May 31 Council Notes: Apartment Projects along 53A Avenue and 201A Street

Last Monday, Langely City Council gave first and second reading for two bylaws to accommodate a 5-storey, 56-unit apartment development at 20179, 20189, & 20199 53A Avenue. Because the proposed development is not consistent with the current Official Community Plan, but will be under the proposed new Official Community Plan, Langely City staff recommended updating the current Official Community Plan along with the normal rezoning process for this proposed project.

Rendering of the proposed project at 20179, 20189, & 20199 53A Avenue. Select image to enlarge.

Council has enabled staff to schedule a public hearing on this project by giving first and second reading to the bylaws.

After the public hearing, I will post more about this project, but you can view the architectural drawings, landscape drawings, and Advisory Design Plan recommendations from the City’s website.

Council also gave third reading to a bylaw that would enable the construction of a 5-storey, 62-unit apartment at the corner of 56th Avenue and 201A Street. This proposed development is on the site of a former fire-damaged apartment building. The third reading of a bylaw occurs after a public hearing.

Rendering of the view from 201A Street of the proposed project at 5609 201A Street. Select image to enlarge.

Rendering of the northwest view of the proposed project at 5609 201A Street. Select image to enlarge.

Rendering of the southeast view of the proposed project at 5609 201A Street. Select image to enlarge.

Langley City’s Advisory Design Plan made two recommendations about this proposed development:

• That the size of the balconies increase
• That the uncovered balconies have rain protection

The development proponent stated that they would be increasing the usable area or size of balconies throughout the project. The proponent also added a two-foot-deep overhang at a minimum over the previously unprotected balconies.

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.

Majority support Langley City’s proposed new Official Community Plan and Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan

Over the last two years, Langley City staff and consultants have been working on an updated Official Community Plan, which prepares for the future Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension, addresses housing affordability, and strengthens environmental protection.

City Council members, members of the public, and stakeholders such as Kwantlen First Nation have participated in workshops, open houses, surveys and provided written comments throughout the process.

179 people participated in virtual open houses, and 332 people participated in a survey about the proposed updated Official Community Plan and accompanying Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan in February of this year.

Langley City’s consultant presented the feedback from the open houses and survey at Monday’s Council meeting.

Overall, two-thirds of survey respondents supposed the overall vision of the proposed Official Community Plan. In addition, 52% supported the land-uses proposed in the plan.

The following are the five key themes of the proposed Official Community Plan and the level of support from survey respondents.

• Affordable Living and Diverse Housing for all Generations – 61%
• A Highly Connected City Aligned with Rapid Transit – 67%
• A Safe and Inclusive Community Rich with Cultural Destinations – 77%
• A Responsive Community that Creates New Jobs – 74%
• Environmental Solutions to Fight Climate Change – 79%

Map of Nicomekl River District. Select map to enlarge.

On the proposed Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan, 62% of survey respondents supported the vision, with 54% supporting the land-uses.

The following are the themes for the proposed Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Plan and the level of support from respondents.

• A Walkable & Accessible Neighbourhood – 73%
• A Complete Neighourhood – 60%
• An Ecologically Sensitive Neighourhood – 78%
• A Hertigate Conscious Neighourhood – 71%
• A Playful & Safe Neighbourhood – 71%

The following key themes emerged from the feedback that the City received.

• All parts of both plans received majority support from survey respondents
• There is strong support for environmental policies such as protecting the Nicomekl River ecosystem
• Land-use policies generated the most concern with fear about changes in single-detached housing neighbourhoods
• People were concerned that the City’s infrastructure, including roads/parking, would not be able to keep up with population increases
• People noted that community safety is critical

Tomorrow, I post about how Langley City staff and consultants addressed the concerns raised in the survey and open houses in the latest versions of the plans.

You can read the full survey results available on the City’s website.

Food trucks and alcoholic beverages allowed in select parks this summer

Langley City Council approved a summertime food truck and alcoholic beverages in parks pilot program. This pilot program will help support the economic recovery of our restaurants and small businesses in Langley City and allow people to safely enjoy beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages during a picnic with friends and family.

As part of this pilot program, people who operate a food truck will need to have a permanent food service business located in Langley City.

The City will permit food trucks in commercial areas outside of the Historic Downtown area, including parking lots, if the operator has the permission of property owners.

Map of food truck exclusion zone. Select image to enlarge.

The City will also allow one food truck each in the parking lot at:

• City Park, west of Al Anderson Memorial Pool
• Linwood Park
• Brydon Park
• Sendall Gardens
• Portage Park
• Penzer Park
• Uplands Dog Off-leash Park

The City must approve the schedule for any food truck operating in a park.

Food truck operators will also need to follow good neighbourhood rules around noise and garbage.

On Fridays and Saturdays from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm from July 1st through September 30th, people will be allowed to responsibly consume alcoholic beverages in McBurney Plaza, select areas in Douglas Park, and the picnic shelters at City Park.

The following map shows the select areas in Douglas Park.

Alcoholic beverage zone in Douglas Park. Select map to enlarge.

The City will be investing $21,000 to provide portable toilets were required, garbage/recycling/organic collection, security services, and signage to support this alcoholic beverages in parks pilot program.

Example signage as part of the alcoholic beverages in parks pilot program. Select image to enlarge.

People will also be able to provide feedback on this program through the pilot period. Based on the results of the pilot program, Council may decide to make the program permanent.