— by Margie Doyle —
At the regular Orcas Island School District Board meeting on April 28, the board took the unusual action of voting down a motion made to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the County.
The five-page MOU came after months of discussion among the County officials, the EPRC advisory board and the Orcas Chamber of Commerce in an attempt to ease the parking situation in “downtown” Eastsound during the busy summer months and other times of heavy traffic. It proposed that the school’s parking lots be made available to the public: the County and the School District “shall endeavor to work together to develop and establish policies and procedures that will promote and sustain a market for occasional use of school owned roadside areas for Public Transportation relief, and intend to maintain a product and/ore services that meets or exceeds all business and industry standards,” according to the document.
The MOU stated the services agreed upon by the School District would “authorize the use of school owned property, lying contiguous to County roadways (and other areas designated by the District), for use as relief parking ares and “park and ride” activities during periods of high public traffic demand in Eastsound. Times and dates of usage of said hours are subject to varying demands but are generally expected to be during “non-school hours.”
For its part, the County “via the Public Works Department, will improve roadside areas mentioned in this agreement, to a condition acceptable to accommodate the increase public usage. Improvements to include but are not limited to, improved structural capacity, drainage improvements and traffic signage.”
The Board questioned whether they were agreeing to more responsibilities and obligations than just providing parking. Scott Lancaster said the Eastsound Subarea plan required the county “to accumulate as much parking area in the [Eastsound] core as they can.” He pointed out that the county agreed to maintain the district’s parking lots at their discretion, and asked what that meant specifically. He noted the MOU would last for five years form the approval date, and that it may be canceled by either party with 30 days advance written notice.
Chris Sutton described the MOU as a work in progress, and said that it wouldn’t hurt to approve the document.
Janet Brownell asked what benefit the agreement was to the school district.
While it was brought up that the public can park in the school parking lots without formal agreements, the board asked that Superintendent Webb take the opportunity to work with the county to further define the understanding between the County and the School District.
The sense of the board appeared to be against voting the approving resolution down. Tony Ghazel said, “Let’s continue the discussion, but we’re not interested in this particular plan. When asked for his recommendation, Superintendent Webb suggested that at this time a letter to the County following the board’s action would be the appropriate course of action.
All opposed the motion, originally made by Brownell, to approve the MOU.
Some people might conclude that the school district is not acting neighborly and might suggest that no further levies be supported if the District continues to not share it’s resources that the public paid for.
As a lawyer, I can only ask, “Who wrote that thing”? Very wise not to sign it. It’s gibberish.
Parking at the school is a problem on the road – mainly by the elementary school – and it always has been. Losing parking spaces there really hurts both the homeowners and building owners and renters now affected by people parking in front of their houses during school hours and events, but also it affects the volunteers – some carrying heavy bags of materials (such as art teachers and volunteers) who now have to part in the HS lot and walk all the way around to the front entrance of the elementary school.
There is no easy solution – just as there is no solution in the rest of Eastsound, where development runs rampant and more and more easements are given (think the access road/parking lot between Healing Arts and Wassau Station – with 6 new houses (rentals? vacay homes? what ARE they?) and the increased traffic and parking competition there.cars will not only be using, but backing into (in some instances) main arterials.
This isn’t just a school problem – it’s a county and EPRC planning problem and it’s going to get worse unless people get involved and try to come up with a shuttle idea…. or more biking/walking in town (not practical for those carrying heavy loads)…or…?
I have an idea: STOP giving building and water permits in Eastsound and immediate surround, and go back to LONG RANGE planning with a balanced approach – not just maximizing every dollar to the county and planning dept. for permits that in no way benefit local workers.
The solution is easy…”Virtual Parking”! Just ask Wally and the county how it works (because I’m not sure–drive virtual cars maybe?)
Improvements, improvements, being mentioned for Prune Alley and other streets and areas around town, but never a word about Madrona St. It’s as though this heavily traveled road does not exist! A year or so ago, when nearly all roads in Eastsound were repaved (even the ones that have very low traffic)….Madrona St. was left alone. In the winter, cars parking in front of homes creates muddy bogs from the tires, along with homeowners feeling like they are living in a parking lot. There are at least 60 to 80 parking spaces on the East side and North side of the high school that could be used by those who now park along Madrona St. What?…too far for able bodied parents and children to walk through the newly constructed walkways between the high school and the elementary school? Those who live on Madrona St. supported the tax increases for funding this new construction at both schools, too. So when can we see improvments made along Madrona St., such as no parking signs, new paving, sidewalks? Just asking.