Editor,

Thank you to the Langley Planning Advisory Board members, council attendees and community planning director for making possible a transparent and informative discussion at last Wednesday night’s PAB meeting.

I am grateful to Thomas Gill for leading a thoughtful and open discussion, making sure the attendees felt heard and understood and there was ample opportunity provided the participants to share different concerns about challenging subjects. I am delighted by input from Summer Harris, who continually asked thoughtful and probing questions that led to further exploration of alternatives. I’m sorry to hear she has resigned from the PAB.

I am grateful to Peter Morton for his stellar facilitation of a civil conversation, reminding us that open dialogue is key to finding adoptable solutions. I value the thoughtful questions raised by Dominique Emerson who is aware of and works to find a balance between the challenges faced by the city and the rights of Langley citizens. I appreciate board members who respectfully permitted opportunity for attendees to air concerns and opinions, allowing ample time for participants to voice varied perspectives.

I am grateful to Brigid Reynolds for the excellent body of work she and her team have produced in what, I believe, will be an exemplary comprehensive plan. I also am appreciative of the amount of time and effort the community planning department has given this city in crafting a versatile and extensive plan. As a former project manager and leader of change, I have experienced how difficult it is to tackle a long-term project such as the comprehensive plan. I know how frustrating it can be when newly proposed alternatives, which arise from an ever-changing landscape, delay and complicate the progress made toward a widely-acceptable result.

I am impressed by and grateful for the cooperative atmosphere which emerged at the meeting Wednesday night. I believe that this atmosphere set the stage for PAB member JR Fulton, who recused himself for this discussion, to graciously withdraw his request for a commercial designation of the properties at 2nd and DeBruyn. As I understand it, this facilitates imminent comprehensive plan approval and the PAB recommendation to council that these properties be rezoned as mixed residential.

Kathryn Stevens

Member of Langley Association of Neighbors Downtown