A Township of Langley survey of other B.C. municipalities shows most have dedicated staff assigned to avoid blowups like the Brookswood development controversy by working to improve communication between residents and policy makers.
The most popular methods of reaching out to residents were old-school public meetings, while higher-tech online talkbacks and web presentation tools were used less often.
A report to the mayor’s standing committee on public engagement shows among the 16 communities that responded to a Township request for information, a majority of 13 gave improving consultation with residents priority, but in different ways.
Four municipalities had written policies that require public engagement, two had what amount to unwritten policies, and seven had dedicated staff assigned to improving communication between municipal planners and residents.
The most popular methods of communication with residents were open houses, information meetings and newspaper advertising, used by all 16 of the municipalities.
Planning advisory committees and online surveys were the second most popular, used by 15.
Third most popular, used by 13 municipalities, were focus group meetings, town hall meetings and design charettes where developers, planners and residents work together.
Least popular were more advanced online methods like online forums and social media, used by five or fewer of the municipalities.
“ … most municipalities do not use all forms of available online engagement tools” the unsigned presentation to the committee said.
The Township approached 18 municipalities about their public engagement process, but two of them, Burnaby and Vancouver, did not respond.
Those who did respond included neighbouring Langley City, Surrey and Abbotsford, along with White Rock, Delta, Richmond, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Chilliwack, Mission, Kent and Anmore.
As a next step, the report suggests the Township should conduct a survey of selected people who have taken part in Township planning, asking them to rate how the municipality handles public engagement by naming successful and “less successful” examples and make suggestions for improvement.
The report talks about last year’s battle over a revised Brookswood/Fernridge community plan and blames “confusion and poor information” for the resistance to the plan, adding design and implementation of the proposal to permit increased housing density “missed some key elements.”
It also refers to the fight over the Coulter Berry building in Fort Langley, suggesting the Township needs to identify development applications where a “bigger conversation” is needed than the standard development approval process.
The mayor’s standing committee on public engagement was set up to overhaul communication with residents in the wake of last year’s fight over increased housing density in the semi-rural Brookswood/Fernridge neighbourhood.
After several public hearings, dominated by opponents of the plan, Township council voted it down at an April meeting, overriding the mayor and the only councillor who backed the proposal, Grant Ward (who lost his seat in the November election).