Eastsound Planners Zero In on Road Improvements

The corner of Rose Street and Prune Alley could use a "bulb-out" curb improvement

By Margie Doyle

Thursday, June 7 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Eastsound Fire Hall

At its upcoming meeting tomorrow, June 7, the Eastsound Planning Review Committee (EPRC) has scheduled much of its focus on alley, road and street improvements in the Eastsound Sub-area and Urban Growth Area (UGA).

The meeting begins at 3 p.m. with a presentation by County Engineer Rachel Dietzman on “A” Street, the three Fern Street lots (and a possible pathway connection from Prune Alley to North Beach Road through “Liberty Garden”), Mt. Baker Road and the Third Phase of the Mount Treatment Plant behind the Eastsound Village Green.

Other county staff scheduled to be in attendance at the meeting are Mobility Manager Christopher Aiken, Senior Planner Colin Maycock and Dana Kinsey of the San Juan Conservation District.

Orcas County Council members Richard Fralick and Patty Miller are scheduled to report on County Council work, such as budgeting, the Critical Areas and Shoreline Master Plan projects and solid waste disposal projects.

The EPRC has been working intensively since last fall on a plan to improve Prune Alley with designated parking and sidewalks.

EPRC members Fred Klein and Rick Hughes have contacted property and business owners, and Hughes reported at the May 1 EPRC meeting that there is interest among them in putting something together to improve the street in the heart of Eastsound. “Money is always a concern,” Hughes said, noting that some property right-of-way will need to be given up in exchange for the parking.

Funding for the Prune Alley project is an agenda item for this Thursday’s meeting. The County Public Works intends to chip-seal Prune Alley in 2014, and the Prune Alley improvements may be done in alignment with that project.

Plans have been drafted with an eye towards improving Eastsound north-south business thoroughfare with consideration of:

• expanding sidewalks, curbs and parking onto Prune Alley and the cross streets that connect Prune Alley with North Beach Road
• incorporating radius curbs (designed like those found at the intersection of “A” Street and North Beach Road)
• providing disability access, mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In discussion at a previous EPRC meeting, member Fred Klein said, “If we can’t do continuous curbs, let’s take care of the intersections [of Prune Alley and Fern street, “A” Street, and Rose Street.] Those corners on Prune Alley could be improved by the implementation of “bulb-outs”or radius curbs such as currently exist at North Beach Road and “A” Street.”

Dietzman agreed that there may be funding through the Scenic Byways program to complete both the chip sealing and the radial pedestrian crossing.

At the May meeting, EPRC member Ted Grossman reminded the group that the Scenic Byways funds may be available for the Prune Alley improvements.

EPRC member Clyde Duke said about the Prune Alley plans at a previous meeting, “When the county came to us about chipsealing, EPRC recognized the opportunity, the historic impetus.”

A previous plan to mitigate downtown traffic had been proposed when former County Planning and Development Director Ron Henrickson designed a one-way traffic and parking scheme for North Beach Road and Prune Alley in 2006.

Deer Harbor Planning Review Committee member Charlie Binford said at the last EPRC meeting, “If it [Prune Alley Improvements} makes more money for property owner — and it will — it increases the value of the property and the income to retail owners.”

Binford suggested that the EPRC look to the county lodging tax (LTAC) paid by the lodging  community to promote tourism as a funding source.

The Eastsound Planning Review Committee (EPRC) was established in 1981 under the authority of the Eastsound Subarea Plan by the San Juan County Commissioners.  It consists of seven Orcas Island residents, appointed by Commission [now Council] to advise the planning department, the planning commission and the County Council on land use and development matters affecting Eastsound.