Frankly Speaking

Frank Bucholtz photo A stump is all that remains of a mature cedar tree that stood on property owned by Tara Ridge Estates. This is a very brief post. Time is pressing and I simply don't have enough of it to study all aspects of this issue, which I just learned of yesterday. A large grove of mature trees has been cleared from property owned by Tara Ridge Estates, adjacent to 76 Avenue in Willoughby. The northwest portion of this site (about eight hectares) is being proposed for exclusion from Agricultural Land Reserve, in order to allow for construction of the 212 Street connector and development of the remaining land. The connector is partially built and will connect Willoughby to the new 216 interchange on Highway 1. The trees were cut some time ago, but it is clear there were many very mature ones on the site. No trees have been left standing. Given that the land is within the ALR, any tree preservation bylaws would not apply. To the best of my knowledge, the land has ...

Frank Bucholtz photo Portland's Tri-Met LRT system moves people around the Oregon city very well. But in areas where it runs along streets, it is not particularly fast. Metro Vancouver mayors unanimously agreed to a $2 billion transportation improvement plan on Wednesday. It will improve bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus service, and planning will continue on a rapid tranit extension along Broadway in Vancouver and Surrey LRT lines. Funds for those two mega-projects are yet to materialize, but if and when they do, taxpayers will be on the hook for billions more in spending. If an LRT line is built along Fraser Highway in Surrey and Langley, as proposed, it will put Langley transit users at a significant disadvantage. Langley residents may be getting the short end of the stick with the suggested transportation improvements put forward by the Mayors’ Council. While the addition of bus service to Willoughby is a positive step, and one that is long overdue, the plan to build an LR...

There will be many more scenes like this in Willoughby in the coming years, with the provincial government's removal of the property purchase tax on new homes values at $750,000 or less. The provincial budget will have a significant effect on Langley, particularly Willoughby. That’s because of how the province has chosen to react to the growing furore over housing unaffordability. It is not boosting the level at which the property purchase tax stays at one per cent ($200,000) and it is not boosting the exemption for first-time buyers (it only applies to property valued at a maximum $475,000). Instead, it is eliminating property purchase tax entirely on new homes valued at $750,000 or less. To make up for the income loss (and that’s what the government really cares about), it will  boost the property purchase tax to three per cent on properties valued at $2 million or more. While this boost in taxes on the wealthy is welcome and long overdue, the government’...