Downtown/Gateway/Parking/City Council/ PADA
Things are heating up again in Downtown Port Angeles. Gateway Center construction will be starting soon, and the downtown parking situation will be Godawful. As you probably know, there's a disagreement (to put it mildly) between the Downtown Association and the City Council, regarding the parking situation.
In a nutshell: How much of a priority is it to provide parking for customers shopping downtown?
There have been long-term agreements between the City Council and the Downtown Association, stipulating that the Gateway construction will cause no net loss of parking spaces downtown. But several downtown parking lots have already been condemned (to make way for the Gateway project) and sold. This has created a loss of parking revenue for the Downtown Association, not to mention the huge loss of parking spaces for downtown customers. Just think how much worse it'll get when the construction actually starts. What happened to those agreements???
The Downtown Association wanted to go through the mediation process with the City Council to work out their disagreements on downtown parking. This mediation was to be an alternative to litigation. The City Council turned down the mediation request. So, where do we go from here? Litigation? There might be a meeting between the City Council and the Downtown Association — will this meeting be public or private? Will it be on the record or off the record?
What do YOU think should be done?
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UPDATE: The Port Angeles Farmers Market will be returning downtown on Wednesdays. This will begin in early June. They'll be using the parking lot at the corner of Laurel and West First Streets. Saturdays are unlikely any time soon, at least for that particular parking lot. However, the Farmers Market WILL be downtown (at that same parking lot) on Saturday, April 21st. That's because the Courthouse parking lot, where the Market usually sets up, will be closed that day for a car show.
So come on, Port Angeles residents, be sure to come into town on Saturday April 21st, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to check out the Farmers Market at West First and Laurel. It'll be just like the good old days. And be sure to do lots of shopping and dining and strolling while you're here.
In a nutshell: How much of a priority is it to provide parking for customers shopping downtown?
There have been long-term agreements between the City Council and the Downtown Association, stipulating that the Gateway construction will cause no net loss of parking spaces downtown. But several downtown parking lots have already been condemned (to make way for the Gateway project) and sold. This has created a loss of parking revenue for the Downtown Association, not to mention the huge loss of parking spaces for downtown customers. Just think how much worse it'll get when the construction actually starts. What happened to those agreements???
The Downtown Association wanted to go through the mediation process with the City Council to work out their disagreements on downtown parking. This mediation was to be an alternative to litigation. The City Council turned down the mediation request. So, where do we go from here? Litigation? There might be a meeting between the City Council and the Downtown Association — will this meeting be public or private? Will it be on the record or off the record?
What do YOU think should be done?
**************************************************
UPDATE: The Port Angeles Farmers Market will be returning downtown on Wednesdays. This will begin in early June. They'll be using the parking lot at the corner of Laurel and West First Streets. Saturdays are unlikely any time soon, at least for that particular parking lot. However, the Farmers Market WILL be downtown (at that same parking lot) on Saturday, April 21st. That's because the Courthouse parking lot, where the Market usually sets up, will be closed that day for a car show.
So come on, Port Angeles residents, be sure to come into town on Saturday April 21st, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to check out the Farmers Market at West First and Laurel. It'll be just like the good old days. And be sure to do lots of shopping and dining and strolling while you're here.
Labels: Gateway Center, PADA, Port Angeles City Council, Port Angeles Downtown Association, Port Angeles Farmers Market
posted by Tom Harper at 3:14 PM
11 Comments:
......"MJ" says: "The Time is Nigh"..."Time is actually on OUR side"..."Excessive DEBT is on Theirs"...Too many FIRES, and IRONS being CANDLE Burnt on Both Ends???
...SHOULD WE REJOICE - WHEN OUR UTILITY FEES ARE INCREASED TO HELP PAY FOR THE(5)- COUNT THEM - FIVE LEADING "PROJECTS" ARE BEGUN THIS YEAR ?????..."GATEWAY"; "EUGA SEWER"; "8TH ST. BRIDGES"; "HWY. 112 ELWHA BRIDGE"; "WATER TREATMENT PLANT/ELWHA DAMS REMOVAL!!!!!
...Where does the "PADA" fit in ALL of this ???...STAYED TUNED...You'll hear/see it HERE ???
...(BACK TO YOU "MJ")... ;-) ...
Litigation might be a necessary evil. Somebody needs to stand up to the city council.
Litigation may be the necessary evil, however where's the dough going to come from?
Where will the money come from? Aye, there's the rub. The city council has tons of money (i.e. our tax dollars) and the PADA doesn't have a pot to piss in.
It's a nasty situation whichever way it goes. I believe the PADA needs to take this to the next level because without "teeth" in our threats no one will take them seriously. And this is QUITE serious.
Members need to provide the Board with their input so that they are adequately represented; if no one shows up at the Morning Mingles or the Board meetings, it seems the Membership is not interested in being involved. This month we are hoping to have a "Downtowners" meeting, instead of a Morning Mingle, and have a larger Membership turnout. More info is to come. I will be sending out an invitation by e-mail; hope to see lots of you there.
Catherine Harper
"just like the good old days" -- and that's just what downtown needs. Those good old days when there were real live people walking around downtown Port Angeles on Saturdays and Wednesday evenings. Downtown has been dying without the Farmers Market, and the Farmers Market has been suffering in their new location.
The obvious solution: BRING THEM BACK. Let's hope there'll soon be a permanent arrangement for Saturdays. In the meantime, let's hope for a huge turnout downtown on Saturday, Earth Day, April 21, for the Farmers Market's one-time appearance.
Who's we? Planning a meeting?
Yes, there will tentatively be a meeting Wednesday evening, April 25th. All PADA members (and anybody else who's interested) are invited. We don't know yet how much interest there will be. Some e-mail invitations went out and a few people have responded saying they'd be interested.
The location and the exact time haven't been arranged yet. I'll post all updated information here when I receive it. I'll probably do a separate post tomorrow about this meeting.
I'm confused is this a PADA meeting or just a meeting of downtown businesses?
From what I understand, it's supposed to be instead of the PADA Morning Mingle that they usually have on the last Wednesday of each month. The PADA Board has agreed to let us try this evening meeting, to see if we can get a larger turnout. The Morning Mingle usually has a pretty small turnout. This meeting is for PADA members, business owners, and anyone else who's concerned about what's happening downtown.
.."GATEWAY PARKING GARAGE".. ;-)..
...Should/could be a "HIGH PRIORITY" now - with the (almost) Guaranteed (additional)$$$ from a new "Transit" grant to be forthcoming??? - sounds like from the "Transit Board Mtg. yesterday...Let's hope so !!!
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