Mayor Jack Froese unveiled the new Mayor’s Standing Committee on Public Engagement Monday night (Jan.26), a bid to deliver on his election promise to overhaul communication with residents in the wake of last year’s bitter battle over a proposal to increase housing density in the semi-rural Brookswood neighbourhood.
After several public hearings dominated by opponents of the plan, Township council voted it down at an April meeting, overriding the mayor and the only councillor who backed the proposal, Grant Ward (who lost his seat in the November election).
Froese told the Monday meeting the outcome “made it clear that some Township of Langley residents felt that they’re not being included or adequately consulted during the planning process.”
Froese did not directly refer to the equally heated debate over the proposed Coulter Berry building in Fort Langley around the same time, other than referring to “recent events.”
“As a result, some citizens became concerned about any and all development proposed for their community, and expressed apprehension about their ability to be heard during the decision-making process,” the mayor added.
“I strongly believe that there’s a need to improve our public engagement process and enhance communication between council, staff and our residents,” Froese went on to say.
The six-member committee will have three members of council, Froese, Councillor Michelle Sparrow, who is a member of the municipal Community Participation, Infrastructure, and Environment Committee, and Councillor Blair Whitmarsh.
The others include Dale Ball of the Brookswood Merchants Village Association, Susanna Haas Lyons, who the mayor describes as a “public engagement specialist” and Barbara Sharp, a former City of North Vancouver mayor.
Councillor Kim Richter said the attempt at improving communication with the community is off to an “odd start” because none of the non-council members are any of the people who lobbied against Brookswood development.
“The sides who were opposed to anything were locked out,” Richter said.
The first scheduled meeting of the task force is set for Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. in the Salmon River Meeting Room at the civic facility at 20338 65 Ave.
The meetings are open to the public and council members.
Current plans call for eight to 10 meetings between now and the end of June, when the committee is to report back to council.
A statement issued the next day by the mayor’s office said the committee “will review and develop systems for council’s consideration that will better enable the Township to reach out and engage citizens, and to encourage public involvement as the Township develops neighbourhoods that serve the needs of residents now and into the future.”