The Township of Langley has taken a step towards scrapping a trio of neighbourhood plans in reaction to new housing legislation from the BC NDP government.
At issue is the government’s new Bill 44, which will require municipalities to allow up to four units on a standard residential lot.
Township councillors are concerned that those regulations, if applied to three planned but yet to be developed neighbourhoods, would see their expected population jump from 47,000 to 115,000.
The area currently does not have the infrastructure, parks or schools for that large of a jump in population, Township of Langley Mayor Eric Woodward told Global News.
“We would potentially be creating a neighbourhood of double what community had its input on, so we held a public hearing on these plans,” he said.
“It’s responsible to go back and at the very least engage with the public and find out, there will be a public hearing on that potential repeal.”
On Monday, council approved a motion to consider repealing the Booth, Rinn and Fernridge neighbourhood plans in January.
That meeting will come after the city confirms the details of the province’s new regulations and that no exemptions will be available for the planned developments.
Woodward said that when the issue comes back to council that residents will be able to weigh in on whether to scrap the plans or not, and that one possible outcome would be to proceed with them despite the new provincial laws.
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