Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Updates to Proposed New Official Community Plan based on Public Hearing Comments

Langley City Council received a presentation from staff about proposed updates to the draft Official Community Plan (OCP) based on the public input received at its public hearing.

One of the main concerns people raised at the public hearing was allowing townhouses along the 200th Street and 208th Street corridors.

In response, staff noted that “emphasizing townhouse developments along 200 and 208 Streets will help achieve the key goal of removing driveway accesses from these arterial corridors as these projects will be required to construct back lanes for access, as well as providing more housing by frequent transit.”

The other main concern people raised was about a proposed trail connecting Hi-Knoll Park to 200 Street just north of 50th Avenue.

Staff noted that the “path illustrated on page 17 of the Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan is conceptual in its alignment and more detailed design that can address the concerns raised at the public hearing is planned to be done.”

Staff responded to most of the public input received. You can read their responses in “Table 1: Public Hearing Input, Responses and Rationale.

Based on public input received, staff recommended the following adjustments to the OCP for Council to consider at third reading of the OCP:

Amend any and all SkyTrain station references that use names other than “196 Street Station” and “203 Street Station” to refer to the planned SkyTrain stations, located near 196 Street and 203 Street respectively, to use these street based names.

Reword Policy 2.21. to: “Reduce minimum vehicle parking requirements in the Zoning Bylaw to correspond with improved transit service, sustainable modes of transportation, and public parking strategies, and periodically review parking requirements as a part of future Zoning Bylaw updates and in response to SkyTrain being constructed and becoming operational, and in manner that reflects the City of Langley context.”

Reword Policy 2.6. (Update Master Transportation Plan) to: “Update the Master Transportation Plan to align with this Plan and the Regional Transportation Strategy, including protected multi-modal facilities on 200 Street and 208 Street.”

Policy 2.8. (Prioritize Investments) to “Prioritize investments in new and enhanced infrastructure for walking, cycling, and rolling in the core and shoulder areas of the planned SkyTrain stations, and around schools and parks.”

Reword the second sentence of Policy 2.11. (Complete the Sidewalk Network) to: “Efforts should be prioritized in more densely populated areas, around schools and mixed use centres, near transit stops, by parks and public open spaces, and where safety may be compromised.”

Add new Sub-Policy 2.28.4. under Policy 2.28. (Frequent Transit Network) that states: “Transit priority measures.”

Reword Policy 2.28. (Frequent Transit Network) to: “Work with TransLink, senior levels of government, BC Transit, and other partners to build a long-term transit network in accordance with Map 6, including:”

Reword Policy 2.29 (Transit Exchange) to: “Work with TransLink and other partners to advance plans for bus facilities at SkyTrain stations, including relocating the Langley Centre Exchange to the vicinity of the 203 Street SkyTrain Station.”

Reword Sub-Policy 2.32.1. under Policy 2.32 (SkyTrain Stations and Guideway Design) to: “ensure station entrances and surrounding areas are designed to be safe, accessible, easy to use and inviting for SkyTrain users and include innovative art, lighting, landscaping, and public space elements to integrate the station into the urban fabric; and,”

Reword Sub-Policy 2.32.2. under Policy 2.32 (SkyTrain Stations and Guideway Design) to: “ensure the guideway right-of-way corridor is designed to provide a safe, accessible, and comfortable pedestrian experience, and feature innovative lighting, public art, landscaping, and public space elements that integrate the guideway into the urban fabric and streetscapes.”

Add new Sub-Policy 2.28.5. under Policy 2.28. (Frequent Transit Network) that states: “Bus network integration with the planned SkyTrain extension.”

Reword Policy 2.34. (Partner with School District) to: “Partner with School District No. 35 on safe routes for walking cycling, rolling, and taking transit to schools, and explore the development of Safe and Active School Travel Plans.”

Reword Policy 2.35. (Seek Grants) to: “Seek grant opportunities for planning, infrastructure, and communications for walking, cycling, and rolling.”

Reword Policy 3.4. (Universal Design) to: Use principles of universal design when designing parks, trails, and public spaces, and ensure accessibility for all ages and abilities.”

Rename Policy 3.7. (Expand Trail System) to: “Expand and Connect the Trail System” and write it to state: “Expand the trail system, including bike routes and greenways, and connect it to Metro Vancouver regional greenways, TransLink’s Major Bike Network, and the transit system. Consider additional key destinations when updating the Parks, Recreation, & Culture Master Plan.”

Update the Purpose section of the General Environmental Development Permit Guidelines (OCP page 72) by adding “in order to implement the Key Directions and policies of this OCP that aim to fight climate change.” to the end of the paragraph.

The proposed set of updates also includes housekeeping adjustments to the maps contained within the OCP. For the complete list of proposed adjustments, please see “Table 2: Public Hearing Input: Proposed Updates to OCP Bylaw No. 3200.

Council asked staff to incorporate all their proposed updates into the OCP for consideration at third reading. Third reading will likely occur at the July 26th Council meeting.

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