BANGOR ? A City Council committee gave the nod Wednesday for the city’s airport to look for a designer for a proposed parking garage.

The approval by members of the City Council and city officials brings the airport one step closer to having a long-term solution for parking, which city officials said already is insufficient. The airport is in need of 100 spots, and, as the airport grows, that need is expected to take off.

Growth has put the airport in an enviable position, but it comes with its own set of issues, BIA Director Rebecca Hupp told the council’s Business and Economic Development Committee, which met at Bangor City Hall on Wednesday.

“With growth comes the need for change,” she said.

The parking garage, which could cost $7.6 million and be paid for through bonds that would be paid off through parking fees, was one of four options forwarded from a parking study done last year. Other options included shuttling passengers from a satellite parking lot and relocating the maintenance facilities for the rental car agencies.

But both those options would be expensive and inconvenient, according to city officials. Another option would expand an existing parking lot, and likely will be done. But as it adds only 96 parking spots, it would be a short-term solution, city officials said.

City Manager Ed Barrett admitted he had some reservations when Hupp initially made the parking garage proposal. It’s a big expense upfront and Barrett, who said he had been leery, said it could be expensive to maintain.

“But I have been convinced, grudgingly, that this is probably the best option,” he said.

Since then, Barrett said he realized other options may prove an inconvenience and therefore a disincentive for people using the airport, while the parking garage provides protection from the weather.

Hupp said the airport may be prepared to present a prospective designer to the council’s finance committee within a month and then to the full council for approval. Included in this year’s airport budget was $200,000 for the parking garage design.