Planning Commission again discusses First Street traffic, parking

Town planning commissioners trod a familiar path at their April 16 public meeting.

The five-member advisory panel, which is in the process of drafting updates to the transportation element of the La Conner Comprehensive Plan, revisited options for potential future traffic flow and parking on South First Street.

Discussion didn’t end there.

Commissioners will take up the topic one more time at their May 7 session, during which they could agree on recommendations to forward to the Town Council for consideration.

Commissioners and residents have during the past few months weighed pros and cons of converting S. First Street to one-way traffic from either Morris or Washington streets, limiting parking to one side of First Street and committing to paid or time-restricted downtown parking, among other proposals.

A key motivation cited for change is public safety.

“Cars are getting shorter, but they’re also getting wider,” Mayor Marna Hanneman said to the commission while speaking as a private citizen. “It’s public safety. That’s got to be the priority.”

La Conner Fire Chief and Code Enforcement Officer Aaron Reinstra has endorsed measures that would allow easier downtown access for emergency vehicles.

But there is concern that changing First Street to one-way traffic or charging for downtown parking would increase congestion on Second Street and other residential streets.

“The whole hill and especially Second Street would be impacted,” cautioned longtime resident and former town council member Joan Cross. “People will continue to look for free parking.”

Town Assistant Planner Ajah Eills noted that one-way traffic on First Street was temporarily adopted during the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival between 2000 and 2004. She said her research indicates the seasonal traffic plan was ultimately scuttled based on public input.

The town this spring has reached out for input again with a community survey.

“We’ve gotten responses from about 5% of the population,” Planning Director Michael Davolio said. Over time, the town has “gotten a lot of public comments on First Street.”

Commission chair Bruce Bradburn equated survey participation with voting.

“Everybody gripes about the government,” he quipped, “but if you don’t vote, shut up.”

Davolio followed with a series of rhetorical questions.

“Do we have enough parking on First Street?” he asked. “Most of the year, we do. During tulip season, we don’t. During summer?”

The jury remains out regarding Davolio’s latter query, though former longtime planning commissioner Linda Talman said normal conditions should be the base line for developing Comp Plan standards.

“You don’t have to plan for the most difficult time,” Talman said. “Most people are okay with people parking in front of their homes during the Tulip Festival. People are accommodating when it comes to tulip parking and the summer Sunday concerts.”

Second Street resident Dorothy Downes suggested that the present south end paid parking lot has capacity to handle more vehicles should First Street parking be limited to one side.

Eills said the paid lot is getting plenty of weekend use at present.

“This is the time of year we see the most traffic in La Conner,” she said. “We’re seeing the south parking lot filled. But outside of the Tulip Festival it could probably accommodate more parking, but in April there’s pressure on our parking infrastructure. I know the lot was filled over the weekend (of April 13 and 14).”

Commissioner Sommer Holt offered a new proposal near the end of the one-hour April 16 agenda. She proposed keeping First Street traffic two-way but devoting more space to downtown fire lanes.

Davolio anticipates completing for commissioners a staff report on First Street by April 30, a week ahead of the board’s next meeting.

“Our recommendations will be based largely on community input,” he said. “We want to reflect what the community wants.”

Yet Bradburn predicted no proposal, including maintenance of the status quo, is likely to gain universal support.

“Not everybody is going to be happy,” he said.