ISLAND COUNTY: County, Oak Harbor officials head to Langley for comp plan discussions

Jessie Stensland reports on Island County for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.

The city of Langley is being drawn into a disagreement between Island County and Oak Harbor officials over the ongoing comprehensive plan updates.

Two Island County commissioners and planning staff from both Island County and Oak Harbor are likely to attend a Langley City Council meeting Sept. 15 in order to listen to — and possibly join in — discussions about a proposed change in population projections to be used in the 20-year growth planning documents.

County commissioners want to adopt a lower population projection that will prevent Oak Harbor from expanding its Urban Growth Area because of a disagreement over planning for infrastructure in these areas; the Urban Growth Area, or UGA, is land outside of city limits that is designated for urban densities and eventual annexation.

The proposed change will not affect Langley or Coupeville comprehensive planning. But with Oak Harbor unlikely to vote in favor of the change, Island County needs the two other municipalities to agree to the new population projection to move forward.

They Said It

Langley Mayor Kennedy Horstman said she is not aware of county commissioners attending a Langley council meeting before — at least not in recent history.

“For my part, I think it’s healthy to have cross-pollination regarding county-wide collaboration,” she said in an email.