The boundaries for the proposed city of Freeland are almost ready for public review, committee members said this week, and voters may decide on the question of cityhood as soon as the November ballot.

Setting the boundaries for the proposed city of Freeland is a necessary step before the idea is taken to voters and county commissioners for approval.

The incorporation committee plans to meet to finalize the boundaries and present a map of the city of Freeland next week.

Once the boundaries are set, the committee will file a “notice of intent” with board of Island County Commissioners, who will then be required to hold public meetings on the question of cityhood.

“We have been struggling with the boundaries for the last five or six months,” said incorporation committee chairman Dean Enell. “We want to get the boundary nailed own so we can move forward.”

“We have some small tweaks to make, and the boundary will finally be available to the public for review,” added Chet Ross, a member of the incorporation committee said.

The group has been meeting with various community groups, members of the Freeland Chamber of Commerce and Vision 2025 during the process.

“We have met with people from the Vision 2025 group, sought legal advice and met with Island County Commissioner Mike Shelton and the Whidbey Environmental Action Network to help fine tune boundaries,” Dean said.

The group plans to meet individually with the other two commissioners, Mac McDowell and John Dean.

So far, the draft boundaries stretch from Holmes Harbor to Useless Bay, including the densely developed shorelines as well as rural and forest land in between.

The boundaries currently include the South End’s largest housing developments, Useless Bay Colony and Holmes Harbor, as well as Mutiny Bay and Mutiny Sands. The boundaries also stretch from East Harbor Road to Godell Road.

Enell said he is unsure whether Useless Bay Colony will be included in the final version of Freeland city limits.

“At this moment, there is a 50-50 chance they will be staying in,” Enell said.

According to the state of Washington, the incorporated area of Freeland generated more than $57 million in gross sales taxes in 2005. If Freeland had been incorporated in 2005, about 8 percent or $473,000 would go toward operating the city.

In comparison the gross sales tax for Langley in 2005 was $29 million.

Figures are not out for 2006, but Ross notes that the area has been growing at an “average of 11 to 12 percent a year.”

Since the boundaries haven’t been finalized, the population of the proposed city is still a guess.

Ross said he expects there will be at least 1,500 registered voters in the proposed city, which translates to a population of about 3,500.

In order to get the question on the November ballot, proponents must circulate a petition by July; 10 percent of the registered voters within the boundaries must sign the petition in favor of cityhood.

Gayle Saran can be reached at 221-5300 or gsaran@southwhidbeyrecord.com.