Langley City’s draft Official Community Plan key to getting SkyTrain

When building SkyTrain extensions, TransLink requires municipalities to sign Supportive Policies Agreements. Because of the significant federal, provincial, and regional dollars that go into extending SkyTrain, TransLink wants to ensure that these extensions provide the most benefit for people and businesses in our region.

TransLink wants to avoid the situation along the Millennium Line between Brentwood Town Centre and Production Way. These stations service low-density areas, and as a result, have low boardings from those stations.

Langley City will be required to sign a Supportive Policies Agreement to get SkyTrain.

Surrey’s Supportive Policies Agreement was a topic at the latest TransLink’s Mayors’ Council meeting. This agreement links Surrey’s policies with TransLink’s “6 Ds.”

We are in the process of updating our Official Community Plan (OCP) in Langley City. Langley’s draft new plan also addresses TransLink’s “6 Ds.”

Destinations: Coordinate land use and transportation
Langley City’s draft OCP enables building the highest density around the two SkyTrain stations at 196th Street and 203rd Street.

Distance: Create a Well-Connected Street Network
Langley City’s draft OCP will create “an environment that is safe and welcoming for the most vulnerable users first, and encourage people to walk, cycle, roll, and take transit, rather than prioritizing faster vehicle traffic.” Also, it will “reduce travel distances by creating more direct connections to destinations. This includes building connections by providing multiple direct route options, reducing block sizes, and adding mid-block crossings where necessary.”

Design: Create Places for People
Langley City’s draft OCP is based on our Nexus of Community vision. Its four themes are community, connected, experiences and integration. Langley City proposes to build a performing art centre Downtown. High-quality public plazas will be integrated into areas immediately adjacent to SkyTrain stations.

Diversity: Concentrate and Intensify Activities Near Frequent Transit
Beyond building the highest densities near SkyTrain, Langley City is also proposing to allow duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and walkable neighbourhood commercial nodes along 200th Street and 208th Street. These mixes of housing types and commercial nodes will support the frequent bus network, which feeds into SkyTrain.

Diversity: Encourage a Mix of Uses
The draft OCP includes new mixed-use areas with ground-level retail and offices/housing above, between 200th Street and 208th Street along Fraser Highway.

Demand Management: Discourage Unnecessary Driving
Langley City’s draft OCP will prioritize walking, cycling, and taking transit. Its draft policies include managing public parking to reduce demand and reducing minimum on-site parking requirements for areas near SkyTrain stations and frequent bus routes.

Langley City’s draft Official Community Plan ensures that we can sign a Supportive Policies Agreement with TransLink or the province.