The city held a meeting on Tuesday to begin the public participation component of the upcoming Shoreline Master Plan update.

About 90 island residents attended the meeting, according to a city press release.

The SMP update has piqued the interest of many waterfront landowners. The update could lead to tougher regulations for near-shore development.

Using a state grant, the city hired planning consultants AHBL to assist in developing the public participation process. The firm’s staff helped direct the meeting and will evaluate the public input in the coming weeks.

The city will begin discussing shoreline policy issues later in the process.

The city’s SMP is a combination of planning strategies and regulations that guide shoreline development.

State law requires that the city update its SMP by December 2011.

Residents can contribute ideas about the SMP’s public participation process before Mar. 16 through a survey posted on the city’s website, by mail (Shoreline Master Program Update, Planning and Community Development, City Hall, 280 Madison Ave. N., Bainbridge Island, 98110) or e-mail (pcd@ci.bainbridge-isl.wa.us).