The Point Chehalis peninsula has always been a place of “shifting sands.”

Today, the peninsula is home to Westport Light State Park and the surrounding coastal town, which depends on commercial and charter fishing, surfing and beach tourism. Those draws are possible in part because of a 130-year-old commitment from the federal government to maintain a navigable channel to the Port of Grays Harbor with a mileslong jetty, undersea dredging and beach replenishment.

The latest possible shift, both geophysical and metaphorical, is the build-out of a links-style golf course like those along the Scottish coast. That proposal, called Westport Golf Links, will be the subject of a special meeting of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission on Monday at Aberdeen High School.

Nearly a decade after Washington State Parks designated Westport Light State Park as a prime location for privately developed recreation and seven years after a Seattle homebuilder and part-time Westport resident pitched the $60 million-$70 million investment, the commission seems close to making a decision on the long-debated project.

Proponents tout the economic benefits of jobs and visitor revenue in Washington’s eighth-poorest county, plus the opportunity for private capital to help a cash-strapped state agency address longstanding concerns around invasive species and fire risk. Opponents have cried foul over a litany of issues, chief among them wetland disturbance, chemical application for grounds maintenance and risk of further coastal erosion.

The unprecedented proposal has also left the community pondering the park’s future. Will the nature lovers and grungy surfers be able to coexist with well-heeled golfers?