The temporary clear cutting prohibition vote passed 7 to 2.

And the same two councilors voted against it.  Hmm, I wonder about them...

What's... the hurry guys?

With a worsening large glut of condos on the market dragging down housing prices one would safely assume that developers are chomping at the bit to develop the area quickly so they can make the most money  they can before prices fall.

This is interesting situation in Langley since the last Brookswood/Ferridge OCP was defeated.  It's also telling...

Watch the counselors to see which ones are pushing too hard to get the new OCP instituted using the old OCP that they found so unpalatable (two counselors are already suspect), that might indicate they are in the service of some developer out there or has been promised something good by a third party.

You never know what sort of deals politicians make behind closed doors but if you observe them closely things might be revealed...

I for one like my counselors working for me, and I don't like it when I discover they are in the employ of someone else.

Is AECOM working for the GNAC?

The thing I want to know is this:

Let's say the Township staff, two representatives of the GNAC and the AECOM consultant Mr. Tinney are all in the same room, at the same table planning how this process is to be conducted.  They're all together talking, planning things, having breaks together, laughing together and possibly setting up play-dates for their kids (you never know.)  How is there not cross-pollination and influence here, espescially if the GNAC after paying their $500K has a mandate to get their way?

If I pay for something I want it done well and I want it done my way, so why would it be any different with the GNAC reps?

This entire process didn’t make sense, first the projected population is increased after the majority of people declared they didn’t want it, then even the definition of what low density is changed and the numbers increased.  There are other things but that should raise red flags.

It seems this points towards the Consultant being influenced by the GNAC or AECOM is playing the Township while accepting further monies from the GNAC.

Is the council being played?

If I was on Council I wouldn't touch this thing with a 10 foot pole.  Something isn't right and if it's not right I wouldn't ever sign my name to any document (even a rehash as is being planned) until I knew it was clean for I may be dragged into an investigation and/or legal action in the future if it's found that there was a breach of contract or a breach of fiduciary duty.

That's me, I'm not them, you never know what they will do...

THE PLAN is TAINTED!

Since the GNAC paid for the Brookswood/Fernridge 2014 OCP to the sum of $500K and had a say on how it was to be administered and directed.  Since the Township counsel didn't use existing Township staff and instead hired a private contractor (AECOM), worse, AECOM is an American company bent on progressive large project development planning with it's roots in oil and gas - any money paid to them is siphoned off to another country instead of staying in the region.  Plus the AECOM Consultant asked the residents loaded questions, manipulated and spun the data and played with the definitions to favour a higher level of urbanization against the overwhelming wishes of the community (one questions why?)  And since the Township of Langley staff didn't adequately notify and inform the residents of Brookswood/Fernridge about the impending and ongoing OCP process.  Since certain members of council have shown, and still show, an unhealthy interest in the OCP alteration and seem to favour the developers and land owners who will benefit most from this plan...

Since all of the above plus bias and conflict of interest has occurred, this plan and the process used to create THE PLAN is TAINTED and the entire document results and data should be scrapped.

 Also this plan HAS JUST BEEN DEFEATED.  There were strong reasons for that. 

I know you want to regurgitate the existing plan and use it, but it should not be attempted.

Stormwater

A wise person pointed something out to me today.  He said:

"Interesting how Creeks and Streams become referred to as "STORMWATER" as soon as the area is to be developed."

 Let's gloss over the fact that there are salmon spawning grounds in those streams...

Why did The Township of Langley choose an American company to develop the OCP in Brookswood/Fernridge?

I found this comment from Kim Richter both amusing and sad...

"As I was touring Brookswood on Saturday afternoon in preparation for Monday's council meeting, I was very surprised to see a deer grazing behind the fence of the Langley Rod and Gun club property at 208th and 40th! How ironic that the only sanctuary in Langley for deer is at the Rod & Gun club! Too much clear cutting perhaps?"  Kim Richter