A new plan that outlines the future of the Greenbank Farm is almost complete. The next step is for residents to give their opinion.

A draft of the farm’s comprehensive plan is available for public inspection and two meetings are scheduled next week to gather input.

The first meeting takes place Monday, June 29, at the Greenbank Progressive Club located at the corner of Bakken and Firehouse roads.

The second meeting takes place Wednesday, July 1 at the Service Alternative Building, 20 NW First St., Coupeville. Both meetings begin at 6:30 p.m.

Jim Patton, executive director for the Port of Coupeville, said it has taken a year and a half to develop the plan.

Forty volunteers have been meeting monthly to work out the community, agricultural, recreational and environmental components of the farm’s plan.

With the large number of people guiding the plan’s development, Patton describes the draft as a “bottom up” document.

“It will guide the port’s investments and activities for the indefinite future,” Patton said.

After the upcoming meetings, officials will amend the comprehensive plan based on the information gathered. Patton said the commissioners are expected to approved the draft in July or August.

Patton highlighted two major initiatives that are coming out of the comprehensive plan. The first is a conservation easement that would protect the open space at the farm from development, and the second is for a new multi-purpose building.

If successful, the conservation easement would resolve several issues for the Port of Coupeville. It would provide another layer of protection for the open spaces at the Greenbank Farm and it would resolve funding problems for the port. Port officials are looking to apply for Island County Conservation Futures Funds, which, if approved, would pay off the remaining $831,000 in bonds the port has left on the farm purchase.

A copy of the Greenbank Farm Comprehensive Plan is available online at www.portofcoupeville.org.