Eastsound Planning Looks at New Development and Allowing Kiosks

Thursday, June 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Eastsound Fire Hall

By Margie Doyle

At tomorrow’s Eastsound Planning Review Committee (EPRC) meeting the county advisory committee members will review plans to clear and grading a large lot in Eastsound’s sevice light industrial zone, to add a roof to an existing building on Main Street and to install a new sign at the Island Medical Center.

In addition, the EPRC will discuss:

• “A” street Update with Fred Klein
• Rain garden Funding with Conservation District Manager Lynda Lyshall

Beginning at 4 p.m. the group will receive an update from County Councilman for Orcas Island,  Rick Hughes on the Eastsound  Sub-area Update, Shoreline Master Plan, county budget, and other council news.

Colin Maycock, County Senior Planner will give an update on the Shoreline Master Plan.

Finally, the EPRC will review “Kiosk language” on the first draft of a document. This document was drawn up following the discussion at the last EPRC meeting on May 2, when Committee members explored the pros and cons of “kiosk businesses” in Eastsound.

Kiosk Discussion

While kiosks flourish in Friday Harbor, the only Eastsound kiosk in recent years has been the Deer Harbor Charter kiosk near the corner of Main Street and North Beach Road. That kiosk measures about 8 x 8 feet, and is manned by a single person each summer. The permit for that kiosk is renewed annually.  There is also an ice-cream truck that operates in several locations in Eastsound.

This year, the EPRC wasn’t shown the Deer Harbor kiosk plan until late April, although the plan had been submitted to the County Development and Planning Department (CDPD) last November. Upon their review, members of the EPRC expressed their dismay with what they described as an incomplete and inaccurate depiction of the plan. For their part, representatives of Deer Harbor Charters said they were willing to provide whatever information was needed; but the pro forma application had been adequate in the past and they had not been advised of new requirements.

Now however, there is a growing trend in start-up businesses on the scene – that of food trucks, temporary kiosks and “mobile” Eastsound vending.

Amanda Sparks spoke to the EPRC about her plan to park a drive-through food and coffee kiosk with a wheelchair service counter and/or drive-through space in the parking lot at the corner of Haven Road and Main Street, just east of Hogstone Pizza. Sparks’ plans call for plug-in electicity underground, and a mobile septic tank to haul out waste water. The mobile unit would be home-based throughout the year at the “downtown” Eastsound location, but would be able to move upon occasion.

The Eastsound Sub-area Plan doesn’t address kiosks now; they are neither prohibited or allowed. Amanda Sparks said she fully expects there will be requirements, but there may not be a process for allowing kiosks in Eastsound.

EPRC member Ken Katz asked about the process for permitting a kiosk, and was told that if a building is less than 400 square feet, a  building permit is not required; however, if power’s brought in there should be a permit for that and Labor and Industries must approve for power and water.

For a kiosk to establish itself, it should be on property privately owned. Furthermore, the contract between kiosk- and property-owner should address the eventualities including utility use, parking and zoning.  And whenever kiosk owners are on private property, the property owners must provide the amenities to the kiosk as if they were employees.

Patty Miller, former EPRC member and County Council member said, “Speaking as a citizen, I hope we don’t find kiosks are used as a way [to avoid] having to meet requirements that property owners have to meet, such as sidewalks and parking. She had no problem with kiosks per se, but they “should have the same standards as those to which property owners are held, including parking space and architectural standards.”

Rick Hughes, also former EPRC member and current County Councilman said he was not inclined to favor portable businesses being set up on public property.

Clyde Duke suggested limitations on the number of kiosks and/or portable businesses. “Eastsound is just so cutting edge, that’s the problem,” said Duke.

Others countered that the Eastsound Sub-area plan being 25 years old is the problem.

EPRC member Teri Williams suggested that perhaps Eastsound could follow the example of Roche Harbor on San Juan Island, where kiosks are featured in the marina area: “Personally I like that feel. Maybe the county could lease spaces on the south end of Village Green; that would give more of a village look rather than [kiosks] popping up willy-nilly.”

She was also concerned about empty commercial space behind kiosks.

Fred Klein said, “There is a tradition of festival marketplaces, biz on carts, and the like, seen as incubators for getting a business started that can later move into retail space at lower cost of entry.” Klein later weighed in to say kiosk design standards should be “small (4 x 8 ft  max up to 32 sq ft), temporary and seasonal.”

The EPRC   discussed its role in the discussion, and stated that they should identify the issues plans and developments present , and “not undermine the potential of a start up business.”

At the close of the kiosk discussion, Teri Williams agreed to look at development standards and bring back recommendations to help form a definition for kiosks, food trucks, including architectural standards. Ken Katz will work on a rough draft of design standards, and Greg Ayers will work on kiosk and mobile business definitions from King County to use as a template.

EPRC committee members currently are Jobin Suthergreen, Greg Ayers, Clyde Duke, Gulliver Rankin, Ken Katz, Fred Klein and Teri Williams.

In related news, the new Eastsound Design Review Committee (EDRC) member is architect John Campbell.

The public is welcome to attend all EPRC meetings, usually held on the first Thursday of each month