Langley council looks at new contract for proposed park-and-ride lot

The proposal for a makeover of the parking lot at Langley Christian Missionary Alliance Church will need another push start from the city council next week.

The council will be asked to approve a supplemental agreement on the proposal to create a park-and-ride lot at its meeting on Monday. Council members will consider authorizing Mayor Paul Samuelson to approve an engineering agreement with Cane Engineering for the project at Sixth Street and Cascade Avenue.

The project has drawn some criticism from environmentalists and neighbors worried about paving the existing lot and the removal of blackberries, drainage improvements and other upgrades. Some claim the project would pollute the city's aquifer and destroy the wildlife corridor along Brookhaven Creek, while supporters have said the improvements are needed to help with overflow parking for the downtown core. The council has reluctantly given its approval to the project, which has been the topic of extended debate since last year.

The proposed change will extend the completion date for Cane Engineering to update and modify the stream buffer mitigation planting plan for the parking lot makeover, with the work expected to be finished by Sept. 30. The cost of the contract would also rise by $4,800 to a total of $72,764.

City staff said the cost of the new contract is still below their original estimate of $75,800 for the work.

The total cost of the parking lot project is roughly $480,000, with most of the funding coming from federal sources.

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