If you’re looking for political motivation in Langley, just bring up the topic of sewers.

Though city planners had more than a dozen planning regulation changes to discuss in a public hearing Wednesday, those concerning the expansion of Langley’s sewers dominated public commentary. Affordable housing changes received no mention, shoreline master program regulation changes were skipped, and almost nothing was said about zoning map changes.

Langley, it seems, loves to talk about sewers.

The hearing, which was the culmination of a year of work to revise the city’s comprehensive land use plan, hit on just a few plan revisions proposed by members of Langley’s planning advisory board for this year. More than three-quarters of the two-hour hearing went to settling differences over a measure that could change how the city enforces its sewer development policy.

Board chairman Chuck Scurlock was barely able to explain changes in the policy before members of the public started commenting. If approved by the Langley City Council, the changes would allow broad exemptions for property owners who have functioning septic systems. At present, all property owners with homes or businesses within 200 feet of a sewer line must hook into the city’s sewer system — at a cost estimated to be greater than $13,000. This cost was of particular concern this spring and summer as the city pushed to develop sewer lines in the Edgecliff Avenue and First Street areas of Langley.

Under a revision proposed by the planning board, property owners with septic systems could avoid hookup charges and stay off city sewer if they could prove their systems function properly. They would, however, be required to pay their “fair share” of cost of sewer main construction, a cost city planner Jack Lynch estimated to be $3,000 for an average lot.

Though the proposed change would reduce the cost of sewer expansion to affected city residents, sewer opponent and Edgecliff resident Debbie Holbert still cried foul. She said development in the city, which requires sewer service, could force many people to pay that “fair share” for a service they do not need.

“The point is I will still subsidize the sewer system even if I don’t hook up,” she said.

Also objecting was Edgecliff property owner Doris Matz, who noticed the new exemption does not include the cost-free “hardship” exemption previously written into the sewer code.

Planner Lynch noted the objections, but said there is only so much he could do about the situation. He said the state’s growth management plan requires cities to provide sewer service; the cost of which must be borne by city residents.

At one point late in the meeting, the discussion turned to another subject, if only briefly. Going over proposed changes to the city’s rules on accessory dwelling units — commonly referred to as “mother-in-law apartments” — Lynch said new buildings of this type would, in many cases, require sewer service even if a property owner already had a septic system. Holbert said such a requirement would be unfair, since property owners “up and down” Edgecliff have already hooked up number of accessory dwelling units to septic without the city’s knowledge.

That revelation inspired Langley architect and sewer supporter Jean Steinbrecher to speak out.

“That’s why you need a sewer system!” she said to Holbert.

The only other proposed change to the comprehensive plan that received attention at the meeting was a measure that would allow accessory dwelling units taller than 15 feet. Lynch said under the language the planning board will recommend to the city council, accessory dwellings may be up to 80 percent of the height of a primary dwelling.

He also noted that for unusually short primary residences, accessory dwellings may still be up to 15 feet high, even if that exceeds the hight of the primary residence.

The changes proposed by the planning board are expected to go before the city council during the body’s first meeting in November.