The public will get a look at detailed plans to improve roads in Langley’s Willoughby area with a new amenity fee that could be charged to local developers.
For years, residents in Willoughby have been complaining about the condition of local roads as the neighbourhood develops rapidly.
Because of the Township’s policy of allowing developers to widen roads piecemeal, even major routes such as 208th Street and 80th Avenue are only widened where development has taken place. Areas where lots sit awaiting development are still two lanes wide.
Council voted on a new plan to attempt to fill in some of the gaps earlier this year, with Councillor Eric Woodward putting the idea forward to begin with.
The roads targeted for improvement are 80th Avenue from 200th Street to 208th Street, 202A Street from 80th Avenue south to 72nd Avenue, and a sizable portion of 208th from 76th Avenue south to 68th Avenue. A small portion of 86th Avenue near the Carvolth Exchange park and ride is also targeted for rights of way acquisition.
The new Amenity Fee Policy could take money from developers and put that towards completing some portions of local roads.
The modified version of the amenity fee that will go before the public will charge developers $37,564 per developable acre. That’s down from $63,000 from the original version of the proposed fee.
The fee is based on an estimated average market value for land in Willoughby at about $3.2 million per acre.
The Township will host a series of public forums on the project:
• Saturday, September 28 at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mountainview Alliance Church at 7640 – 200 St.
• Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the fourth floor foyer of the Langley Civic Facility at 20338 65th Ave.
• Thursday, Oct. 3 from 1 to 8 p.m. in the fourth floor foyer of the Langley Civic Facility at 20338 65th Ave.