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THURSDAY January 23, 2014 • www.langleytimes.com
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NEWS Glad to be in Canada
BUSINESS Going Hollywood
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SPORTS ’Cats take Top 10 title
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Coulter Berry version 2.0 unveiled BUILDER ELIMINATES RESTAURANT, REDUCES NUMBER OF RESIDENCES, SEEK S REZONING DA N FERGU SO N Tim e s Re po r t e r
zoning of downtown Fort Langley to approve bigger buildings The developer of the contro- like Coulter Berry “through the versial Coulter Berry building usual process of public hearhas unveiled a revised version ings and public consultations.” In a message posted online at of the stalled project and served notice he will be applying for www.coulterberry.com, Woodapproval through rezoning as ward said he would be applying suggested by the judge who for exactly that this week. “ … within Justice Groves’ blocked construction last year. Eric Woodward said the written decision he outlines very clearly “Coulter Berthat a rezonry 2.0” deing would sign does be perfectly away with reasonable a proposed and appromulti-storey priate … “ restaurant Wo o d w a r d with a roofstated. top patio and “For this reduces the situation to number of continue any residences ERIC WOODWARD longer than from 10 to necessary is nine, removunaccepting some balable,” he added. conies in the process. Woodward said the ‘Heritage The look of the three-storey building in downtown Fort Hole’ of the excavated site creLangley has been changed to ated by the stop-work order has make it look like a collection of hurt Fort Langley’s merchants, individual buildings, something delayed the undergrounding of Woodward calls “a more tradi- overhead wiring and the instaltional main street design” than lation of new street lighting at least a year. the previous version. Woodward estimates his comWhen Justice Joel Groves released his written reasons for pany has lost $500,000 so far. “I sincerely believe the Townhalting work on the project in December, the Chilliwack judge ship of Langley will win an said Township council was appeal, but the timeline for a wrong to use a heritage alter- successful appeal is still unceration permit (HAP) to approve tain,” Woodward went on to say. The revised design replaces construction of the three-storey building that was bigger than the multi-level restaurant with the maximum size allowed in a single floor of high ceilings the heritage conservation area and a sidewalk patio at the front. of downtown Fort Langley. Woodward said the restaurant But the judge also wrote that council could legally change the location will be the new home
For this situation to continue any longer than necessary is unacceptable.
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Artis t Re nde ring
The revised version of the Coulter Berry building design is slightly smaller than the original plans. The controversial project will no longer have a multi-storey restaurant with a rooftop patio and the look of the project is changing so the three-storey building looks like more of a traditional main street design. for Fort Langley’s Republica Coffee Roasters, currently located in Gasoline Alley. The developer has also widened a walk-through to the local supermarket and added more bicycle racks. As well, three trees have been added to the second storey, the building’s setback on the lane will be widened from six to eight feet for a wider sidewalk and solar panels will be installed. “While the previously approved design was very good in
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its own right, I think we have come up with a revised proposal that is truly outstanding,” Woodward said. “The ‘Heritage Hole’ created by the lawsuit of a few to stop an approved project by any means has been a terrible, pointless chapter in Fort Langley’s history,” he added. Coulter Berry was the subject of a lengthy public hearing before council approved it, and has faced continued opposition from the Fort Langley Residents for Sustainable Develop-
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ment and the Langley Heritage Association. Harold Whittell, a director of the Fort Langley Residents for Sustainable Development, has said any rezoning would still have to follow the limits established by the Fort Langley official community plan (OCP). “Any attempt by the Township to spot zone or circumvent these safeguards would be vehemently opposed,” Whittell said. The application was to be filed Wednesday (Jan. 22).