Pay to park, one-way streets comp plan options

The wheels are turning – first gradually, than rapidly – as Town of La Conner officials continue work on updating the transportation element of its comprehensive plan.

“I’ve been working on this element for several months,” Director of Planning Michael Davolio told planning commissioners at their 90-minute Sept. 19 hybrid meeting at Maple Hall, “and one of the surprising things I’ve learned is that there is enough parking on South First Street to accommodate all the (residential and commercial) uses there.

“But,” he cautioned, “it doesn’t matter during tourist season and this is a tourism-based economy.”

Davolio’s comment, on what has been a top-tier issue in La Conner for decades, began a wide-ranging discussion designed to spur additional reflection – including of the outside the box variety – from commissioners.

“I’d like you to give these issues serious thought to discuss at a later meeting to establish goals,” said Davolio.

Topics and possible future scenarios raised last week included timed, angled and/or paid parking; one-way traffic on one or both of First and Second streets; opening South First Street to Caledonia Street; employing shuttle service from the parking lot below Town Hall; developing safe non-motorized traffic routes; increasing transit access; and improving stop sign visibility around town, especially Morris Street.

The one immediate and concrete result of the brainstorming was appointment of commissioners John Leaver and Bruce Bradburn to a subcommittee charged with contacting and gleaning information from representatives of companies that provide paid parking systems.

It was noted earlier that Bellingham, Leavenworth and Granville Island have already shifted to paid parking.

Bradburn said parking meters date to the 1940s, introduced in Oklahoma City at a cost of five cents per hour. Any embrace of parking restrictions, he added, will increase the burden on local enforcement.

“Unless you have enforcement,” he said, “it’s ridiculous. You’re going to have to hire someone to around and write tickets.”

A parking payment apparatus will also be needed.

“We would have to think about infrastructure to put in place to collect the (parking) fees,” Assistant Planner Ajah Eills said. “I’m sure that’s something that can be overcome.”

Commissioner Marna Hanneman, who will become mayor in December, said traffic congestion on First Street has been exasperated by the renewed popularity of larger vehicles.

“Vehicles are getting bigger,” she said. “I’m fearful someone will get hit or a mirror will get torn off.

“We have a vision of our town,” Hanneman stressed. “We want to keep it charming. But we need revenue and we need rules. I know the topic of parking on First Street is of huge importance to the town council,”

Leaver suggested using electric jitneys – open vehicles carrying passengers for relatively low fares – between the public south end parking lot and downtown, which Hanneman praised for its creativity.

“We need to be thinking outside the box,” she said. “We need to be creative and we have to realize we’re not going to please everyone 100% of the time.”

Whenever the prospect of one-way traffic on First Street is raised, concerns are voiced about potential impacts on residential neighborhoods, as an example.

“And then you’ll have to talk to the people on Second Street,” Hanneman quipped knowingly when a one-way First Street option was introduced.

Davolio addressed needs of bike lanes and additional sidewalks, thereby carving out more safe routes to school for local students. “There’s not a lot of transit access,” he said. “Do we want to do something about that?”

Commissioners are also looking at other key subjects.

Davolio said efforts continue to stay in contact with Swinomish Indian Tribal Community officials. Eills said the ongoing public participation program expects responses from La Conner Schools students to be incorporated into comp plan updates.

Oct. 17 is a public forum on short-term rentals at the La Conner Civic Garden Club Building. An Oct. 19 day trip to Langley is for a meeting with architect Ross Chapin, who specializes in affordable housing.