Town slaps truckers with $50K worth of tickets for parking in rural areas

A Canadian town cracked down on truckers by issuing more than $50K worth of tickets for parking in rural areas.

Officials in Langley Township, B.C. issued a statement on January 22, 2024, regarding a recent enforcement effort to curb commercial trucking operations from parking in rural areas in violation of zoning bylaw.

“The Township of Langley is taking action against rural property owners who are in breach of the zoning bylaw by illegally operating commercial trucking operations. The Township is aware of and acting against an increasing number of property owners using agricultural and rural zoned land for commercial trucking operations, including vehicle storage and repairs,” Langley Township leaders said.

In 2023, Langley Township’s Bylaw Enforcement Department investigated 64 reported cases associated with commercial vehicle parking in rural areas. The Department issued 881 tickets with associated fine amounts of over $50,000.

Zoning bylaw forbids parking more than three commercial vehicles on most rural properties as an accessory to residential use. Town officials say that all trucking and diesel repair companies must obtain a business license from the Township to operate legally, but these licenses cannot be issued if the business is not permitted under current zoning regulations.

Langley Township has established a commercial vehicle unit in part to oversee enforcement of zoning regulations to prevent illegal truck parking.

“Township Council has made significant investments to support and expand our Bylaw Enforcement Department to meet the needs of our growing community – it’s needed and long overdue. Township staff are addressing complaints about unauthorized commercial vehicle parking on farmland, as fast as possible. Protecting farmland from unauthorized non-farm uses is important, and Council has made that clear,” said Township Mayor Eric Woodward.

“For truck parking, we also need to find a real long-term solution so this issue doesn’t just move from one parcel to another, from one community to another, in a never-ending cycle of ongoing bylaw enforcement. We need our partners at the provincial level, where the jurisdiction for the ALR rests, to do more to present real-world viable alternatives for the region. In the meantime, staff and Council will continue to devote resources to ensure that those who break the rules are held accountable,” added Mayor Woodward.

“The Township of Langley urges all residents and businesses to use designated parking areas for commercial vehicles, following Township regulations and bylaws,” said Manny Natt, Manager of Bylaw Enforcement for the Township. “While education, collaboration, and voluntary compliance remain fundamental aspects of our approach, the Township will not hesitate to use legal measures to ensure bylaw compliance.”