Langley Advance Times is offering this weekly feature, call it “At Your Service.”
It’s a 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 each Sunday.
MOST RECENT – AT YOUR SERVICE: MPs agree new year’s resolution must focus on inflation
.
QUESTION
Langley City councillors are being asked: What will the City do to protect structures near the floodplain from future rainstorms that cause major floods?
.
ANSWERS
Mayor Nathan Pachal
A. Langley City has a floodplain elevation bylaw, which requires all the new developments to be built to withstand a one-in-200-year flood event.
The City has recently conducted a new study to remap its floodplain to account for climate change. Staff is preparing a report to council to consider approving this spring to update floodplain elevation bylaw based on the results of the remapping.
.
Councillor Paul Albrecht
A. This councillor failed to reply to this query prior to deadline.
.
Councillor Teri James
A. Langley City has a floodplain elevation bylaw was enacted in 2009 and maps the floodplain extent for Nicomekl River, Murray Creek, Logan Creek, and Jeffries Brook, all located in Langley City.
The bylaw requires that all the new developments follow its requirements by constructing their buildings above its set flood construction levels (FCLs). These FCLs are based on the output from a hydraulic model simulating the flooding effect of a 200-year storm event and adds 0.6 m to the model results as the allowance to account for uncertainty in estimating rainfall variations and modeling assumptions.
Langley City recently conducted a new study to remap its floodplain and FCLs to account for climate change.
Staff is preparing a report to council in the spring of 2023, for its approval, to amend the current floodplain elevation bylaw, which will update FCLs at Nicomekl River, Murray Creek, Logan Creek and Jeffries Brook to respond to the increased risk of flood damages due to climate change.
Under the new Official Community Plan, Langley City references that where possible, new development will be built to support flood management, increase building setbacks and/or increase building elevations in an effort to limit flood hazards.
Regarding the buildings constructed prior to 2009, located within the floodplain areas, Langley City’s engineering operations offer assistance every year to property owners by providing free sandbags to use in low-lying areas within their properties to help protect their buildings.
.
Councillor Delaney Mack
A. This councillor failed to reply to this query prior to deadline.
.
Councillor Mike Solyyom
A. This councillor failed to reply to this query prior to deadline.
.
Councillor Rosemary Wallace
A. The City of Langley has a floodplain elevation bylaw, which maps the floodplain extent for Nicomekl River, Murray Creek, Logan Creek, and Jeffries Brook in the City.
The bylaw also requires all the new developments follow its requirements by constructing their buildings above its set flood construction levels (FCLs).
These FCLs are based on the output from a hydraulic model simulating the flooding effect of a 200-year storm event and adds 0.6 m to the model results as their freeboard allowance to account for uncertainty in estimating rainfall variations and modeling assumptions.
The City understands and has seen the effects of climate change and has recently conducted a new study to remap the floodplain and the flood construction levels to account for climate change.
The staff is preparing a report to City council for approval in spring 2023 to amend the current bylaw that updates the FCLs at the Nicomekl River and other creeks to respond to increased risk of flood damages due to climate change.
.
Councillor Leith White
A. This councillor failed to reply to this query prior to deadline.
.
UP NEXT
Next week’s Langley Township councillors are being asked: Should future bike lanes on major routes (200th, 208th, Fraser Highway, etc.) be separated from roads for safety and to encourage cycling?
.
Watch for their answers online next Sunday.
.
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
AT YOUR SERVICE: Langley City council wants to keep higher density development north of Nicomekl
AT YOUR SERVICE: Passports key to keeping B.C. businesses open, people safe during pandemic
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
AT YOUR SERVICE: How to handle rising housing prices
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?
AT YOUR SERVICE: Some suggest more needed to protect floodplains from development
AT YOUR SERVICE: Monitoring student transport not good use of school district resources – trustees
AT YOUR SERVICE: Liberal caucus floats all-party committee in reaction to emergencies
AT YOUR SERVICE: Langley MPs address issue of rising food costs
AT YOUR SERVICE: Inflation inevitably hits City taxpayers in the pocketbook
AT YOUR SERVICE: Future of Aldergrove core up for debate
AT YOUR SERVICE: Trees and more greenspace at root of climate change solutions
AT YOUR SERVICE: Inflation inevitably hits City taxpayers in the pocketbook
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: Empty homes can be safety concern, but not huge concern in City
AT YOUR SERVICE: Most of council content with current pothole repairs
AT YOUR SERVICE: Survey gives school district tools for staff recruitment, retention
AT YOUR SERVICE: Liberal MLAs call for overhaul to B.C.’s student funding model
AT YOUR SERVICE: Canada must continue its support of Ukraine, MPs
AT YOUR SERVICE: Best use of industrial land paramount to Langley City councillors
AT YOUR SERVICE: More ALR land needs to be used for farming: Most of council
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
AT YOUR SERVICE: MLAs agree diking upgrades needed, divided on if enough is being done
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: 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
AT YOUR SERVICE: New Langley City council look for solutions to rising costs
AT YOUR SERVICE – A few Langley Township council members speak to ongoing single-family home demands
AT YOUR SERVICE: Political views aside, MLAs wish residents health and safety this holiday
.
story tags
