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[Victoria Watcher]

Langford passes 15.6% hike in property taxes amid protest

 

 

Protesters gather at city hall to oppose tax increase.

 

https://www.timescol...protest-8713571

[Mike K.]

From the City of Langford:

LANGFORD CITY HALL CLOSED DUE TO SIGNIFICANT FLOOD EVENT

On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, Langford City Hall experienced a significant flooding event which has impacted a large portion of the building. While crews responded swiftly, significant damage has occurred.

City Hall will be closed to the public on Thursday, June 27, 2024, while a robust operational mitigation plan is implemented. The public will be updated by 12:00 p.m. tomorrow or as more information becomes available. Residents are advised to check the City website and Facebook for regular updates.

TAX PAYMENTS
Given the temporary closure of City Hall, and the property tax deadline of July 2, 2024, residents are encouraged to make payments through one of the following alternate options listed below while the City works to set up a temporary location for in-person payments. This temporary closure does not affect the property tax deadline.

Online Banking
Pay online through your bank. Search for “Langford” in the payee line. Your account number is your roll number without the decimal.

At the Bank
Take your tax notice to your bank and pay it in-person.

Credit Card
Pay on credit card through Paymentus (service charges apply). The account number is your roll number without the decimal.

After Hours Drop Box
Located to the left of the front door at City Hall.

By Mail
Cheques made payable to City of Langford and include your roll number on the memo line.

For more information visit Langford.ca/tax

Despite City Hall being closed, City staff will continue to serve the public remotely as technology allows. For developers or businesses owners with scheduled off-site meetings with staff, the respective staff member or department will reach out to you to confirm the appointment.

[IPH]

"while a robust operational mitigation plan is implemented."

 

You mean a "clean up"!  Why must everything be "A Crisis" these days, or written by out of work literary PhD's.   

[Nparker]

You can bill taxpayers more for a "robust operational mitigation" than you can for a clean up.

[Victoria Watcher]

Roger Wade, the general manager of the Westshore Rebels football team and a former four-term Langford councillor, has passed away.

 

Wade, who was first elected to council in 2008, “played a pivotal role in the growth and development of Langford,” says Mayor Scott Goodmanson.

 

“Our thoughts are with the Wade family during this challenging time,” he said.

 

 

https://www.cheknews...e-dies-1215795/

[Victoria Watcher]

A celebration of life for former Langford city councillor Roger Wade is planned for next week at Starlight Stadium.

 

Wade, 61, was a devoted husband and father of three who served on city council for four terms.

 

He was also the general manager of the West Shore Rebels junior football team and had a passion for sports and making sure the municipality had opportunities for recreation and for residents to be active.

 

 

https://www.cheknews...tadium-1217825/

[Victoria Watcher]

[Mike K.]

Is that the same as Langford Voters for Change?

[Mike K.]

Colwood CAO Robert Earl is retiring this year, and replacing him is Jason Johnson, who headed Victoria 2014-2017.

[Victoria Watcher]

Langford buys six acres in downtown core for $9.8 million for park

Residents of Woodlands Park, which has been a manufactured home park for almost six decades, will have until 2030 to leave


https://www.timescol...r-park-10054206

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 09 January 2025 - 12:49 PM.

[Mike K.]

Press release:

The City of Langford is enhancing its downtown core by adding over six acres of greenspace through the acquisition of Woodlands Park, located at 848 Hockley Avenue. The acquisition, unanimously approved by Council In-Camera in December 2024, addresses the need for additional parks, trails, and open space in Langford’s downtown, as highlighted by the City’s Parks Needs Assessment, Urban Forest Management Plan, and Official Community Plan Refresh public input.

Woodlands Park has been privately operated as a manufactured home park for almost 60 years. This significant property in downtown Langford features mature trees, botanical flower beds, and tranquil winding pathways. Woodlands Park, stewarded by longtime Langford residents Ralph Stoerzer and Laura Kiehl, was secured by the City for $9.8 million, which is significantly less than its appraised value of $18.125 million. This transfer of land reflects their vision and desire to leave a lasting legacy for the residents of Langford while meeting their need to retire and plan for their next phase of life. The City will issue a donation receipt to the operators of $8.325 million, which is the difference between the appraised value and the purchase price.

The City anticipates that the restoration of the urban oasis will begin in the spring of 2030 and will include additional trails and gardens, open green space, decorative fountains, landscaped ponds, picnic areas, and playgrounds. Beacon Hill Park in Victoria, VanDusen Botanical Gardens in Vancouver, and the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle will provide inspiration for the future design of Woodlands Park.

To respectfully wind down the manufactured home park operations over the next five years, Council has approved a robust set of supports for existing tenants of Woodlands Park that exceeds the requirements of the provincial Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act. Tenants will have the option of continuing to reside in Woodlands Park for up to five years, until January 31, 2030, at which time the City will purchase each manufactured home for the assessed value plus 10%, should the tenant not be able to or want to relocate their manufactured home. Tenants can also request that the City purchase their manufactured home at any time over the next five years at the assessed value plus 10%, if the tenants’ life circumstances require an earlier move. To facilitate this, the City will budget up to $1 million annually to purchase homes as tenants are ready to move. To ensure a smooth transition for existing tenants, the City has appointed a dedicated Tenant Liaison to assist throughout this process.

“Ralph and Laura’s vision and significant contribution to the community will create an accessible urban oasis that benefits both current and future generations,” said Scott Goodmanson, Mayor of Langford. “This once in a generation initiative will transform Langford’s downtown by adding much needed greenspace, trails and gardens while preserving the biodiversity and mature tree canopy for residents to enjoy. I look forward to Woodlands Park providing year-round opportunities for friends and family to come together with nature in Langford’s downtown core.”

The City will fund $7 million of the $9.8 million purchase price through the Growing Communities Fund, a provincial grant received by the City in March 2023. In addition to the $1 million to be budgeted annually for tenant supports between 2025-2029, the remainder of the purchase price, along with the future transformation of the urban park in 2030, will require an additional tax increase of approximately 1.75% in 2029.

Langford Council will consider first three readings of a Park Dedication Bylaw for Woodlands Park on January 13, 2025. This bylaw will designate the land as a permanent “green oasis” in the downtown core of Langford, ensuring it remains freely accessible to everyone, protects biodiversity, and provides a peaceful and tranquil environment, featuring a horticultural-style garden and an overstory of trees.

[dasmo]

So not that much of a housing crisis then I guess.

[dasmo]

And those are some grand parks for inspiration considering the size of that area is about 1/25 the size of beacon hill park.

They make it sound like another Mill Hill or Hatley Park. It’s not big enough for one trail. A running loop maybe.

[Mike K.]

Yeah. That’s not a fair comparison.

Beacon Hill Park is 30x larger.

[dasmo]

Lot's of new condos surrounding that area. Plus a few large plots touching it with low rise aged structures that could have some towers. Towers next to a park are worth a lot more $$$$. I smell something that I can't prove. 

[Mike K.]

Langford has been courting the land owner here for many, many years. The park won’t fully transition into parkland until the 2030s.

[amor de cosmos]

Lot's of new condos surrounding that area. Plus a few large plots touching it with low rise aged structures that could have some towers. Towers next to a park are worth a lot more $$$$. I smell something that I can't prove.

i really don't think it's that sinister, it looks like they're just adding public green space. & half a block from goldstream ave i can see it working. i wonder if it's too late to create an access directly from goldstream, which is where all the pedestrian traffic is. if by beacon hill park they mean the landscaped gardens etc between the playground & petting zoo i think that's the right idea. it's a much smaller area than the entire park. i think it could also be similar to memorial park on esquimalt rd, directly across from the municipal hall.

[Mike K.]

Langford city hall backs onto this land, and it runs along Jacobson Road, so pedestrians will have access to the park via Jacobson. I can also see future redevelopment of the Tim Hortons lot and adjacent parcel to include public park access via those lots.

[amor de cosmos]

there's already an obvious east-west connection through that block, as i said before a connection to goldstream would be good too and if/when the houses on orono get developed there could be a north-south connection also to enable more pedestrian traffic through the park. i think 'permeability' is the fancy word for it. maybe they've already thought of that.

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[Mike K.]

Jacobson is that link, between Goldstream and the park. I should have been a little more clear on that.

At least immediately it will be. The other link will come in time once the lots are redeveloped.