Retail zoning was approved for a small parcel on Second Street and DeBruyn Avenue in Langley on Monday night.

The Langley City Council unanimously approved a code amendment to extend the city’s retail overlay to the former Langley Lumberyard. Historically, the location has seen retail use that existed beyond city code. It was last used as the Living Green store and currently is occupied by Sundance Bakery.

“That whole corner’s been retail since God created it,” said Councilman Bruce Allen.

A store’s relocation prompted the city’s Planning Advisory Board and city council to take another look at the issue of extending retail outside of downtown. Sarah Boin asked the council to consider it so she could move her business, Wander on Whidbey, from its downtown location on Anthes Avenue to the former Langley Lumberyard building. Her grand plan conceived with husband Patrick Boin is to run the store in one area of the building and her husband to open the Salish Sea Cafe in another — a next-door husband-and-wife business tandem.

The planning board initially was resistant to the amendment, but relented with that specific area, which was originally zoned for neighborhood business — offices, professional services, restaurants. Three other neighborhood business areas remain — at the edge of town on Third Street/Brooks Hill Road, on Camano Avenue across from Langley Middle School and the fairgrounds, and the Edgecliff and Langley Motel lots.

Jeff Arango, Langley’s director of Community Planning, said some of the general concerns with extending retail to all of the areas included eroding the downtown area, building design and existing vacancies in prime locations. He dismissed the third as “extenuating circumstances,” citing the Dog House Tavern and Mike’s Place buildings on First Street and Anthes Avenue as needing major upgrades and renovations to be within city code. Arango said he did not think extending retail to select areas would take away from the vibrancy of the commercial core, a belief shared by one Langley resident who lives near the Langley Lumberyard.

“Allowing retail outside downtown will not detract from the downtown,” said Ross Chapin. “I think it will strengthen it.”

Five people spoke about the amendment during the public hearing, and all were in favor of it.

“That entire area was built and developed for retail-type sales,” said Jesse Brighton.