Kira Erickson reports from the Langley City Council meeting of Mon., Dec. 1, 2025 for the South Whidbey Record. Read the whole story.
Summary by Perplexity AI
Langley’s final 2025 council meeting ended with a 3-2 vote to keep RS7200 zoning on the south side of Edgecliff Drive, reversing an earlier decision to downzone to RS15000. Councilmember Harolynne Bobis switched sides, joining Chris Carlson and Craig Cyr in arguing that current zoning better supports affordable, inclusive, and sustainable housing and that new stormwater infrastructure addresses runoff concerns. Rhonda Salerno and Gail Fleming maintained that lower density would better protect the bluff and align with nearby parcels. The debate doubled as a farewell for Bobis, Fleming, and Salerno, who delivered emotional closing remarks as their council terms end December 31.
They Said It
Carlson maintained that keeping the current zoning can create opportunities for affordable housing. He highlighted city staff’s findings of no difference in potential clearing of trees between RS7200 and RS15000. He reasoned that new stormwater drains on Edgecliff Drive, installed thanks to the ongoing Langley Infrastructure Project, will help mitigate surface level runoff.
“We rarely have guarantees, but we can influence the likelihood of moving the city in the direction of affordability, inclusivity and sustainability, or the status quo of exclusivity, high home values and aging, unsustainable population,” he said.
Salerno stood firm in her position that changing the zoning would be the best thing to protect the nearby bluff from future landslide activity because of less density allowed. It would also be consistent with the parcels on the north side of the street, which are zoned RS15000.
Fleming, who lives on one of the affected properties, brings an insider’s perspective, having discussed with her neighbors about whether they plan to utilize the city’s multi-family infill code for development and finding that it only applies to one parcel.
Cyr said he had heard from a developer who was potentially interested in building multi-family housing in the area. Immediately, Salerno interrupted, saying it was inappropriate for him to be talking to developers as a council member.
Cyr responded, “Totally appropriate for me to talk with anybody that’s interested in the policies that were in the zoning that we’re talking about here.”
Bobis, who is planning a move to Seattle, said she didn’t agree with the city’s priorities.
“I think to this council, trees are more important than people, and I don’t see how you handle your aging population, keeping your businesses afloat, with trees and no people,” she said.
Salerno highlighted some wins in affordable housing, including a new requirement for inclusionary zoning that applies to projects using the city’s multifamily infill code. She grew increasingly teary as she recounted her passion for protecting the environment.
“The people that I know are grateful for me speaking up for the environment, and I know that might not be the people you all hear, but that’s what I hear and that’s where I get some gratitude,” she said. “I’m sorry that that’s not more of a priority for us and it doesn’t look like it might be in the future, but we’ll see.”
Fleming remained characteristically brief in her remarks, saying she contributed where she could according to her own priorities. She acknowledged incoming council members Thomas Gill, Dominique Emerson and Savannah Erickson for their institutional knowledge.
“I have full confidence,” she said.
