Langley’s shoreline advisory committee will host an open house this week to talk about residential shoreline development.

The volunteer group is helping to guide the city’s update to its Shoreline Master Program, a project scheduled to finish in 2012.

The open house is 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26 at city hall.

Shoreline development has been controversial in recent years, largely due to concerns about fragile bluffs near Langley’s Edgecliff neighborhood and the development of the Langley Passage housing project.

Community Planner Jeff Arango said it’s through the Shoreline Master Program that the city determines the required buffer, or setback, from the top of the bluff.

Arango said bluff stability is a prime concern when considering how close to build to the bluff.

Other issues that will be considered at the meeting are mitigation requirements such as how stormwater is handled and preserving or enhancing shoreline vegetation.