Months later than Langley leaders had hoped, they have accepted a proposal for an urban growth area.

The city council approved the recommendation to shrink the boundary to essentially the city limits. An exception is the inclusion of four properties at the western edge of town, which must be included because of sewer property rights granted in the early 1990s.

“This is a very important vote this evening,” said Mayor Fred McCarthy, during Monday’s meeting.

The proposal passed with a 4-1 vote. Councilman Thomas Gill cast the lone nay vote, and declined to expound on why he voted against it when asked by McCarthy. Gill said he had already spoken with the mayor about it.

Langley is in a bit of transition as the previous planning director, Michael Davolio, was placed on paid administrative leave Oct. 22. City Hall has remained mum on why the decision was made.

But, Davolio and the planning board clashed over the urban growth area. He had recommended shrinking it, but not as dramatically as the board wanted. His reasoning then was that it would allow for the city to better accommodate growth without increasing the existing density in city limits.

Davolio disagreed with the population increase projection of 87 residents over 20 years, but found himself too late in the Island County planning process to challenge the numbers and assumptions behind them.

Island County’s planning department will review the recommendation and include it as part of its comprehensive plan update, which is expected to receive final approval in June.