It’s no secret that finding a place to park on First Street in Langley is difficult, if not impossible.

However, residents have found talking about parking in Langley can be just as exasperating as the prattle about the issue rolls on.

But a public meeting Wednesday sparked thoughtful discussion among some 80 residents as they looked over city plans to redesign First Street, which would eliminate some parking spaces.

Billed as a continuing conversation, the forum was sponsored by the City of Langley and Langley Main Street Association; two meetings on the same topic were previously held.

Questions about which kind of parking — parallel or angled — is safer, most beneficial to shops and restaurants and allows for the greatest number of vehicles dominated the conversation.

The aesthetics of both kinds of parking were also scrutinized; some favored parallel parking because it opens up First Street, allowing for historic buildings to be better seen, while others said angled parking elicits more of a small-town feel.

Some merchants expressed dismay at the thought of fewer convenient parking opportunities for customers when there’s not enough now — and new First Street businesses are expected to open soon.

In 2016, the city was awarded a $250,000 grant from the state Transportation Improvement Board’s Complete Streets Awards Program to be used for aesthetic and safety improvements along First Street from Wharf Drive to Anthes Avenue. Adding raised crosswalks and handicapped parking spaces are priorities.

Wednesday evening, parking proposal blueprints were rolled out on ten round tables inside the Fellowship Hall at Langley United Methodist Church. In small groups of five to seven people, residents scrutinized the drawings, then wrote down comments which were collected at the end.

One option would switch parking on the north side of First Street from angled to parallel, losing a dozen spaces; another option would keep angled parking but also resulted in fewer spaces to park.

“When adding crosswalks and adding motorcycle parking, they’ll be a loss of parking spaces no matter if it’s angled or parallel parking,” explained Brigid Reynolds, director of community planning.

A suggestion by David Price, owner of edit., on First Street, was also distributed. It showed how changing the angle of diagonal parking to 45 degrees from its current 36 degree angle would result in fewer spaces being affected by the redesign.

Complete Street guidelines and philosophy must be considered when choosing the redesign, Reynolds told the gathering.

Instead of roads being viewed only as avenues for cars, streets are being recognized as a public entity that should incorporate gathering spaces and encourage walking and bicycling, she said.

Langley’s Second Street, with its wider curbed sidewalks, plaza with metal tables and chairs, raised crosswalk and flower displays, is such an example. Its redesign, finished in 2014, cost $2.2 million.

The Second Street project also resulted in fewer parking spaces, especially in front of Callahan’s Fire House. But the redesign ended up helping the glass blowing business, owner Callahan McVay said in an interview.

“Our business is up 100 percent from last winter quarter,” McVay said. “It’s the pedestrian flow, the foot traffic. I lost parking spaces but business has improved so their forecast of gloom and doom is unfounded.”

Cities adopting Complete Street strategies have reported an increase in sales at businesses along a redesigned corridor, Reynolds stated.

Des Rock, owner of Useless Bay Coffee Company, pointed out that Langley is not just for visitors but has a market town heritage. Many businesses depend on local customers to stay afloat. But if it gets harder for South Whidbey residents to run errands and grab a bite to eat, maybe they’ll stop trying, leading Langley one step closer to becoming a theme park, he said.

No matter what’s decided, expect criticism, Chris Salomone advised. He’s worked as a city planner for decades around the country, most recently in Bellevue and now resides in Langley. Salomone told the story of what happened 40 years ago when Carlsbad, Calif. city officials decided to eliminate diagonal parking.

“After we did it, the people who weren’t involved in the decision began to complain to the merchants,” he said. “So the merchants put up a wanted poster with my face on it, reading, ‘If you can’t find a parking space, call this man.’”

About 80 Langley residents looked over different proposals for reconfigured parking along First Street at a public forum Wednesday night.

Langley residents look over different blueprints for redesigning Front Street parking at a city meeting. Divided into small groups, they wrote comments and also read suggestions.