Somebody at Township council’s July 9 meeting murmured something about the overhead wires in Fort Langley being part of the village’s heritage.
But whether or not they have historic value, the wires are coming down, at least along a 540 metre stretch of Glover Road and one block of Mavis Street.
Council authorized staff to distribute a petition to the affected property owners, and proceed with the necessary bylaws, including one that spells out who will pay for the work.
The proposal to bury the wires and remove the poles was made by the Fort Langley Business Improvement Association.
A preliminary petition was signed by owners representing 51.5 per cent of the properties and 53.4 per cent of the assessed property values within the benefitting area. This result meets the regulatory test required for a successful petition.
A report to council outlines the expense: $3 million, almost one third of which will be paid for by property owners; taxpayers will absorb a little over $1 million.
As the power poles also carry streetlights, the removal of the poles will necessitate a new streetlight system.
The affected area is Glover Road, just south of 96 Avenue to the Jacob Haldi Bridge, and Mavis Street to River Road.
