LangfordB次元官网网址檚 longtime Mayor Stew Young B次元官网网址� the only one the municipality has elected since it was incorporated in 1992 B次元官网网址� is determined to densify LangfordB次元官网网址檚 city centre for the benefit, he says, of the majority.
This, despite dozens of letters and callers who regularly disagree with the pace of development in the city.
The latest council meeting on Aug. 16 had no less than eight rezoning applications in front of council at various stages. Six were for apartments in LangfordB次元官网网址檚 downtown core.
Dozens of residents wrote to council and called into the meeting with concerns about the increased traffic and other impacts of construction. Others called voicing support for affordable housing, and developers argued that the fact that single-detached homeowners sold in a block is evidence that they support the change to the neighbourhood.
Young brushed off the naysayers, saying the majority of Langforders support the work he and council are doing to drive economic development and increased housing stock in the city.
B次元官网网址淪ome people say we should slow it down. ThatB次元官网网址檚 not whatB次元官网网址檚 going to happen,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 in an affordable housing crisis, so weB次元官网网址檙e doing our part. WeB次元官网网址檙e building more homes than anyone in the region. WeB次元官网网址檙e doing our part of the regional development strategy that was worked out 20 years ago where it was determined that Langford would take the bulk of the new growth.
B次元官网网址淲e put in the sewers, we put in the infrastructure,B次元官网网址� he went on. B次元官网网址淭wenty years ago there was nothing to do and no jobs in Langford. Now thereB次元官网网址檚 good jobs, government offices are moving here, we have new schools, playing fields and all the things that go along with development.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE: More apartments proposed for LangfordB次元官网网址檚 downtown core
HeB次元官网网址檚 categorically unwilling to slow development because someone doesnB次元官网网址檛 like it, and almost always has a guess as to why that personB次元官网网址檚 really complaining.
Perhaps theyB次元官网网址檙e jealous they didnB次元官网网址檛 get a big offer from a developer like their neighbours, or maybe they recently moved and hadnB次元官网网址檛 realized they moved into a rapidly growing city centre. Or maybe theyB次元官网网址檝e always been against YoungB次元官网网址檚 plans for growth and now have an online platform to share their views.
B次元官网网址淵ou chose it but now you want to close it for other people? ThatB次元官网网址檚 not how it works,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 listen to small groups of naysayers who live in $2 million houses tell me I donB次元官网网址檛 know how to build affordability. They donB次元官网网址檛 know about affordability.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e adding 2,000 to 3,000 people a year here. TheyB次元官网网址檙e moving here because they like it. No one forces people to move here. If it was such a bad area, why are people moving here? My suggestion is, donB次元官网网址檛 come buy a home here and then bitch about it a few years later.B次元官网网址�
As for buying here, thatB次元官网网址檚 an equal part of his goal along with affordable rent. The dream, he says, is for people to get a good job in Langford and be able to buy a home. Home ownership is markedly higher in Langford than Victoria. Right now itB次元官网网址檚 at 63 per cent, lower than it used to be, but far higher than VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 39 per cent per a 2016 survey.
B次元官网网址淟angford is a desirable place to live irregardless of what some people say.B次元官网网址�
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