Staff Report: Proposed Good Neighbour Policy (POL-0186-ADMIN)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The purpose of this report is to present the proposed Good Neighbour Policy to the Committee. The proposed policy is intended to support the City’s Construction Impact Management Strategy (CIMS) by:

• highlighting the City’s construction related bylaws with plain language commentary on the relevant regulations;
• bringing attention to commonly overlooked street and construction related requirements;
• providing guidelines for best practices and common courtesies developers and builders can take to build good relationships with neighbours; and
• requiring a signed declaration and acknowledgement that developers and builders have read and understand the policy and commit to following it to the best of their abilities.

The proposed Good Neighbour Policy is the culmination of the CIMS, bringing together recent bylaw changes related to streets, construction, nuisance, property maintenance, and unoccupied premises, along with commonly overlooked requirements and best practices, into a plain language comprehensive document. Most of the requirements within the policy are set out in the noted bylaws. Any revisions to the bylaws would result in changes to the policy, conversely, no amendments can be made to the requirements in the policy directly if they are contained in a bylaw.

Attached is the proposed “Good Neighbour Policy – (POL-0186-ADMIN)” (Attachment 1) for Committee’s consideration and recommendation to Council.

BACKGROUND:

Council’s 2023-2027 Strategic Plan includes objective 1 (f), to develop a CIMS and Good Neighbour Policy. Good Neighbour Policies are found in communities with significant in-fill development and are intended to promote good construction and business practices which reduce impacts on residents by highlighting regulations and community expectations in an accessible, plain language document.

Communities in BC that have Good Neighbour Policies include Coquitlam, Abbotsford, and the District of North Vancouver. Other communities across Canada, such as Toronto, also have similar policies for residential in-fill development.

In October and November 2024, the City conducted public consultation through the City’s Let’s Chat Langford public engagement portal to support the development of the CIMS and learn what residents considered to be priorities for ensuring communities are livable as the city continues to grow and develop.

In April 2025, informed by that public consultation, the City published an Early Guidance for Construction Impact Management document (Early Guidance document).

The Early Guidance document was a stand-alone quick start framework, provided to developers and contractors in the City, as an interim measure ahead of the forthcoming Good Neighbour Policy and supporting bylaws and amendments.

Since that time, staff have drafted and brought forward to Committee and Council several bylaws and bylaw amendments which were identified as a result of the public consultation, including the new “Streets and Traffic Bylaw No. 2233, 2025” and “Community Standards Bylaw No. 2255, 2026”.

The proposed Good Neighbour Policy is based on the Early Guidance document, and contains many of the same guidance, clarifications, best practices, and common courtesies, but with expanded explanations and references to relevant bylaws.

The “Community Standards Bylaw No. 2255, 2026” requires every developer and builder who undertakes or supervises construction in the City to:

• complete, prior to commencing construction, a signed declaration acknowledging that they have read and understood the Good Neighbour Policy; and
• ensure that each contractor retained to provide construction services is informed of and has committed in writing to follow all applicable bylaws and policies as they relate to City streets and construction, either by posting the Good Neighbour policy in a visible location at the work site or providing a copy of it to the contractor.

COMMENTARY:

The proposed policy is organized into three main sections, and two appendices:

1. Site Management and Community Considerations
2. Clarifying Common Requirements
3. Best Practices and Common Courtesies
4. Appendix A: Good Neighbour Policy Acknowledgement
5. Appendix B: Sample Notification Letter to Neighbours

While the proposed policy offers plain language commentary on the bylaws listed, the policy states that it does not negate or take precedence over any enacted legislation or bylaws.

(1) Site Management and Community Considerations

This section contains 13 points, 10 of which are directly from the Early Guidance document, and three which are additions. Overall, the purpose of this section is to highlight the City’s construction related bylaws, and to provide plain language commentary on the relevant regulations.

Topics covered in this section include:

• permits and licences required for work taking place on streets;
• vehicle stopping, standing, and parking rules;
• requirements to keep construction materials on site and keep surrounding areas free of debris;
• idling, light intrusions, and noxious odour regulations;
• a summary of permitted construction noise hours and Noise Permit requirements;
• prohibition on rock crushing and aggregate processing within 100 metres of occupied residences without the written permission of every owner and occupant;
• expectations for unoccupied premises maintenance;
• site security requirements;
• posting project signage containing 24/7 emergency contact information;
• sign regulations and Sign Permit requirements;
• dust mitigation requirements;
• City parks regulations related to adjacent construction; and
• fire and burning regulations.

Overall, this section weaves together applicable regulations and plain language commentary to help readers understand site management requirements. When followed, these regulations may help reduce some of the negative impacts of ongoing in-fill construction.

(2) Clarifying Common Requirements

This section highlights commonly overlooked regulations, some of which have been in place prior to the CIMS, and provides plain language commentary. This section covers:

• Street Occupancy Licences and associated fees;
• construction parking and delivery management plan requirements;
• mitigation and geotechnical plan approval requirements;
• tree protection requirements;
• streamside protection and enhancement area considerations; and
• notification requirements to the City and other entities about blasting and traffic disruptions.

Overall, this section is incorporated from the Early Guidance document and is intended to bring attention to commonly overlooked requirements, with additional commentary.

(3) Best Practices and Common Courtesies

This section contains guidelines for best practices and common courtesies. Some of the common courtesies listed are not enforceable by fines, but rather, they are additional actions developers and builders can take to build good relationships with neighbours.

This section covers:

• reminders to obtain permits and approvals in advance of commencing each phase of work and ensure bylaw and legislative compliance by every person employed on the site;
• recommendations for developing respectful relationships with the surrounding community ahead of construction and communicating with neighbours throughout;
• reminder not to enter onto other private property, nor utilize water or power outlets from others’ properties without permission;
• suggestions for further actions that developers and builders can take to make up for legitimate impacts, such as offering to wash the dust off a neighbour’s house, fix damage to their lawn, fence, or other private property, respond to resident concerns in a timely manner, and ensure traffic control is available for all disruptions to vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic.

(4) Appendix A: Good Neighbour Policy Acknowledgement Declaration

Good Neighbour Policies often require a declaration from developers and builders that they have read and understand the Policy, at the earliest stage of development. Appendix A to the proposed policy contains this declaration, which states that, when signed, it serves as a first warning with respect to potential future bylaw or policy infractions relating to the construction, and the first on-site infraction may immediately proceed to a fine, hold, or stop work order being issued without a verbal or written warning. A signed declaration does not expire.

Where permitted by bylaw, the City may withhold processing of permit or licence applications in the absence of the signed declaration.

(5) Appendix B: Sample Notification Letter to Neighbours

This appendix is a sample letter template that developers, builders, and contractors may wish to utilize to inform neighbours of construction activities.

The sample letter template, if utilized:

• provides information about the construction, including the civic address;
• lists anticipated start and completion dates for different activities;
• lists the permitted hours for construction noise;
• encourages developers and builders to attach any relevant site plans;
• contains contact information for the project; and
• provides contact information for City departments.

The use of this letter is optional but can assist in keeping open lines of communication with neighbours and thus help establish better relationships between developers, builders, contractors, and the surrounding community.

Overall, the proposed policy highlights the most pertinent regulations for developers, builders, and contractors, bringing together relevant bylaws with plain language commentary and best practices. It is intended to promote a livable environment while supporting growth and development. If the policy is adopted, staff will create a public-facing document that will include consistent corporate branding.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

There are no known financial implications associated with this report.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS:

Pursuant to the Community Charter, a council may provide for a system of licences, permits or approvals, including by establishing terms and conditions that must be met for obtaining, continuing to hold or renewing a permit, licence, or approval, as well as providing for the suspension or cancellation of licences, permits, and approvals for failing to comply with a bylaw.

City bylaws may also delegate authority to issue permits or licences subject to meeting specified requirements. As well, where an applicant fails to meet those requirements, there may be authority to revoke or cancel a permit or licence.

STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:

1f – Develop a Construction Impact Management Strategy and ‘Good Neighbour’ Policy.

OPTIONS:

Option 1

THAT the Community Advisory Committee recommend that Council adopt the proposed Good Neighbour Policy (POL-0186-ADMIN) as presented.

OR Option 2

Option 2

THAT the Community Advisory Committee recommend that Council take no action with respect to the proposed Good Neighbour Policy (POL-0186-ADMIN), until such time as the following items are addressed:
a. ____________;
b. ____________;
c. _________.

SUBMITTED BY:

Richard Wagner, Policy Analyst and Legislative Drafter

Concurrence:

• Melisa Miles, Manager of Legislative Services
• Lorne Fletcher, Manager of Community Safety and Municipal Enforcement
• Donna Petrie, Senior Manager of Communications & Economic Development
• Yari Nielsen, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities
• 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 and Protective Services
• Braden Hutchins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
• Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer

Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Proposed Good Neighbour Policy (POL-0186-ADMIN)