The protest worked.
Lanstone Homes will no longer build a 30-car parking lot on greenspace at Denny Ross Memorial Park.
The parking lot was originally proposed as part of the development company’s Murrayville Schoolhouse project, which will see the five-acre property at 21812 48 Ave. transformed into 48 townhouses, and six residential units inside the historic Murrayville school building.
READ MORE: Developer wants to put 48 townhouses and redesign schoolhouse into residential units
But after many letters of complaint were received, and yellow tape and signs were put up at the park demanding the parking lot be moved, the Township and Lanstone Homes are exploring alternatives.
“Lanstone Homes was able to meet with the Township staff, and they have backed away from requiring Lanstone Homes to put the parking lot in that location, which I think is a very good move because it would have taken out what is quite endearing to the neighbours right now in terms of greenspace,” said Kurt Alberts on behalf of Lanstone Homes.
“You can see how well the neighbourhood is actually using the main passive area within the park. So, while the Township has backed away from requiring the parking lot in the fashion that was proposed at the public information meeting (on Nov. 22), they are still asking Lanstone Homes to try to provide roughly the equivalent number of parking spaces but in a different location.”
That work is now underway, and the company has already received many suggestions from the community, Alberts said. It may be possible to add some parking spaces behind the baseball diamond, or on the old road allowance behind the school. Some neighbours are advocating for angled parking, similar to what Langley City has along Fraser Highway between 204 and 206 Streets.
“What we’ve heard loud and clear from the neighbours is that they don’t feel there’s a need for parking. That the road has worked well to provide parking for the last couple of decades, that’s what we’re being told,” Alberts said. “But, I guess the Township has certain standards, that in this case, the developer Lanstone Homes must try to satisfy. So that’s what they’re busy trying to do.
“As soon as we have something that we can share with the people, we will post it. And obviously … Lanstone Homes wants to be careful that they come up with something that the neighbours won’t have as negative of a reaction to as we’ve experienced with the Township proposal.”
Alberts is encouraging residents to provide their feedback to Lanstone Homes through the “suggestion box” online at murrayvilleschool.com.
miranda@langleytimes.com
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