Editor: Metro Vancouver regional authority is considering legal action over Township council’s support of development on the Trinity Western University property, as it does not conform to the regional growth strategy. The property is located in the ALR and is designated rural reserve, according to the regional growth strategy.
These lands were designated green zone before the GVRD was replaced by the Metro Vancouver regional authority. The green zone boundaries were pretty much the same as the current rural reserve boundaries and very similar, in that they gave an outside authority a say on how Langley is to grow in the future.
Prior to designating these lands as being part of the green zone, I had a chance to address the mayor and council of the day at one of their council meetings. The lands that were being proposed for the green zone included both ALR and non-ALR lands.
I voiced my concern that with almost 80 per cent of Langley within the ALR boundaries, why would council want to give another authority the power to influence how Langley grows, on lands that were outside of the ALR boundaries?
The mayor directed this question to the planner who was present at the time. The planner advised council that there would be a process in place that would allow these boundaries to be amended. Council ended up approving the proposed boundaries for the green zone dedication.
Well here we are. It appears as though we have indeed added another layer of bureaucracy to the planning process. It does not want the plan amended, and is not afraid to flex its bureaucratic muscle.
My family and I find this especially frustrating, as we own property that is not in the ALR and has now been designated rural reserve. We wish we knew this before we bought the property in 1995 and paid a price based on the fact it was not in the ALR, and was located within a stone’s throw of a public school.
I guess we’ll just wave to the kids being bussed from the schools that were or will be closed in the communities which council has designated rural reserve. They have no possibility of developing affordable housing and bolstering their school’s population.
Tod McGovern,
Langley