After four months of drafts and sketches, the Langley Small Boat Harbor is two plans closer to a new harbor design.

The Langley Planning Advisory Board met Wednesday to discuss two plans for an expanded harbor created by the Seattle company, J.A. Brennan Associates. Jim Brennan, principal landscape architect for the project, said they came up with two alternative plans based on ideas heard in a July PAB public meeting.

The purpose of the meeting, according to Brennan, was to look at the range of possibilities for the harbor.

What isn’t known is how much the project could cost, who will pay for the newly designed harbor and whether or not land owners are willing to sell their property to be torn down to make room for a large scale harbor.

Over 50 people — landowners with property near the harbor, Langley residents and members of the boating and fishing communities — came to the meeting to see the two possible designs. The group broke into two groups to discuss their likes and gripes over the proposed ideas.

Of the suggestions offered in a public comment period, people said they were supportive of both the ramp and sling boat launch options. Several said a fuel dock could be a great investment for the harbor. Other suggestions to the designers were to ensure handicap access and maintain a park area for public use.

In an interview after the meeting, owner of the Boatyard Inn Paul Schell said there were aspects of both plans that appealed to him.

“The modest one seems appropriate,” he said.

Schell said one of the unique aspects of the larger plan of the two is an elevator, which would lift foot pedestrians from the harbor up to Cascade Avenue. Not only could it give more people access to the water, he said, but it could allow for more public space to be allocated for park rather than a parking lot.

Schell said that as a Whidbey Island resident and Langley advocate, the city needs to be nurtured or it could wither.

“It’s hard to keep the shops going unless we have visitors using them,” said Schell.

During the meeting Brennan described aspects of both plans that could be used in either plan, such as improved pedestrian access, smoothly flowing auto circulation and an improved boat launch.

Councilman Neil Colburn pointed out during the meeting neither plan needed to be fully adopted, and certain aspects of both could be implemented to fit into a different plan.

“These are two boxes that we don’t have to fit into,” he said.

Chuck Edwards, the Port of South Whidbey’s interim manager, requested during the meeting that J.A. Brennan Associates supply some rough cut price estimates for the harbor improvements. Planning a harbor without knowing how much it could cost or where the money will come from does not make sense, he said.

The port already has approximately $54,000 invested in producing the plans.

Whether the port will continue funding depends on the project’s costs and the port commissioners’ decision to support the small boat harbor.

Brennan said all the input and suggestions from the meeting were documented, and will be used to make the next draft plan.

One more draft plan is expected before J.A. Brennan Associates presents the final comprehensive plan by the end of February.