Council renews interim moratorium on multifamily‑infill applications while staff finishes implementation rules

Council voted to renew the interim ordinance that places a moratorium on accepting and approving development applications under Langley Municipal Code chapter 18.13, the multifamily infill code adopted in December. Staff said the city needs more time to draft the administrative procedures and implementation manual required to operationalize the code’s 15% inclusionary housing requirement.

Director Meredith Penny explained staff have prepared an initial draft implementation policy and have sought input from local housing experts. Penny also noted council previously directed staff to prepare an ordinance to exempt moderate‑income housing from inclusionary zoning requirements; to allow time for that draft and for the implementation manual, staff recommended renewing the interim moratorium. The council added an explicit exemption in the renewal for projects in which 100% of units are income‑restricted affordable housing and the motion passed without recorded opposition.

Council emphasized the goal of balancing the new inclusionary policy with financial feasibility and asked staff to return with proposed procedures and any ordinance changes necessary to implement council direction.