Staff Report: Proposed City of Langford Park Dedication Bylaw No. 2237, 2026

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The City of Langford’s municipally owned park system comprises approximately 560 acres of land, including both formally dedicated parkland and parcels currently used for park purposes.

In alignment with the immediate actions recommended in the recently approved Parks and Trails Master Plan (PTMP), staff are proposing the formal dedication of 90 City-owned parcels, totaling approximately 209 acres. These lots are presently used as parks but are classified as amenity lots. This also supports the overall direction of the Urban Forest Management Plan by preserving mature tree canopy from future development.

Formally dedicating park through bylaw provides protection for these public lands, ensuring they remain designated as park in the future. Once dedicated through bylaw, removing a park’s designation requires the approval of the electors.

BACKGROUND:

The City of Langford currently has 252.85 acres of dedicated parkland across 183 parcels. The remainder of the municipally owned park system consists of City-owned lots that function as parkland. These fee simple lots include 119 parcels totaling 306.57 acres.

Historically, it was common practice to accept parkland as amenity lots, as it provided greater flexibility for potential future land uses.

The PTMP, approved by Council on February 17, 2026, guides decisions regarding the acquisition, development, enhancement, programming, and management of the parks and trails system as Langford grows towards a population of 100,000 residents. The PTMP aligns with other City plans, such as the Urban Forest Management Plan, which was adopted by Council in November 2024.

COMMENTARY:

Park can either be dedicated through plan or by bylaw. Land most commonly becomes dedicated as park when the owner files a plan in the land title office pursuant to section 107 of the Land Title Act. Once the plan is deposited, the land shown as park is dedicated for that use and no longer carries a title in the land title office. Alternatively, a municipal Council may dedicate municipal land for park purposes through bylaw, in accordance with section 30 of the Community Charter. This requires an affirmative vote of at least 2/3 of all Council members. Dedicating land through bylaw does not require a land survey plan to be completed, making it a much more cost-effective option for multiple parcels. Once a piece of land is dedicated (either through plan or by bylaw), it cannot be disposed of without approval of the electors.

After reviewing the 119 City-owned lots that are currently being used for park purposes, staff are recommending the immediate dedication of 90 parcels. A detailed list and corresponding map can be found in the attached bylaw. Parks, engineering, and planning staff reviewed all 119 parcels, including their current and potential future uses. Of these, 90 lots are recommended for immediate dedication, selected because they either contain existing park amenities, such as playgrounds or playing fields, or are largely forested. These parcels include some prominent parks and playgrounds within Langford, such as Centennial Park, Glen Lake Beach Park, Westhills Park, and Willing Park. While many of the parcels include active utilities, dedicating them by bylaw does not remove or alter any existing registered statutory right-of-way (SRWs).

The park dedication will also formally designate the three new parcels adjacent to Danbrook Park, 2747 and 2755 Claude Road, and 731 Massie Drive, as parkland, along with the parcels at 2761, 2765, and 2769 Claude Road. These latter three parcels will continue to function as a parking lot until an alternative downtown location is identified to accommodate the parking. These actions align with the immediate priorities identified under Strategy 1.2 of the PTMP, which calls for securing land in priority areas for new neighbourhood parks and urban plazas.

Staff are continuing to review the remaining parcels, as some require subdivision for potential road dedication and other purposes. The individual parcels that will form the expanded Veterans Memorial Park will also be consolidated and formally dedicated as parkland by plan once construction is complete.

The protection of these lands as park also aligns with the Urban Forest Management Plan, as according to the 2023 Parks, Trails, and Recreation Needs Assessment, city parks currently protect 7% of the city’s tree canopy and play an important role in meeting the City’s tree canopy coverage targets. The dedication of these 90 parcels supports several key directions outlined in the Parks and Trails Master Plan, including protecting naturalized open space, securing long-term certainty for neighbourhood park sites, and strengthening ecological connectivity across the city.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

While dedicating lots through a subdivision or reference plan requires surveying, dedicating them by bylaw does not, making the bylaw approach a significantly more cost-effective method for establishing park dedication.

Since all lots included in the proposed bylaw are already being used for park purposes, the applicable parcels, such as those with playgrounds or fields, are already being maintained under Victoria Contracting and Municipal Maintenance Corporation’s parks, trails, and boulevards maintenance contract.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS:

Section 30 of the Community Charter authorizes council to dedicate municipal real property as park through a bylaw passed with at least 2/3 affirmative vote of all Council members.

Any bylaw removing such a dedication may only be adopted by approval of the electors in accordance with Section 84 of the Community Charter.

STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:

• 1g – Develop an Urban Forest Management Plan.
• 1l – Continue to Make Strategic Land and Facility Acquisitions.
• 6b – Develop a Parks and Trails Master Plan.

OPTIONS:

Option 1

THAT the Community Advisory Committee recommend that Council consider giving first, second, and third reading to proposed “City of Langford Park Dedication Bylaw No. 2237, 2026”.

OR Option 2

THAT the Community Advisory Committee recommend that Council take no action with respect to the proposed “City of Langford Park Dedication Bylaw No. 2237, 2026” until such time as the following items are addressed and reviewed by the Community Advisory Committee: a. __________________; b. __________________; c. ____________.

SUBMITTED BY:

Megan Treleaven, Parks Planning and Research Coordinator

Concurrence:

• Yari Nielsen, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities
• Melisa Miles, Manager of Legislative Services
• Donna Petrie, Senior Manager of Communications & Economic Development
• Leah Stohmann, RPP, MCIP, Director of Community Planning and Development
• Katelyn Balzer, P.Eng., Director of Engineering and Public Works
• Michael Dillabaugh, CPA, CA, Director of Finance
• Marie Watmough, Director of Legislative & Protective Services
• Braden Hutchins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
• Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer

Attachments: Proposed “City of Langford Park Dedication Bylaw No. 2237, 2026”.