Density boost and new fees for TOL's Williams Neighbourhood Plan

By Mike Harrison

On July 24, Township of Langley Mayor and Council gave First and Second reading to a revised neighbourhood plan for Willoughby’s Williams sub-neighbourhood. The original plan was adopted back in 2018 but on November 14, 2022, new Mayor and Council directed staff to conduct a thorough update to the plan. The report to council (linked below) states the new Williams Neighbourhood Plan update will be used as the “blueprint for growth and change” suggesting it will establish the standard for a walkable, integrated and complete community where residents can “live, work, learn, shop, care and play.”

Updates to the Williams Neighbourhood Plan (WNP) are significant, including:

• Increased Densities – The residential development district south of 80 Avenue, now named the Mixed Use + Residential District, which was previously single family and townhouse designated land, has received an overhaul with densities as high as 6 storeys adjacent to 80 Avenue and descending down towards the south border of the plan. See the revised land use plan below.
• Elimination of Retail/Hospitality – In the previous WNP the northwest corner of 80 Avenue and 216 Street included designations for commercial/retail uses. That area has been converted to a Business Park designation and the neighbourhood’s commercial amenity will come from the new mixed-use apartment node in the centre of the plan.
• Confirmation of School & Park Requirements – The updated plan reiterates the need for a new combined middle-elementary school in the northwest region of the Mixed Use + Residential District.
• Increased Greenway Amenity Fees – the Willoughby Greenway Amenity Policy will receive an update to incorporate the updated greenway amenity requirements of the WNP. Consequently, the Willoughby Greenway Amenity fee will increase from $274,224 per acre to $287,041 per acre.
• A new Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) – The Williams Neighbourhood will be given an area-specific CAC, replacing the existing Township-wide CAC rates. The proposed rates for Williams are as follows:
  1. Single Family: $16,900 (no change from existing)
  2. Townhouse/Rowhouse: $17,000 (compared to the existing $14,400)
  3. Low Rise Apartment: $30,000 (compared to the existing $11,000)

Draft Land Use Plan

Next Steps

With preliminary endorsement from Mayor and Council, city staff will now proceed with community engagement, scheduling a public open house to present the revised plan and create a forum for stakeholders to ask questions of city staff and share feedback. Following the public open house, a public hearing will be set for the public to voice their comments and concerns to mayor and council. Specific dates for these events have not been given but you can subscribe to receive updates from the Township of Langley’s Williams Neighbourhood Plan.

Click here to read the entire report to council, outlining the process, rationale and detailed changes to the Williams Neighbourhood Plan.