The Port of South Whidbey has decided to hit pause on its application to change the zoning at the fairgrounds.

The port’s plan to build workforce housing on top of new concession stands has not been a popular one among diehard fairgoers concerned about the size of the midway decreasing and other aspects of the annual agricultural event being disrupted by rental units.

The failing food booths are being structurally reinforced this week just in time for the fair, but this is only a short-term solution.

Port commissioners agreed last week to put the process with the city of Langley’s planning department on hold in favor of conferring with the South Whidbey School District about housing on school property.

“I don’t want the city to take another step because they’re too focused on a drawing,” Commissioner Curt Gordon said.

Earlier this year the city’s citizen-led Planning Advisory Board opposed the zoning amendment application, while the city council voted in support of it.

Gordon explained that he recently met with the superintendent and a school board member to discuss the topic.

The food booths are not currently located on fairgrounds property but rather the school district’s, so the port is looking into acquiring a boundary line adjustment. There’s also the question of where cars belonging to renters of the workforce housing would park, as it’s not clear who owns the part of the roadway – Dalton Lane – that’s under an easement.

In addition, the port is considering using grant money from Island County to explore the feasibility of building housing on nearby school property.

Gordon emphasized that while the school district doesn’t have any money set aside for construction of housing or studying its feasibility, officials are open to the concept and willing to work with the port. A 100-year lease was one idea that was discussed, as well as specific housing for school district employees.

Commissioner Greg Easton, however, worried about widening the scope of the project’s feasibility too much. Commissioner Jack Ng said adding the school district property shouldn’t add that much more cost.

Gordon said he had previously received a lukewarm response from the school board when he approached the members a few years ago about leasing space for parking. He said everyone is now solidly behind the need for workforce housing.

“And I think this is what you need to see from local governments,” he said. “Everybody needs to work together and solve this problem.”

The port plans to give a presentation on the subject at the school board’s Sept. 11 meeting.