Township of Langley council in British Columbia has delayed a decision on a proposal to allow temporary commercial truck parking at Bakerview Memorial Cemetery, instead referring the application back to staff for a public input process.

The application seeks a three-year temporary use permit covering about 4.86 acres (1.97 hectares) of the cemetery property at 920-272 Street. The permit would allow commercial truck parking and outdoor storage while future phases of the cemetery remain years away from development.

Under the proposal, the eastern portion of the 19.6-acre property would be used for parking commercial vehicles, contractor equipment and materials, landscape materials, and equipment needed for current and future cemetery operations. The land is outside the Agricultural Land Reserve, making it eligible for a temporary use permit.

During council’s meeting on July 27, Councillor Kim Richter questioned whether the parking area would be limited to vehicles associated with the cemetery or whether trucks from outside businesses could also use the site.

Chief administrative officer Chan Kooner said the proposed permit would place no restrictions on ownership of the commercial vehicles.

“There is no restriction with respect to the commercial vehicles ownership, whether it’s within the existing business or other businesses,” Kooner told council.

Scale warrants consultation

Richter also sought clarification about a site plan showing three separate truck parking areas. Kooner said the parking areas are divided by a proposed internal road and all form part of the same temporary use area.

Richter said the scale of the proposal warranted public consultation.

“I think the neighbors need a public input opportunity,” she said. “You’ve got essentially a five-acre parcel there that is going to have trucks on it, and it looks like it could be anybody’s trucks.”

She successfully moved to refer the application back to staff to conduct a public input process.

Councillor Michael Pratt supported the referral, saying he was interested in hearing not only from nearby residents but also from families with loved ones buried at the cemetery.

“I’ll be curious to know what the opinion of family members who potentially have people who are currently interred there at the cemetery would be,” Pratt said.

The referral passed, with Mayor Eric Woodward and Councillor Margaret Kunst opposed.

Before the referral, township staff had recommended approving the temporary use permit subject to 13 conditions. Those included prohibiting people from living in parked commercial vehicles, banning vehicle washing, equipment repairs, fuel storage and other potentially contaminating activities, limiting outdoor storage to a maximum height of five metres, requiring dust-free surfacing, and completing landscaping, stormwater and lighting improvements.

Shortage of parking

According to a staff report, the cemetery said the temporary use would make productive use of land not expected to be required for burials in the foreseeable future while addressing a shortage of commercial outdoor storage. The applicant proposed using the site for commercial vehicles, contractor materials, cemetery equipment, landscape materials and lawn crypts until future cemetery expansion is needed.

The report also notes bylaw officers responded to a complaint on July 4 and observed unauthorized commercial vehicle parking within the proposed temporary use area. Even if council ultimately approves the permit, a building permit would still be required before the temporary use could legally begin.

The application follows council’s direction in 2024 to develop guidelines for temporary truck parking facilities. The township endorsed a Commercial Truck Parking Facilities Application Guide in December 2024.