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A New Vision for our Environment

One of the reasons the Township of Langley is such a great place to live is because of its natural environment. So much of the quality of life that residents enjoy is because of our access to parks, our clean water, and extensive tree canopy throughout most of the Township. 

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However, this quality of life is in danger of being irrevocably diminished. We need to do a better job of preserving and enhancing what makes our community special and that keeps our environment healthy. If we don't do a better job of protecting the Township's natural assets, we'll be worse off for generations, with old and new residents alike suffering even worse climate shocks at the local level. 

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It's time there was a vision for balancing our community's growth with making sure this is still a healthy place to live. 

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It can be done, we just need to start taking steps in the right direction.

Focusing on What Matters: 

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Protecting and Enhancing our Tree Canopy 

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  • Work with Staff and Council to create a policy that encourages private property owners to plant or retain trees on their properties, through mechanisms that could include a reduction in property taxes, financial reimbursement for the costs of planting trees, or other such incentives.

  • Remove the exemption for development sites from the Tree Protection Bylaw, while working to make sure housing is still able to be built by permitting housing types that allow clustering, greater density where necessary, and generate more affordability. 

  • Identify land that is currently owned by the Township, and where necessary work to acquire land to ensure that every neighbourhood within the Township has a significant, natural park that is accessible to as many residents of that neighbourhood as possible via biking, walking or public transportation.

  • Work towards making sure that the ‘3-30-300 Rule’ applies in each of the Township’s neighbourhoods. This means that at a minimum, every resident should be able to see at least 3 trees from their home; every neighbourhood should have a 30 percent tree canopy cover, and every resident in a neighbourhood should be within 300 metres of a public park or green space.

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Building Resilience:

 

Protecting Local Aquifers and Watercourses to Limit Droughts and Flooding

 

  • Support the initiatives outlined in TOL’s 2021 Climate Action Strategy that will limit erosion around vital waterways and slow storm water runoff.

  • Focus on daylighting creeks as well as ensuring sufficient planting and attention is paid to ensuring our watercourses are healthy and safe so that coliforms are not at a dangerously high level.

  • Refocus the TOL on its 2008 Groundwater Management Plan.

Turning Words Into Action: 

 

Implementing the Plans that are in Place

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  • Support the initiatives outlined in TOL’s 2021 Climate Action Strategy to increase the number of daily trips taken by walking or biking, increase electric vehicle charging and car sharing infrastructure, and more aggressively advocate for public transit expansion (also see A New Vision for Transportation).

  • Support the initiatives outlined in TOL’s 2021 Climate Action Strategy by ensuring our buildings are energy-efficient and use clean energy sources.

  • Optimize land use and zoning to develop well-designed communities that include shopping and outdoor park spaces, that can be accessed via safe, active, mobility options like biking and walking (also see A New Vision for Housing & Planning).​

  • Support the initiatives outlined in TOL’s 2021 Climate Action Strategy to increase composting and recycling opportunities for residents, as well as local businesses and institutions.

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