Public Hearing: Apartment Project and Industrial Project

Last night, Langley City Council hosted a public hearing for two rezoning bylaws and an Official Community Plan amendment. One rezoning bylaw would enable a 2-building, 59,858 sq. ft industrial-office development at the corner of 56th Avenue and 200th Street.

Rendering of proposed project at 19959, 19971, & 19985 56 Avenue; 5643 & 5647 200 Street.

This proposed project is in an area where the current and future Official Community Plan, plus the Metro Vancouver Regional District’s Regional Growth Strategy designate for industrial uses.

Langley City is unique in that we allowed live/work units within our industrial areas. For example, someone could live above their workshop. Several residents who lived in the live/work building at 5678 199 Street expressed concern about added traffic to 199 Street, the lane design, the types of uses permitted within the proposed project, and crime prevention.

Staff explained they are completing a traffic study for 199 Street, and if required, the City would install a traffic light at 199 Street at 56 Avenue. Staff also noted that this project would not result in lane access to 5678 199 Street and further noted the project underwent a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design audit. The proponent of the project accepted all the recommendations of the audit.

As for permitted uses, City staff explained that the land-uses are almost identical to the uses allowed for 5678 199 Street, which is light industrial. These land-uses mean there should be no loud noises 24/7 or noxious fumes.

Langley City’s Advisory Design Panel, which is composed of residents of Langely City, an accessibility representative, architects and landscape architects, made the following recommendations about the project, which the proponent accepted:

• Create more pedestrian connections between buildings and sidewalks
• Create a plaza area to the west side of the project
• Add a public art piece at corner plaza
• Add more landscaping in the parking areas, along building faces, and on the 3rd-floor patio

The second proposed project at the public hearing was for a 6-storey, 113-unit apartment building at Michaud Crescent and 200th Street. For the proposed rezoning, Council received one piece of written feedback from a resident who lives in a four-storey apartment in the area concerned about the 6-storey height of the proposed building. At the public hearing, one resident expressed concern that the proposed building is to be a rental project and was also concerned about on-street parking.

Rendering of proposed project at 5370 & 5380 200 Street; 5371 & 5381 200A Street; 20010 & 20020 Michaud Crescent; 20031 53B Avenue.

Another resident expressed concern about on-street parking and noted safety concerns for pedestrians that cross Michaud Crescent at 200th Street due to the high-speed right turn lane. Staff noted that the City would remove the high-speed right turn lane if the proposed apartment project proceeds.

The Advisory Design Panel made the following recommendations:

• Utilize alternate materials for the planters
• Improve interface and path between dog run and outdoor kitchen
• Update trellis to align with the form and character of building façade, and consider designing the trellis to provide cover for the outdoor kitchen
• Show building footprint in context with other buildings in the drawing package
• Add additional landscaping on the visitor parking deck and the site
• Utilize alternate materials to the proposed synthetic turf
• Create a unique façade variation at the corner of 200th and Michaud

The project’s proponent accepted most of the Design Panel’s recommendations except for the planters, which they changed to a mix of wooden and concrete planters. The proponent also reduced but did not eliminate the use of synthetic turf in the project.