Town Council focuses on parking plans

A perennial issue topped the agenda of a rare short La Conner Town Council meeting last Tuesday.

As had the town’s planning commission a week earlier, most of council’s 40-minute April 25 session emphasized downtown parking and traffic congestion.

The parking topic likely would have consumed even more Council time – as it has for springs and summers over decades – were it not that many at the meeting wanted to attend the much-anticipated Matika Wilbur book launch at Swinomish at 7 p.m.

Even longtime La Conner resident Linda Talman, an attendee of countless marathon Town meetings, exited moments after making a brief plea that officials apply for Skagit Council of Governments funding for non-motorized transportation projects. She reminded council of the May 12 deadline to apply for the monies.

“I really wish you would try for it,” she said. “They have a really good opportunity for municipalities to improve walking and biking options. Please take a look at it.”

Mayor Ramon Hayes said he planned attending Wilbur’s presentation of her acclaimed “Project 562: Changing The Way We See Native America.” He provided a quick summary of the history of Shelter Bay and his outlook on the nearby residential community’s present litigation, political turmoil and need to renew its 75-year master lease – set to expire in 2044 – with the Swinomish Tribal Community.

“I feel the lawsuits are distractions,” Hayes said. “They need to come to terms with the lease. They are our partners. The value they bring to La Conner is great.”

Council then speed-shifted gears to parking.

“This has always been an issue,” said Hayes. “Our issues in town are primarily spatial issues.”

Thomas shared a written report on parking in the council packet. The week before Planning Director Michael Davolio discussed at the planning commission a First Street parking inventory. The commissioners will address parking as part of an update to the Town comprehensive plan’s transportation element ,.

“As we are all aware,” Thomas wrote, “parking on First Street – particularly at this time of year – can be a challenge. The issue of parking is a perennial topic and we have received a substantial number of complaints from residents and visitors alike. The Council and staff have discussed possible methods of addressing this issue and other suggestions have been made by members of the public.

“Unfortunately,” noted Thomas, “a consensus around one or more methods has not formed.”

Thomas listed a half-dozen downtown traffic and parking proposals that have been considered through the years, including: imposing time restrictions on parking, increasing promotion of existing parking areas north and south of downtown, implementing a paid parking system, transforming First Street into a southbound one-way traffic route each April, permanently limiting First Street to southbound, one-way traffic and closing First Street from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. while providing a shuttle option.

“One of the drawbacks (to paid parking),” said Thomas, “is that is not certain that parking fees will cover the cost of staffing to enforce time limits.”

Former council member Bill Stokes said the parking pressures would be reduced if First Street south of Commercial Street was more accessible.

“I’m disappointed at how long it’s taking to do something with the Moore-Clark property,” said Stokes, again stressing that the former fish feed production company’s dilapidated warehouse extends seven feet onto the right-of-way.

“We could have one-way (traffic) from Commercial to Caledonia if the Moore-Clark Building is addressed,” Stokes said.

Stokes, a participant in prior Town parking studies, advocated for metered parking on First Street, predicting it would be a net revenue producer.

Metered parking accessed by a PayByPhone mobile app is employed in Fairhaven and downtown Bellingham, several meeting attendees said.

Traffic on Maple Avenue also drew Council’s attention. Hayes said he recently had to help a child cross the heavily traveled avenue.

“We have a real problem there,” said Hayes. “People speed on that street. There are kids who live there, so it’s an issue.”

Consideration will be given to re-installation of a flashing traffic light at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Caledonia Street, he said.

Councilmember Rick Dole reported that the Town Emergency Management Commission will meet at 4:30 p.m. on second and fourth Tuesdays, prior to Council. “We’re trying to get more younger working people to meetings where 9:30 a.m. doesn’t work,” said Dole.

The panel accepted a $162,903 Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction planning grant for improving water quality by reducing nutrients discharged into state waters. “This is a long-standing grant for nutrients,” Thomas said, “that we hope to pull into design work for the wastewater treatment plant.”