Affordable housing gets Langley council’s OK
Published 2:00 pm Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Everything was in order and smiles were abundant as the Upper Langley permanently affordable co-housing development received its final approval Monday night from the Langley City Council. 
The privately funded development will include 16 homes on about one acre on Al Anderson Avenue across the street from Langley Woodmen Cemetery near the city limits. The development took advantage of the city’s affordable housing ordinance, which allowed for regulatory flexibility in exchange for the public benefit of permanent affordability and other community assets.
Upper Langley lots cost $60,000 plus an additional $15,000 for community costs that go toward a common house and other communal amenities such as solar panels. Building costs are incumbent upon the owner. Home values can only rise with appraised capital improvements and on outlined and agreed upon annual percentage increases of 1.5, 2 and 2.5 staggered every decade.
Some questions arose from the council about water pooling near the main entrance to the development. A large pond formed between the cemetery and Upper Langley after heavy rains in recent weeks. Chris Korrow, one of the property owners/developers, said because the development got some of its permits later than anticipated, they were not able to do much planting of vegetation after clearing some trees from the property. That means rainwater does not get drained by plants and instead pours off the property onto the roadway.
“This is just an interim period where we’re asking for everybody’s patience,” said Cary Peterson, one of the development partners and a lot owner.
The final plat was unanimously approved to cheers and applause.
