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
In a 3-2 vote, the Langley City Council tentatively approved rezoning several Edgecliff Drive parcels from RS7200 to RS15000, limiting them to larger single-family lots and removing multi-family infill options. Supporters, led by Councilmember Rhonda Salerno and joined by Gail Fleming and Harolynne Bobis, argued the change is needed to protect the nearby bluff from landslides, citing standing water, tree loss, and examples from shoreline workshops. Planning staff, however, recommended keeping RS7200 to preserve affordability and minimize impervious surface. Councilmembers Chris Carlson and Craig Cyr opposed the change, warning of lost housing capacity. The ordinance faces a second reading and could still change.
They Said It
Councilmember Rhonda Salerno has reasoned that this action would protect the nearby bluff from further landslide activity, a big concern for residents and neighbors. Councilmember Gail Fleming lives on one of the affected parcels but did not recuse herself from the vote because she said the change would not impact her property either positively or negatively due to its small size.
With use of the city’s multifamily infill code, this could potentially result in more units of affordable housing, such as townhouses and apartments rather than just single-family homes, though Fleming argued changing the zoning would still allow for cottages, ADUs and tiny homes, and that multi-family housing does not always equal affordable.
Councilmember Chris Carlson reiterated that he questioned the conclusions that were drawn from the science of the hydrology in that neighborhood presented by Salerno at a previous meeting, as well as the best public policy strategy for the council to achieve its shared goals of bluff protection and creating affordable housing.
“We’re talking about tightly grouped multi-family structures versus large homes that are spaced out, requiring more space to be cleared and more driveways,” he said.
Highlighting the need to create affordable housing, he urged the council not to discount the importance of a net difference of 70 potential dwelling units in this area. In addition, he advocated for exploring other measures to capture and safely transport water runoff from the site.
Salerno said she was recently contacted by someone attending a shoreline management workshop in Vancouver, Washington and was told that the city of Langley was cited as an example in one of the lectures led by a geologist. He showed photos of bluff failure in another part of the city, which demonstrated the difference in zoning for developments over a bluff. She showed the council photos of the Edgecliff bluff, one taken in 1977 and the other about 10 years ago, to indicate how many fewer trees were there over time as more development happened.
“I want you to know that I’ve been called by my fellow council people, that I’m passionate, that I’m emotional, and that I care a lot about what I say,” Salerno said, “but you know, I also present logic, and I think it’s really up to you to be logical.”
Several members of the public, including a soon-to-be-new member of the city council, spoke on both sides of the issue. Thomas Gill claimed the rezoning would represent an illegal “taking,” but [Planning Director Meredith] Penny said she did not see it that way in this situation, and also that the city attorney had reviewed the ordinance.
When it came time for the final vote, both Salerno and Fleming voted in favor of rezoning and were joined by Councilmember Harolynne Bobis, who hadn’t said a single word during the discussion. Mayor Kennedy Horstman asked Bobis if she was sure of her vote.
“I’m not going to be here to see the effects of my vote,” Bobis responded, seemingly indifferent.
Salerno cheered and told Bobis “good job.” Immediately, Bobis said she wanted to take back her vote, and her fellow council members expressed sounds of disbelief.
The council went back and forth about the proper protocol to reconsider the vote. Finally, Bobis was asked if she wanted to reconsider, but she declined, saying she was “tired of all of this at this point.”
Carlson and Councilmember Craig Cyr voted in opposition of the rezoning. Cyr had previously been on the fence about the decision. Later, he said he supported keeping the zoning as RS7200 because that option reduces tree clearing by 50%.
Kennedy said in an email to The Record that council members may propose changes to the ordinance at the next meeting, including rezoning.
