Langford council this week listened to comments supporting and rejecting the CityB次元官网网址檚 proposed request to remove 43 parcels of land B次元官网网址� totalling more than 100 acres and mostly in south Langford B次元官网网址� from the Agricultural Land Reserve.

Some of the 40 or so people who attended TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 public hearing on the block exclusion of the parcels spoke against the idea of allowing landowners to pay cash for the removal of their property from the ALR, or the way the City was going about the process. Others voiced approval based on the fact much of the lands was not suitable for agriculture.

This summer the City sent a letter asking landowners whether they would like their properties included in the collective exclusion and rezoning. Of the responses contained in this weekB次元官网网址檚 council agenda, only one did not support having their property included in the joint application. Echoed by the tone at TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 meeting, there were a large number of letters and emails from Langford residents and others from all over the Island voicing their opposition to the application.

Langford resident Cheryl McLaughlin was among more than a dozen people who spoke to the issue Tuesday night. While she commended the goal of increasing agricultural production within city limits, she questioned B次元官网网址渢he rationale of removing land, which is the basis of agriculture, for money.B次元官网网址�

McLaughlin noted the money would be a one-time benefit. B次元官网网址淥nce the money is gone, there is absolutely no recompense for the land that has been taken out. You cannot do agriculture without land. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the very basic idea behind the Agricultural Land Reserve.B次元官网网址�

While she admitted a lot of ALR land in Langford is not currently in production, she said the protection of that land was vital for future generations and food security.

B次元官网网址淵ou can always fix soil, you can fix drainage. You canB次元官网网址檛 fix the land once you donB次元官网网址檛 have it anymore.B次元官网网址�

The municipality does not have the authority to remove land from the ALR; that decision rests solely with the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC).

Municipal councils have the right to veto a request for removal and refuse to forward it to the ALC, but Langford council has chosen not to use that right. As part of the exclusion hearing process, the ALC requires the City to hold a public hearing on the matter and forward a record of that hearing with councilB次元官网网址檚 recommendation.

Some people speaking also offered suggestions for land use in areas that were not considered prime farm land that ranged from alternative crops like mushrooms to herbs. The debate of what was considered farmable and what really was the basis of agriculture was also approached.

At one point in the meeting Mayor Stew Young stopped to remind people what the hearing was about. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not here to debate,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e having a public forum to hear what you are saying.B次元官网网址�

Glen Willing and his brother, Peter, spoke in favour of the application. Their mother owns property that is included in the application and they said a portion of her property should be removed from the ALR because it is not tillable, which is a mandate of the ALC.

Willing said that when the ALR was originally established, a lot of properties were B次元官网网址渂road brushedB次元官网网址� and were included, some of which have never been farmed, he noted.

One property in the last application B次元官网网址渟hould have had a sign on the front yard that said gravel pit.B次元官网网址� He said that there was B次元官网网址渁bsolutely zero arable landB次元官网网址� and it should not have been included in the ALR.

Some residents raised concerns that their objections would have no influence in the process. Young assured them that all opinions voiced at the meeting were being recorded and would be forwarded to the ALC. B次元官网网址淵ou have to hear both sides,B次元官网网址� he said.

McLaughlin returned to the podium to question whether landowners or council initiated the process. Earlier in the meeting, another resident had stated that council had sent letters to property owners approximately 10 years ago asking if they needed assistance removing their properties from the ALR.

Coun. Lilian Szpak said the B次元官网网址淎LC asked us to work with them on a strategy.B次元官网网址� Szpak said the City is B次元官网网址渨orking with their suggestions.B次元官网网址�

Young said council came up with the idea of a block exclusion after a number of property owners had brought their concerns to them over a number of years. B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址橧tB次元官网网址檚 not because Langford is pushing it. These are people in your community and your neighbourhood saying, B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 not farming, why do I have to be broad-brushed with ALR?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

The debate over who initiated the process was never definitively settled.

In 2007, C&F Land Resource Consultants Ltd. was contracted to prepare a report for the City. This report, called Agricultural Suitability Review for South Langford Neighbourhood Plan, was a preliminary assessment of the south Langford area to consider possible adjustments to the ALR boundary.

Some elements of that report were incorporated into the official community plan and the agricultural policy but for a number of reasons, especially the financial crisis in 2008, the proposal made in the report was not implemented.

Recently, the City asked to have the report revisited. Initially it was proposed that 111 acres be considered for exclusion based on factors ranging from property size to soil classifications. The revision suggested that 126 acres be considered for exclusion and featured a more in-depth soil report.

kengqvist@goldstreamgazette.com