Langley City Council Grants Approval in Principle to BC Builds Below-Market Rental Mixed-Use Project

On Monday, Langley City Council gave third reading, or approval in principle, to update our Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw for a BC Builds below-market rental, mixed-use building.

Rendering of the proposed project at 19991 49 Avenue, 19990 50 Avenue, and 4951-4975 & 4991 200 Street. Select the image to enlarge.

You can read more about this proposed project in a previous post and the public hearing about the proposed project in another post.

In short, the project will have:

• 302 apartments (60 of these units will have below-market rents)
• A secular childcare facility (with approximately 49 infant/toddler/preschool spaces and approximately 24 after-school spaces. No preference is given to people who rent in the building or church members.)
• A new church and community hall
• A greenway plaza and connection to a future trail to be extended to Conder Park
• 6,458 sq. ft. of commercial space for shops or services

People expressed concerns about the proposed project at the public hearing. Langley City staff prepared a memo that addressed the common questions raised at the hearing. Many folks asked for the Traffic Impact Assessment for this proposed proposal; the applicant provided an easier-to-read assessment summary.

I always consider the concerns people in our community express. I researched the concerns raised at the public hearing that are within the City’s control to address.

Traffic was the top concern expressed at the public hearing, especially along 50th Avenue. I spent time observing 50th Avenue and found that it had a low traffic volume, which aligned with the traffic counts in the City’s draft Transportation 2050 plan. There are about 2,220 per day. I live off 198 Street, which has 2,300 vehicles per day and is also a low-traffic volume street. It is a street where people feel comfortable walking and biking, even with young kids. I lived on 53rd Avenue near 204th Street for most of my adult life. It has 6,100 vehicles per day and is still a low-traffic volume street. When streets reach about 10,000 vehicles per day, they start feeling busy, making people walking and cycling uncomfortable. The Traffic Impact Assessment noted that the BC Builds project would increase traffic between three to six percent. 50th Avenue would remain a low-traffic volume street. The Traffic Impact Assessment noted that the project would not meaningfully impact people’s experience driving through the 50th or Grade Crescent intersections. People at the public hearing expressed concern about conflict for people entering the proposed project off 50th Avenue. As a result, the applicant will only create a right-in, right-out connection off 50th Avenue. The main access to the proposed project will be at the Grade Crescent and 200th Street intersection.

People also expressed concerns about the project’s environmental impact, including some at the public hearing who mentioned an underground creek/waterway on the site. There is no underground creek/waterway. As a requirement for this project, they must restore habitat and enhance Willock Brook and Conder Park. They must also restore the floodplain around the Eagle Heights area, a key objective of our Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan. Further, the project will now have on-site fruit trees and community garden plots available for the neighbourhood due to feedback from the public hearing.

People also expressed concerns about the building’s height; our Official Community Plan shows that the project will be surrounded by townhouses in the future, providing a step down in density, consistent with other areas in our community. I know much of the concern was from the Eagle Heights neighbourhood. Because that neighbourhood is on an escarpment and because of the trees that will be retained at 4991 and 4981 200th Street, the visibility of the project from Eagle Heights will be limited.

When considering a project, I want to ensure it delivers a net benefit to the community. I am confident that the concerns around traffic, the environment, and the building’s height are addressed.

Some of the localized benefits that this project will provide for our community are:

• A walkable neighbourhood commercial node, a key outcome of our Official Community Plan and Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan
• A Childcare facility
• Indoor community hall space
• A greenway plaza and space include seating, play areas, fruit trees, and community garden spaces that are open to the public
• Ecological restoration in the neighbourhood and floodplain

The most significant benefit for our community is that the project will provide more affordable housing options for middle-income people. I hear from people in Langley City all the time about the high cost of housing and the need for more affordable housing. This BC Builds project is only possible because a church is donating land, the City is selling land below market, and the provincial government is providing grants and loans to create 15 studios, 31 one-bedroom, 12 two-bedroom, and three three-bedroom units with rents set 20% below Langley City market rent.

By saving money, I was lucky to buy my first place in 2007 in Langley City. I had a good job with an annual salary of around $45,000. I wouldn’t be able to do that today. These 60 units will allow middle-income folks with good jobs, like tradespeople, nurses, and office workers, to pay reasonable rent and put money away to achieve the dream of home ownership.

One of Langley City Council’s big pushes has been to do everything possible to support building more affordable housing for people with different incomes. While this project isn’t perfect, it does move the needle on providing more affordable housing while delivering a net benefit to people in our community.