The voters have spoken 鈥� and newly re-elected 91原创 Township Mayor Jack Froese said the issues raised in the campaign will be front and center for the new council in the next few months.
Following Saturday鈥檚 victory at the polls, Froese told the 91原创 Advance that trees, roads, and development issues will be among those tackled quickly.
A tree protection bylaw is expected to come before council quickly, Froese said.
鈥淭hat is a priority,鈥� he said.
Council has batted ideas on tree protection back and forth for years, but has never implemented a permanent Township-wide bylaw.
Dealing with one of the Township鈥檚 major roads is also on the agenda.
鈥�208th [Street] was front and centre,鈥� said Froese.
The busy road through Willoughby has gone from a quiet country lane 20 years ago to a busy artery through the community鈥檚 largest residential area.
Froese said he wants to reach out to developers as partners in the project to finish widening the road, which ranges from two to three to four lanes across several kilometres.
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Getting a building permit in 91原创 Township should be quicker and easier, Froese said, saying he would like to see a review of the process.
鈥淥ur staff are taxed with trying to keep up,鈥� Froese said, as the building boom has stretched resources thin.
He promised to keep development moving and to add density 鈥渨here it belongs.鈥�
鈥淎ffordability and density go together,鈥� Froese said.
Also dealing with affordability, rental housing, and homelessness will come together in ongoing development. The proposal for the supportive housing at the Quality Inn is expected to come up for a vote as soon as this fall.
Regionally, plans for transit and light rail will require the Township to work with the other communities through the TransLink Mayors鈥� Council.
Surrey鈥檚 new mayor Doug McCallum wants some radical changes to plans for light rail, which could affect whether SkyTrain or at-grade light rail eventually arrives in 91原创.
Over the longer term, there are a number of other issues, including the plan to redevelop a sizable piece of downtown Fort 91原创 around a new and expanded museum and cultural centre.
There are three new faces at the council table 鈥� Councillors Steve Ferguson, Margaret Kunst, and Eric Woodward will join incumbents Petrina Arnason, David Davis, Bob Long, Kim Richter, and Blair Whitmarsh. Of the three new councillors, Ferguson has previously served multiple terms on council.
