Langford Agricultural Strategy - Options

OPTIONS

Option 1

That Council:

1. Support Langford’s Agricultural Strategy as drafted;

2. Establish an Agricultural Development Permit Area, and direct staff to prepare appropriate design guidelines for Council’s consideration;

3. Require that an “Edge Planning Assessment and Buffer Plan” prepared by a registered Agrologist, Landscape Architect or Registered Professional Biologist is submitted by a property owner when applying for an Agricultural DP;

4. Amend Langford’s Affordable Housing, Parks and Amenity Contribution Policy (Policy No. 6940-00-003) to require an applicant to dedicate 40% of their land, or an amount determined by Council, at the time of rezoning and that these lands will comprise the highest agricultural and environmental values on the property;

5. Direct staff to investigate the appropriate course of action to include the following guidelines for new single-family residential subdivisions adjacent to land in the ALR:

• i. Design road access to direct traffic away from farming;
• ii. Have larger lot sizes along the interface with farming to provide for greater separation;
• iii. Provide screening and landscaping buffers to protect residents from agricultural activities and in accordance with the DP;
• iv. Greater building setbacks along the agricultural edge; and
• v. Provide a drainage study prepared by a Professional Engineer to ensure runoff from the proposed subdivision is contained.

6. Direct staff to amend Langford’s Landscape Policy, Bylaw 1201. Design Guidelines and Bylaw 500. Subdivision and Development Services Bylaw to require 10% of landscaping in private developments, parks and local streets to be edible species where appropriate;

7. Direct staff to amend the Landscape Policy to add the requirement that the applicant provide a landscape security deposit in the amount of 100% of the estimated cost of the hard and soft landscaping and screening to be completed in the buffer area (designated DPA/edge planning area);

8. Direct staff to amend Bylaw 1201. DP Guidelines to require new mixed-use and residential developments with density of 100 units per hectare or greater and where residents do not have access to private yards to provide a community garden that is minimum size of 300 m• (3229 ft•);

9. Direct staff to amend all commercial and institutional zones to permit farmer markets; AND

10. Allow community gardens in all zones;

OR

Option 2

11. Take no action with respect to the Agricultural Strategy and associated action items at this time.

Matthew Baldwin, MCIP Leanne Blackwood, MCIP Bob Beckett

City Planner Senior Planner Fire Chief

John Manson, P.Eng. Steve Ternent Jim Bowden

City Engineer Treasurer Administrator

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