Township council lobbed the controversial Routley land swap back into Langley School District’s court on Monday.
School board chairman Wendy Johnson appeared frustrated as she left the council chamber with Trustee Robert McFarlane after council voted to defer third reading of Focus Architecture’s application to rezone 13.86 acres in the 19800 block of 70 Avenue.
Situated in the Routley neighbourhood of Willoughby, the land is owned by the Township and the Langley School District.
Focus’ application, filed by several companies collectively known as the Bains Group, would turn the land into 103 townhouses. The Township would retain several acres for a park.
The school district would relinquish its ownership of the Routley school site, acquiring instead a piece of property in the Yorkson neighbourhood for that purpose.
Residents have adamantly opposed the land swap, many saying they moved to the neighbourhood with the expectation that an elementary school would be built there. The site is four blocks from Langley Meadows Elementary.
Council deferred third reading of the rezoning application pending the school board’s action tonight (Tuesday). On the agenda is a recommendation that trustees receive a report which supports the proposed land exchange (Routley for Yorkson).
