May 13, 2019 Council Meeting Notes: Public hearing for proposed rezoning. Information about CLA affordable rental project.

The Langley City council meeting last night started with a public hearing for rezoning to accommodate a proposed 34-unit, 4-storey apartment building which will be located at the northwest corner of Douglas Crescent and 208th Street.

Elevations of proposed apartment building to be located at 20755, 20765 Douglas Crescent and 5453 208 Street. Select image to enlarge.

Ground-level site plan of proposed apartment project. Select image to enlarge.

The proponent of the development project highlighted some of the features of the building. One of the proposed features is that 10% of the underground parking spots will be able to support electric vehicle charging from the get-go, and the remaining underground parking will be roughed in to support electric vehicle charging in the future.

One of the ways to create a safer community is to ensure that there are eyes and ears on the street. Similar to the Serenade Building at the corner of Douglas Crescent and Park Avenue, this proposed building will also include individual street access for each ground-floor unit fronting Douglas Crescent. The building will only be setback 3.2 metres from the street. The street-level access and reduced setback supports crime prevention through environmental design.

At the public hearing, a representative from Henderson’s Langley Funeral Home expressed some concern that the construction could interrupt their business. The proponent of the project committed to working with Henderson’s representatives to mitigate impacts. Council also received two written submissions from people opposed to the project. One was from a person who lived in the adjacent 4-storey apartment building expressing concern about construction noise and the loss of view/sun from their patio. The other was opposed because the project was not specifically designed for low-income seniors.

The proponent of the project noted that the most impactful part of construction would be around 2 months long. They presented a traffic management plan to help mitigate those impacts. Council also reminded the proponent of the importance of being a good neighbourhood including by providing off-site parking for construction crews, and ensuring that dust, mud, and debris are cleaned up promptly.

Later during the meeting, council received a presentation from Peter Fassbender of the CLA Housing Society. He spoke about the planned affordable rental building that the church will be building with the support of BC Housing on CLA land. While the building will be in the Township of Langley, it is at the Langley City border along 56th Avenue. Fassbender noted that because it is a BC Housing supported project, the units will not be prioritized for CLA church members. He noted that the project is geared towards families and seniors. Fassbender stated that 50% of the units will be rent-geared-to-income, so people would pay 30% of their income toward housing, that 30% of the units would be rented out at CHMC affordable rental rates, and that the remaining 20% of units would be specifically for people on income assistance including low-income seniors. He stated the project could be completed in 2 years if all goes smooth.

Council also received a presentation from Kiaro which is a company that operates cannabis retail stores in western Canada. They are looking to setup shop in Langley City. Currently, Langley City does not permit cannabis retail stores in our zoning.

Local Government Awareness Day sponsors recognition. Select image to enlarge.

Finally, council recognized ICBC and our local McDonald's franchise owner for their sponsorship of our 2019 Local Government Awareness Day and events.

Tomorrow, I will be posting about other items that were on Monday night’s agenda.