Langley citizens took full advantage of their chance to shape the city’s future.

More than 120 people gathered at the Fellowship Hall at the Langley Methodist Church for a special town hall meeting with the city’s comprehensive plan group Thursday night.

Robert Gilman, chairman of the comprehensive plan team, started the meeting with a brief presentation about the work of the committee and the challenges that lie ahead for Langley. He discussed growth and economic development, among other livability issues.

The group plans to update Langley’s comprehensive plan, the document that will guide the city’s growth over the next two decades. As part of the update of the plan, the group will look at a new vision for Langley and consider issues such as land use, housing, parks and open space, transportation and more.

The group will work on the update over the next two years, and the early stages will focus on education.

On May 9, a planning training session will be held for those interested in participating in one of the comp plan sub-committees that will form as the process continues. The training will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall at the Langley Methodist Church.

The next step will be to create a vision for Langley. A town meeting of the same format will be held about the community vision at 7 p.m. on May 25.

Then the research and update drafting will begin. First results will be implemented in late 2006.

Cities are only allowed to update the plan once a year, Gilman explained. The process will continue through 2007 with more changes finalized at the end of the year.

Gilman called on the citizens and friends of Langley to get involved. There are many different ways to contribute, ranging from committee work to simply sharing ideas.

“A large part of these committees is about ideas,” he said.

Most cities adopted comprehensive plans in the early 1990s, after Washington adopted the Growth Management Act, a sweeping state law meant to protect farms and forests from urban sprawl.

Gilman said it was time for the city to revisit its growth plan.

“It’s normal to look at a 20-year time horizon,” he said. Gilman pointed out that in the past two decades, changes have taken place at an unprecedented pace and that must be reflected in the city’s comp plan vision.

“Langley has changed. Think 2026. Think 1986,” he said.

Gilman said the update process also means an opportunity for city government and business to work together.

Among the specific problems addressed were:

• Langley’s age profile. Langley is aging and few young people are moving in to fill the gap.

• Langley’s role in the commercial make-up of South Whidbey, as well as economic development.

• The rapidly changing world. Technology and dwindling energy resources, for example, affect life on the island and elsewhere.

– Growth and zoning. How big can Langley grow? How is it possible to keep a healthy balance between residential and commercial growth?

Following the presentation, Gilman asked the audience to participate in a poster walk. Volunteers had prepared charts, photomontages and information boards outlining some typical Langley issues such as the marina, zoning, how to protect the bluff areas and handle water run-off.

One poster outlined the development of Langley over the last century, and in line with economic planning, one sign showed the major economic forces over time: logging, farming, hippies, now tourism followed by a question mark for the future.

People were encouraged to write comments on notes and stick them on the posters.

After the poster walk, Vicki Robin led the community discussion.

Citizens were particularly concerned about building a sustainable economy, as well as a diversified economy that is less dependent on tourism. They also raised the issues of quality of life and balanced growth, affordable housing and average income.

Rene Neff said she would like to see economic development that caters to residents, not just to tourists.

Other issues were alternative energy sources such as solar and tidal power. Local food production and sustainable agriculture were other topics of concern.

People also discussed how to keep artists and creative energy thriving on South Whidbey.

The most popular idea of the evening was to create a public space for exchange among citizens, based on the European model of public houses, or pubs, where people pay a community fee and use the community space to eat, drink and be merry.