The City of Langley’s population is projected to increase by almost 50% and the increase in housing demand by nearly 70% by 2040. This spike in population is partly attributable to a higher proportion of seniors due to Canada’s aging population and the demand for baby-boomers needing seniors housing and care facilities.
It is within this context that the City of Langley engaged CitySpaces to undertake an impartial micro-area Seniors Planning Study to evaluate a new campus-oriented OCP land use designation located at Old Yale Road. The study area comprised properties located near the intersection of Fraser Highway and Old Yale Road, within close proximity to the municipal boundary with the Township of Langley.
This Seniors Planning Study was in response to a submitted development application (comprising an OCP Amendment, Rezoning Amendment, and Development Permit Application). The proposal was for a residential seniors housing development project that included congregate living, assisted living, and long-term care units over more than 20,000 square metres of floor space.
In addition to evaluating the rationale for a new OCP land use designation, our Seniors Planning Study provided guidance to inform Development Permit Application guidelines.
As part of the Seniors Planning study, our team undertook the following tasks:
- Site reconnaissance to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) for the study area based on environmental and urban design factors
- A review of relevant legislation, bylaws, and studies that would impact the development of the properties
- Assessment of on-site and adjacent land uses, environmental factors and constraints, character areas and other local influences, to develop an understanding of the context
- A critique of the development application drawings as provided, to fully understand the design proposals and their potential impact on the area
- Case study research on comparable seniors campuses in similar Metro Vancouver contexts to explore good practice design aspects, zoning and land use designations
- Recommendations for the preferred land use designation(s) and design guidelines for the study area supported with rationale and justifications.
Our recommendations within the Senior Planning Study provided an appropriate land use framework to help guide future development in the study area properties
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