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| People attending the public hearing for the proposed Langley Lions Housing Society Redevelopment Project. Select image to enlarge. |
Last night was a public hearing for people to provided feedback on a proposed 101-unit building to replace the former Birch building which burnt down on the Langley Lions Housing Society site. In addition, the public hearing provided an opportunity for people to provide feedback about the overall master plan for the proposed eventual redevelopment of the entire Langley Lions Housing Society site.
The proposed project would require an update to the Official Community Plan, creating a Langley Lions Seniors District. It would also require an update to the City’s zoning bylaw, a development permit, and the discharge of a land-use contract.
Council received both written submissions as well as heard from people who spoke at the public hearing.
From what I read and heard, there were two categories of feedback. One set was in support of the proposed development. The other set, while not opposed to the project, had various degrees of concern about the project.
Two of the common concerns that I read and heard was around tenant mixed, and the proposed rent payment structure.
Currently, 86.3% of the tenants are aged 55 and above, and 13.7% of tenants are under the age of 55 in Langley Lions Housing Society rental units. The proposed tenant mix for the replacement Birch building is 80% for people aged 55 and above, and 20% for people under the age of 55.
BC Housing provided a written submission for the public hearing as they are a funding partner for the proposed redevelopment of the Birch building. BC Housing noted the following is its letter about the proposed new rent structure for the building:
30% of the units are proposed for moderate income people (affordable market rental)
50% of units are proposed to be rent geared to income (rent is 30% of household total gross income)
20% of units are proposed to be low income deep subsidy for people on income assistance
BC Housing also noted in their written submission that “under this rental rate structure, none of its subsidized tenants for the new Birch building will be required to pay more than 30% of income for rent.”
There was also concern expressed around increasing the density.
People representing various seniors support organizations in our community called on the City to have a social planner review the Langley Lions Housing Society’s proposal, and for the participation of the various Langley-based organizations that support seniors.
The Langley Care Society which operates the Langley Lodge, adjacent to the Langley Lions Housing Society site, had some specific concerns around construction impacts, impacts to their wireless provider tenants on the roof of the Langley Lodge building, and shadowing of their outside garden by the proposed new Birch building.
At the end of the regular council meeting last night, the following motion was unanimously adopted by council:
THAT City Staff work with the Langley Lions Housing Society and its funding partners to ensure that, on average, 87% of the units in phase 1 and phase 2 of the Master Plan are for the exclusive residency of seniors. For example, phase 1 may have 80% and phase 2 may have 90% of unit for the exclusive residency of seniors; and,
THAT City Staff work with the Langley Lions Housing Society and its funding partners to ensure that future phases have at least 87% of the units for the exclusive residency of seniors.
THAT if future phases will have less than 87%, and more than 85%, of the unit for the exclusive use of seniors that the Langley Lions Housing Society and its funding partners work with City council and staff to find a mutually agreeable percentage, noting the importance of senior’s housing for our community and council’s desire to maintain 87% of the unit for the exclusive use of seniors.
This motion will help guide the development of a housing agreement which is proposed to be required as part of the zoning process. The housing agreement will “ensure that the proposed housing units are developed and maintained for the intended purposes.”
Further consideration of this proposal will occur at a future council meeting.
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