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$18 million Aldergrove amenity seen as unfair for other Township communities

An unanimous council voted in favour of Councillor Eric Woodward’s policy to provide downtown Aldergrove with more resources.
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In a Langley Township evening meeting last week on Monday, an unanimous council voted in favour of Councillor Eric Woodward’s policy to provide downtown Aldergrove with more resources to revitalize its neglected areas.

However, one Township councillor who was absent during the council vote, highly contests the decision.

Bob Long – a longtime councillor – argues that the Community Amenity Contributions policy, which includes what he refers to as a “special Aldergrove tax” on development in the rest of the Township, is is not fair for other neighbourhoods in the district.

For reasons of fairness he disagrees with the “Aldergrove exemption on the amenity tax.”

Although a separate, distinct category now exists in the Township’s amenity funds for downtown Aldergrove. It is one that will be used to fund future development improvements in the core area outlined by the 2010 Aldergrove core area plan – with an estimated $18 million over a span of 20 or more years being contributed to Aldergrove, before annual rate increases.

READ MORE: Township council adopts $18 million policy to help revitalize Aldergrove’s downtown core

“I believe amenities are needed in all our communities so I don’t see the fairness in Woodward’s scheme,” Long told the Aldergrove Star.

Councillor Eric Woodward’s Community Amenity Contributions policy, will ensure 11-per-cent amenity contributions from the overall Township go solely towards Aldergrove.

“Developers with rezoning applications in the Township, starting this September, will pay per unit a fixed-rate for capital projects,” Woodward explained.

Councillor Long argues “Aldergrove developers are more than willing to pay its fair share and contribute to amenities,” already.