Hey Strong Towns Langley members! Your Township Council held its regular meeting on Monday, May 11, 2026, and it was a busy one with several key decisions impacting our community's financial health, land use, and people-centred initiatives. The agenda was adopted with a minor switch, moving the discussion on culvert infrastructure to earlier in the meeting. Two delegations kicked off the public portion: Resha Sabti raised significant concerns about e-scooter safety, highlighting increasing incidents involving youth, unclear rules, and the limitations of the provincial pilot program. She called for stronger public education and collaboration with the RCMP and School Board. This delegation directly led to a Notice of Motion later in the meeting. Following this, Daryl Ducharme and Warren Jackson presented a compelling case regarding the recent concrete median that eliminated left-turn access to their Pepperwood Townhomes. They detailed safety risks for children, increased internal traffic, and delayed emergency response times. Council unanimously referred their request to restore left-turn access to staff for a report. Council made several notable decisions under Reports to Council. They voted to cancel $2.4 million in unissued culvert infrastructure loan authorization, which is a positive step for financial prudence. Following discussion on mixed-use development parking, Council directed staff to budget $75,000 for a parking and bylaw amendment study and $20,000 for ongoing monitoring. A significant motion was passed regarding the Walnut Grove Drive Traffic Calming Plan; Council *amended* the original motion to *expedite* the project, directing staff to commence design this year for traffic calming, a new school driveway signalization, and uni-directional protected bike lanes, speeding up implementation by a year. Council also confirmed support for the Langley-Haney Place Bus Rapid Transit project along 200 Street, committing to detailed design work with TransLink, with the understanding that the Township would not be acquiring land or providing direct funding for this critical transportation investment. Additionally, Council supported new security and emergency planning for special events, and directed staff to seek provincial funding to help non-profit event organisers offset these new costs. Updates to the Brookswood-Fernridge and Willoughby Community and Neighbourhood Plans saw their first and second readings. Discussions around the Brookswood-Fernridge plan included clarifying groundwater protection, re-aligning lot coverage with the Township's Zoning Bylaw, and addressing the deletion of Community Amenity Charge (CAC) references. A notable and vocal disagreement arose between Councillor Richter and Mayor Woodward regarding the continued use of "Voluntary Amenity Contributions" (VACs), with Councillor Richter questioning their legal soundness and potential for future litigation. Despite her concerns, the plan proceeded to public hearing. The Willoughby plan updates, crucial for transit-oriented development, were *deferred to May 25th* after Council (following an *amendment* to only give first and second reading to the associated Fees and Charges Bylaw 6226) agreed to allow for a full review of the bylaw, which Councillor Richter requested be provided in its entirety with changes highlighted. In other key actions, a rezoning application to facilitate 37 townhouses on 83 Avenue was given first, second, and third reading, with an *amendment* that added flexibility for an interim onsite stormwater detention pilot program. Mayor Woodward brought forward a successful motion for staff to report on potential additional locations for up to five new or substantially improved playgrounds similar to Yorkson Community Park, as well as expanding the planned playground for Smith Athletic Park. This motion generated significant debate, including a defeated amendment from Councillor Martins to explore improving existing *school* playgrounds via community grants, which some councillors viewed as shifting fundraising burden onto parents. Councillor Richter also successfully moved a motion to send a strong advocacy letter to the federal and provincial governments in support of preserving the public's right to fish and protecting salmon habitat. Councillor Pratt's motion to review rural sign bylaws and agri-tourism accommodation to align with provincial legislation also carried unanimously. Finally, Councillor Baillie's motion for an e-scooter safety and awareness campaign passed, *amended* to include provincial advocacy alongside local education and enforcement efforts, following extensive debate that saw two proposed amendments (one to include e-bikes, another to require School District permission for PAC meetings) ultimately defeated. Council also moved to initiate restoration work at Aldergrove Athletic Park following recent fire damage. Two further motions from Councillor Richter and Councillor Martins regarding a staff presentation and memo on Special Study Areas (SSAs) related to a Metro Vancouver report were both defeated, indicating Council's view that previous direction was clear and the process was too far advanced for re-evaluation. Overall, it was a productive meeting with Council taking action on diverse fronts, from major infrastructure projects and community development to public safety and environmental stewardship, all while navigating complex policy and community feedback.