Construction Impact Management Strategy

Update as of April 7, 2025

Langford Council has endorsed the Construction Impact Management Strategy and supported, with immediate effect, an early guidance framework for proactively managing construction impacts across Langford. This framework aims to practically minimize neighbourhood disruptions and promote good neighbour practices among developers and contractors from the outset of construction.

We successfully concluded our survey on November 19, 2024, aimed at developing our strategy. Thank you to all residents who shared their experiences regarding the impacts of construction, their priorities for change, and insights on how some contractors are being good neighbors. We appreciate your participation!

Overview

The City of Langford is developing a Construction Impact Management Strategy which is a key component of a ‘Good Neighbour’ Policy. The ‘Good Neighbour’ Policy will provide direction and requires a commitment from all developers and businesses at the earliest stage of permitting on how to effectively mitigate potential impacts, inform residents, and address issues throughout development and operations.

The overall objective of the ‘Good Neighbour’ Policy is to accommodate growth, development, and business operations in a way that is reasonably livable for neighbouring residents. Since the majority of complaints in a growing city are related to construction nuisances, the City is addressing this first through the Construction Impact Management Strategy. Nuisances caused by on-going business operations will not be addressed through the Construction Impact Management Strategy but rather through the next phase of the ‘Good Neighbour’ Policy process.

The following is a representation of the order and focus of the strategy and policy:

1. Construction Impact Management Strategy focus → Development/Construction
2. ‘Good Neighbour’ Policy focus → Development/Construction + Business Operations

To develop this Strategy, we want to hear how and where residents are impacted by construction, understand the community’s priorities for change, and learn about how some contractors are already being good neighbours.

Background

Construction is essential to grow our City and provide affordable housing and amenities to residents. However, construction nuisances are sometimes a significant source of complaints in a growing city. This is usually because there are gaps in our bylaws that prevent the City from mitigating certain construction practices. To support the development of a Construction Impact Management Strategy, staff conducted a gaps analysis of the City’s existing bylaws against current complaints and a literature review of established ‘Good Neighbour’ policies in BC.

As per Council’s direction, the City of Langford (the City) is forming a facilitated focus group to obtain feedback and input from key partners, to support the development and revision of several bylaws, as part the Construction Impact Management Strategy (CIMS). On April 7th, 2025, Council endorsed the recommended seven-step Construction Impact Management Strategy supported by public engagement, and Council supported in principle the Early Guidance for Construction Impact Management as drafted for immediate implementation. For a full background and more information, see the Construction Impact Management Strategy Engagement Summary and Early Guidance (page 78) staff report presented to Council on April 7, 2025.

The CIMS is a stepped process that balances the unavoidable impacts of construction, such as noise and road closures during allowable hours, with the expectations that contractors be “good neighbours”. CIMS is a key component of the forthcoming ‘Good Neighbour’ Policy which will result in a written commitment from each property owner at the earliest stage of permitting on how they intend to be a “good neighbour”. Both the CIMS and ‘Good Neighbour’ Policy are identified as key initiatives in Council’s Strategic Plan. Since the majority of complaints in a growing city are related to construction nuisances, the City is addressing this first through CIMS.

The CIMS is comprised of the following seven steps:

1. Promote the Early Guidance for Construction Impact Management.
2. Integrate the Construction Bylaw Enforcement Officer position.
3. Commence proactive education and enforcement measures.
4. Draft new bylaws/amendments in order of public priority.
5. Concurrently draft the ‘Good Neighbour’ Policy.
6. Seek input from key partners and committee.
7. Bring forward results for Council consideration and adoption.

The establishment of this facilitated focus group of key partners falls under Step No. 6 of the CIMS and reflects Council’s direction to better understand how bylaw amendments or new bylaws related to the construction impact management strategy and good neighbor policy could accommodate growth, development, and business operations, in such a way that is reasonably livable for neighbouring residents, and report back to Council with results in future bylaw staff reports.

To apply for the facilitated focus group, please see the Draft Terms of Reference and submit the completed application form to engineering@langford.ca.