Dear Editor,
[RE: Plans to prepare Langley City for SkyTrain to be presented to virtual public hearing, June 10, Langley Advance Times]
The proposed Official Community Plan [changes] for City of Langley will allow ground-oriented development along the 200th and 208th Streets’ transit corridors south of the Nicomekl River.
Notice of Public Hearing – New Official Community Plan & Nicomekl River District Neighbourhood Planhttps://t.co/nSpyAb8I0u #LangleyCity pic.twitter.com/kfNlmWjwrs
— Langley City (@LangleyCity_) June 27, 2021
This affects more than 500 homes, not only on 200th and 208th Streets, but also on nearby streets and cul-de-sacs.
Speculators and developers will start buying up these properties for future development, renting them out until they can assemble enough houses in a row to tear down for new townhouse developments.
RELATED: New Official Community Plan charts a potential future for Langley City
However, the land assembly process can take 10 to 20 years.
In the meantime, neighbourhoods become full of run-down rental properties owned by speculator landlords who try to minimize their costs and maximize their profits.
Land assembly for multi-lot townhouse development causes long-term pain for neighbourhoods long before revitalization finally occurs.
A much better option is to only allow single-lot development – which involves building duplexes, triplexes, or single-family homes with a rental suite.
Single-lot development leads to quicker neighbourhood revitalization and a healthier way for the community to develop.
City of Langley residents need to give City council this message at the June 28 public hearing.
Anne Lavack, Langley City
EDITOR’S NOTE: Anne Lavack has started a petition through Change.org, striving to get 100 signature of residents agreeing with her idea of banning multi-lot development sout of the Nicomekl River. As of Sunday, June 27, there were 63.
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