Changes made to Langley City’s proposed new Official Community Plan and Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan based on feedback

Yesterday, I posted about the feedback Langely City received from residents and other stakeholders about the draft proposed new Official Community Plan and Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan. These plans will guide the City’s policies, including land-use policies, for decades to come.

Two of the main areas of concern about these plans were land-use policies and community safety. There was also a strong desire by residents who took part in the open houses and survey to strengthen environmental policies.

To address some of the feedback, Langley City staff and consultants updated the plans to:

• Strengthen townhouse building design guidelines
• Strengthen high-rise building design guidelines
• Strengthen industrial building design guidelines
• Strengthen building guidelines on on-site stormwater management and on-site clean energy generation
• Strengthen design guidelines and other policies to prioritize safety, eyes-on-the-street, sightlines, and community ownership of public spaces
• Identify the need to create a Community Safety Strategy in collaboration with the Township of Langley and RCMP
• Locate a policing station office adjacent to the proposed 203rd Street SkyTrain Station
• Identify the need to create an Urban Forest Management Plan to protect and enhance the tree canopy
• Clarify that lighting should be used sparsely in the Nicomekl Floodplain to reduce the impact on sensitive wildlife habitat
• Enhance policies around partnering with Kwantlen First Nation and environmental stakeholders on wildlife habitat restoration and conservation

The following map shows land-use changes resulting from the feedback.

Map of land-use changes resulting from the feedback received from open houses and the survey. Select map to enlarge.

The significant changes include removing the “special study areas” in the suburban residential areas. Changes also include reducing the scale of ground-oriented housing such as duplexes and townhouses to better fit within the character of neighbourhoods south of the Nicomekl River and clarifying the language around secondary suites and garden suites.

For a complete list of changes, please view the “Table of Recommended Changes” in the Official Community Plan & Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan Engagement Summary.

You can read the updated proposed Official Community Plan, which incorporates the Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan, from Langley City’s website. You can also find out how to participate in the formal public hearing on June 28th on the same page.