On Tuesday, September 7, 2021, the Port Angeles City Council approved the adoption of an ordinance for immediate moratorium on the filing, acceptance, processing and/or approval of all City applications for the installation of any new surface style parking lot within some City commercial corridors. The scope of the moratorium is small and will affect very few property and business owners in Port Angeles.
The moratorium, valid for a period of up to 6 months, was recommended by staff after an analysis of the City’s existing land use codes identified surface style parking lots as problematic and detrimental for the intended goals of the continued code work efforts. Port Angeles has a limited land base and surface parking is not a responsible or efficient use of our primary commercial corridors. This type of parking creates an excess of hard surfaces within the City, sometimes requires the demolition of existing buildings, and creates problems in achieving pedestrian-oriented and high-quality commercial block frontages.
The City has made a substantial investment in code work to improve the form and quality of the community, including a joint strategic planning effort with the Chamber of Commerce through Elevate Port Angeles community meetings. This ordinance will allow the City additional time to explore options and draft new land use regulations regarding parking lot design standards, permitted uses in commercial districts and commercial district block frontage standards along commercial corridors. It will also preserve existing building stock and prevent any lasting negative impacts on the community brought by an influx of development applications reacting to new code process.
Public input provided at well-attended code workshops and stakeholder meetings have demonstrated the community’s desires and expectations for the built environment. The Port Angeles City Council recognizes this desire and have prioritized the responsible enhancement of the City’s commercial corridors.
The September 7, 2021 Port Angeles City Council packet, which includes the memo, ordinance, and attachments for this matter, can be viewed on the City’s Meetings & Agenda page at: https://cityofpa.us/583/Meetings-Agendas.
Provided by:
Allyson Brekke
Director of Community & Economic Development
Phone: 360-417-4751
Email: abrekke@cityofpa.us
Website: www.cityofpa.us