Langley City Development Matters: Two Proposed Apartment Projects. Public Hearing for 6-Unit Rowhouse in Uplands.

Last Monday, Langley City Council gave first and second reading to a rezoning bylaw that would enable a 6-storey, 92-unit apartment on the southeast corner of 55A Avenue and Brydon Crescent. The City has scheduled a public hearing for the evening of April 4th, where people can provide feedback about the proposed rezoning and apartment project.

A rendering of the proposed apartment project at 5494-5508 Brydon Crescent & 19890 55A Avenue. Select the image to enlarge.

Council also gave third reading to a rezoning bylaw which would enable a 6-storey, 49-unit apartment development at 20032 & 20038 56 Avenue, near 200th Street. You can read more about this project in a previous post.

Council also held a Public Hearing for a proposed 6-unit rowhouse development at 20816 45A Avenue along 208th Street in the Uplands neighbourhood.

A rendering of the proposed rowhouse project at 20816 45A Avenue. Select the image to enlarge.

Langley City’s Advisory Design Panel, which includes members of the public, RCMP, architects, and landscape architects, made the following recommendations about the project:

• Enhance the separation between the visitor parking space and 45A Avenue frontage
• Update the design of balcony separation screens to tie into the broader project architecture and improve privacy
• Adjust the front yard fencing to separate units with shared entrance paths
• Provide a drawing of the north frontage, including conceptual off-site landscaping
• Use alternative material to wood for the south and east fencing. The proponent updated the fencing to solid aluminum
• Update the design of the side elevations
• Improve accessibility for delivery services to units by including addresses in the driveway
• Consider the maintenance of landscaping in relation to the project’s fee simple tenure

The proponent of the project accepted the panel’s recommendation.

In addition, City staff noted that the project’s proponent would need to implement improved triple-glazed windows and soundproofing to reduce sound transfer from 208th Street into the proposed units. They also noted the 208th Street frontage of the proposed project would have a double row of trees.

Council received ten pieces of written correspondence about the project. About 20 residents from the area attended the public hearing, and about ten residents provided comments at the hearing.

Except for one letter, all were concerned or opposed to the proposed rowhouse project.

The three significant concerns expressed by people who provided feedback were the impact on neighbourhood character, on-street parking, and increased traffic in the Uplands neighbourhood that may result from this project.

Residents also had concerns about the yard sizes of the rowhouse project units and the limited park space east of 208th Street.

Residents also expressed general concern about the speed of traffic on 208th Street and the need for a traffic light to help people make turns into and out of their neighbourhood.

Residents expressed concern at the public hearing about the number of for-sale signs along 208th Street. They thought it might note an accelerated rate of redevelopment along the corridor.