91原创 Township council has scaled back the scope of plans to develop new industrial lands along a stretch of Fraser Highway, following input from the public, including local homeowners.

Over the past year, the Township has been considering rezoning a strip of land along both sides of Fraser Highway, starting from around 228 Street in the west, as far as 240 Street in the east.

The land is not in the ALR, and is zoned for a variety of uses. Some parts are already industrial sites, while others host homes, commercial outlets, hobby farms, and a mobile home park.

The Township has been seeking more industrial land because there is a shortage of it across the region, and because developed industrial lands supports more jobs and expands the local tax base. 

An open house was held on Jan. 30 at the Church in the Valley off Old Yale Road, in the heart of the area that could be rezoned.

Locals, including some organized via Facebook, raised a number of concerns at the meeting. Residents who live in relatively rural lots along Old Yale Road were particularly vocal about not wanting industrial development either next door or across the street from their homes.

There were three major scenarios explored at the open house, with different options rezoning different amounts of lands.

At the March 10 council meeting, Mayor Eric Woodward brought forward a motion that noted that "a range of concerns have been identified with the current process, boundary, and the need for more specific designations of current and protected land uses."

The motion calls for Township staff to create a new draft reference plan for the employment lands area, with several key adjustments from the versions seen at the most recent open house.

First, that access to properties between Fraser Highway and Old Yale Road come from the highway only.

Second, that some existing land use designations would stay in place, including for the existing mobile home park, and that only "low impact employment lands uses are to be considered where so designated."

Finally, the boundary for the plan would be reduced, with lands east of 232 Street along 46 Avenue, lands fronting Old Yale Road without Fraser Highway access, and lands along 44 Avenue without Fraser Highway access all being removed from the plan.

A third open house will be scheduled to present the revised plan and get more community feedback.

It also asks for public consultation on possibly closing Old Yale Road in the 23900 block, just before it meets 40 Avenue near 240 Street.

There was relatively little discussion about the new direction, with councillors saying they were glad to see the scope narrowed somewhat, and pleased to be able to hold another open house.