A separate distinct category now exists in the Township’s amenity funds for downtown Aldergrove, one that will be used to fund future development improvements in the core area outlined by the 2010 Aldergrove Core Area Plan.
In a Langley Township evening meeting Monday, an unanimous council vote was put through, one in favour of providing downtown Aldergrove with more resources to revitalize neglected areas.
Township councillors, with the exception of Bob Long who was absent, voted in favour of Councillor Eric Woodward’s Community Amenity Contributions policy – a fund that ensures 11 per cent amenity contributions from the overall Township go towards Aldergrove.
“Developers with rezoning applications in the Township, starting this September, will pay per unit a fixed-rate for capital projects,” Woodward explained.
The first-term councillor proposed the policy last year, during his campaign in the municipal election.
“Almost no community amenity contributions from development were going to make it to downtown Aldergrove before,” Woodward said, “with this reform – we have fixed that.”
The adopted policy will amount to an estimated $18 million dollars over a span of 20 or more years, before annual rate increases, Woodward confirms.
“We now have a funding source that is not residential property taxes for infrastructure that can improve the economics of development in Aldergrove,” Woodward added.
The councillor hopes the policy will result in the Township’s purchase of Janda Group’s proposed community parkade, a part of their first phase of a development proposed for the old mall property on 272 Street.
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The shared parkade would serve as a place where town visitors can park there cars and walk to local attractions as well as locally owned and operated storefronts and stores.
“[The adopted policy] sends a strong message that we are serious about Aldergrove revitalization,” Woodward finished.
Other possible development outcomes could include pocket parks or pedestrian connections, according to Woodward.