SOUTH WHIDBEY RECORD: Langley council approves commitment to zoning change

Kira Erickson reports from a joint special meeting of the Langley City Council and the Port of South Whidbey, held on Mon., Sep. 12, 2022:

A change in land use designation at the fairgrounds may persuade Island County commissioners to loosen their coffers and fund a proposed workforce housing project.

During a joint special meeting between the Langley City Council and the Port of South Whidbey this week, council members present gave the green light for the city to pursue making housing an allowed use in the zone where the Whidbey Island Fairgrounds is located.

They Said It

Port Commissioner Curt Gordon stressed that the port could legally only be involved in workforce housing, rather than affordable housing. Workforce housing is defined as between 80 to 120% of the area median income.

Councilmember Rhonda Salerno said she thought the city’s citizen-led Finance and Personnel Commission should weigh in on the issue.

Councilmember Thomas Gill referred to the port’s housing project as a “great, easy solution” and pointed out that there is a lack of housing for people who work full-time.

“Every home in this city is priced so high, you have to be working at $200,000 a year or more in Seattle to afford it,” he said. “There’s no jobs that pay that much on the island, at all.”

He suggested a blanket change to all public use zones in the city to allow housing as a secondary use. This would also affect the South Whidbey Community Center, for example.

Councilmembers Harolynne Bobis and Gail Fleming were both absent from the meeting.