Langley Township Council Report--Monday Afternoon Meeting, April 21, 2008

Notes from Langley Township Council's meeting, Monday afternoon, April 21, 2008--

Township engineering staff, UMA consultants, and TransLink representatives presented the Township's Community Rail study. Here is the powerpoint from that presentation:

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As I wrote here, I filed a notice of motion on this issue:

Whereas transit service in the Township of Langley is the poorest, per capita, in the Lower Mainland, and

Whereas the vast majority of trips south of the Fraser stays south of the Fraser, and

Whereas a desire for light rail, streetcars, and community rail has been expressed throughout the south Fraser region, including the Township of Langley,

Therefore be it resolved that the Township support the concept of community rail and pursue the following measures:

1. A study of the possible routes for community rail within the South Fraser region,

2. An EMME2 and micro-simulation ridership study, as recommended in the UMA community rail report, for community rail improvements in the South Fraser and Fraser Valley regions,

3. The Township continue to protect key right-of-ways for possible community rail or other transit use, including, but not limited to, the Interurban rail line, 200th Street, 208th Street, Fraser Highway, 88th Avenue, and 96th Avenue.

4. Send a letter of support to the Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society reinforcing the Township's support for their efforts, and

5. Send an update to the TransLink Board, Ministry of Transportation, and the Mayors and Councils of the Cities of Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford, and Chilliwack regarding this motion, and offering these agencies an opportunity to participate in the routing and ridership studies.

The rail motion comes back at our May 5 meeting.

Council voted unanimously (moved by Richter, seconded by Bateman) to invite both GVRD officials and Abbotsford councillor Patricia Ross to share with us their thoughts on the GVRD's plans to build six waste-to-energy plants.

Council voted unanimously (moved by Richter, seconded by Ward) to refer a letter from Fraser Health regarding new smoking regulations to our staff for a report.

We voted unanimously (moved by Fox, seconded by Ward) to write the Minister of Advanced Education with our concern over funding cuts to Kwantlen University College. The Kwantlen Faculty Association had written us, asking for our help.