YOUR SERVICE: Pools need to be part of Township-wide recreation planning

AT YOUR SERVICE: No current need for year-round schooling in Langley, trustees agree

AT YOUR SERVICE: MLAs suggest staying the course on battling of B.C. wildfire

AT YOUR SERVICE: MPs call for borders to be safely re-opened

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AT YOUR SERVICE: Trustees ponder what kids are missing out on during pandemic

AT YOUR SERVICE: Education should trump rules for vaccination of health-care workers, suggest MLAs

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AT YOUR SERVICE: City council divided on call for indoor pool

AT YOUR SERVICE: Council ponders vaccine requirements for workers

AT YOUR SERVICE: Skyrocketing enrolment prompts intensified lobby by trustees

AT YOUR SERVICE: Political stripes aside, MLAs agree heat dome was tragic and action required

AT YOUR SERVICE: MPs agree much must be done to right wrongs for Indigenous

AT YOUR SERVICE: Is pay parking in the City a viable consideration?

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AT YOUR SERVICE: Liberal caucus floats all-party committee in reaction to emergencies

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AT YOUR SERVICE: Councillors differ on future of SkyTrain beyond Langley City

AT YOUR SERVICE: Bigger schools not necessarily solution to rising land costs

AT YOUR SERVICE: High gas prices of concern for MLAs of both stripes

AT YOUR SERVICE: Military readiness for climate disasters must be ensured – says one MP; other says army only one piece of bigger puzzle

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AT YOUR SERVICE: Most of council content with current pothole repairs

AT YOUR SERVICE: Survey gives school district tools for staff recruitment, retention

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AT YOUR SERVICE: Langley is attractive to school staff, but given rapid growth trustees agree more must be done

AT YOUR SERVICE: Local MLAs agree more must be done to make life affordable in B.C.

AT YOUR SERVICE: Federal parties working on multiple fronts to end hate crimes

AT YOUR SERVICE: Langley City ponders cannabis retail policy

AT YOUR SERVICE – Most on council say parks and rec plans address future growth

AT YOUR SERVICE: School district moves forward on reconciliation efforts with Indigenous partners

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AT YOUR SERVICE: Local MPs disagree on whether 2 billion trees can be planted by 2030

AT YOUR SERVICE: In light of SkyTrain coming, Langley City embarks on parking study

AT YOUR SERVICE: Langley Township should consider schools for future cooling centres

AT YOUR SERVICE: Despite challenges, trustees affirm Langley is ready to accept more refugee students as need arises

AT YOUR SERVICE: Opposition MLAs critical of NDP’s affordable housing record

AT YOUR SERVICE: Federal clean energy efforts lauded by MP

AT YOUR SERVICE: MPs debate how feds chose to halt trucker convoy

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Roxanne Hooper

About the Author: Roxanne Hooper

I began in the news industry at age 15, but honestly, I knew I wanted to be a community journalist even before that.
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