Langley Mayor Urges Change to Airspace Laws for Taller Buildings

UPDATE: The City of Langley is urgently seeking changes to federal airspace laws that currently limit building heights, as confirmed by Mayor Nathan Pachal. With new SkyTrain stations on the horizon, Pachal warns that existing regulations could hinder the city’s capacity to meet growing housing demands.

As Langley prepares for a population surge, the mayor emphasizes that failing to increase building heights is a “missed opportunity.” Current federal airspace rules restrict structures to a maximum of 15 storeys, while provincial mandates require new developments within 200 metres of SkyTrain stations to be at least 20 storeys tall.

“Right now, that’s being limited by the federal government, and yet the federal government has invested billions of dollars to get SkyTrain here,” Pachal stated during discussions with federal officials in Ottawa. These meetings, described as “positive,” reflect a commitment to revisiting outdated regulations that date back to the 1970s.

“They want to move to a more practical, height hazard-based system, as opposed to this old legacy regulation,” Mayor Pachal added.

The Langley Regional Airport, located just over three kilometres from the city center, currently enforces zoning regulations that prohibit buildings taller than 150 feet. Transport Canada has acknowledged it has not yet received a formal request from Langley City to amend these regulations, but they are open to review once a submission is made.

Transport Canada is also in the process of aligning airport zoning regulations with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and modern flight procedures, indicating a potential path forward for Langley’s development goals.

As the city grapples with these airspace restrictions, community leaders stress the need for upward development to accommodate future growth. Cory Redekop, CEO of the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the urgency of building near transit hubs to preserve existing rural areas while meeting urban needs.

“If we want to be able to preserve that pastoral, more rural lifestyle in some parts of our community — then we have to put that density where we can, and it makes total sense to put that around our transit hubs that are coming in,” Redekop stated.

The Township of Langley is also considering the implications of these airspace changes. Mayor Eric Woodward expressed support for the City of Langley’s efforts, noting that the township is conducting its own study to explore the possibility of relaxing airspace restrictions that may impact future developments near the SkyTrain stations.

“We currently have a study underway ourselves to see if we can get some of those restrictions — that are quite far away from the airport — to be also relaxed somewhat,” Woodward mentioned.

As Langley gears up for the anticipated SkyTrain extension, local officials are pushing for a collaborative effort to modernize airspace regulations. With the city’s footprint of approximately 10 square kilometres housing over 35,000 residents, the urgency to adapt and grow is palpable.

Stay tuned for more updates as the situation develops and Langley City’s proposal progresses through federal channels. The community’s future depends on a swift and effective response to these pressing airspace challenges.