ISLAND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS  -   SPECIAL SESSION  -  JUNE 8,  2004

 

The Board of Island County Commissioners met in Special Session on Tuesday, June 8, 2004, beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the Island County Camano Multipurpose Center, 141 N. East Camano Drive, Camano Island, WA.  William J. Byrd, Chairman, Mike Shelton, Member, and Wm. L. McDowell,  Member, were present.

 

An attendance sheet was circulated [on file with the Clerk of the Board].  Dick Snyder, Island County Engineer, represented the Public Works Department.  Kelly Ruhoff,  Stanwood/Camano News, attended.  Three  members of the public were present.

 

The purpose of the special session was to conduct a public hearing on  Ordinance #C-39-04 (R-13-04) in the matter of Establishing Parking Restrictions on Lowell Point Road, Camano Island, in the Vicinity of the Camano Island Trail:  (1) from the Camano Beach State Park Trail Head southerly 600 feet, parking shall be prohibited on  the west side of Lowell Point  Road, where the trail corridor falls within the County road shoulders; and (2) from  Breezy Point Road southerly approximately 700 feet, to the Camano State Park Trail  Head entrance, parking shall be prohibited on the west side of Lowell Point, where the trail corridor falls within the County road shoulders.   

 

Dick Snyder  explained that the parking restrictions on Lowell Point Road were being proposed in order to permit more efficient use of the trail.   Where  the trail is located adjacent to the road shoulder,  people are parking along the road shoulder and encroaching into the trail which limits the  use of the trail.   Only  the road shoulders on the west side of Lowell point Road adjacent to the trail  need the parking restrictions.  

 

Commissioner Shelton noted from the Ordinance that   Lowell Point Road is a two lane narrow road and

minimal shoulders in some areas, thus when vehicles are parked along this portion of the roadway they are partially parked on the traveled way, creating a traffic safety hazard and interfering with free movement of traffic.  He was  concerned whether there were other problems that needed to be addressed at the same time, and inquired if  lots of people parking there consistently.

 

Mr. Snyder was not aware of any other problems not addressed by the  Ordinance.  He pointed out that there is a parking lot at the entrance of the State Park allowing parking without paying the $5.00 fee required by the State Park.  He thought that  people parked only along the trail adjacent to the road because it looked like a wide shoulder, and they were not aware of the trail.   

 

Jeff Wheeler, Ranger, Camano Island State Park, explained the Camano Island State Park Trail Head was located  at the entrance of  Camano Island State Park just outside the gate where the free parking area is  located.

 

Commissioner McDowell asked whether people parked along the road because the parking lot was full or because of the lack of understanding that the wide shoulder was actually a trail.  Also,  if there was still an impact on the trail and if there was still a need to restrict parking.  

 

Ray Johnson, Ranger, Camano Island State Park,  indicated that  people parked along the west side of Lowell Point Road sometimes because the free parking area was full or because of a lack of signs;  people were confused and  aware of the trail.  Most  of the parked cars were parked where the new houses were being built on the east side of Lowell Point Road closer to the Cama Trail Head.   After  Cama Beach opens there would be more people using the trail between the two parks and a need to keep the trail clear from parked cars and concluded the parking restrictions needed to be implemented. 

 

John Edison, Friends of Camano Island Parks, supported action to keep the trail clear of cars for use by pedestrians, noting that people can  park in the State Park and pay the parking fee.  

 

No others indicated a desire to speak either for or against the proposed ordinance and the Chairman closed the public testimony portion.

 

The Board by unanimous motion approved Ordinance #C-39-04 (R-13-04) Establishing Parking Restrictions on Lowell Point Road, Camano Island, in the Vicinity of the Camano Island Trail, from  the Cama Beach State Park Trail Head southerly 600 feet, parking shall be prohibited on the west side of Lowell Point Road, where the trail corridor falls within the County road shoulders; and from  Breezy Point Road southerly approximately 700 feet, to the Camano State Park Trail  Head entrance, parking shall be prohibited on the west side of Lowell Point, where the trail corridor falls within the County road shoulders, correcting the first page of the Ordinance, sixth Whereas paragraph, third line the word “east” corrected to read “west”. 

 

There being no further business to come before the Board at this time, the meeting adjourned at 2:10 p.m.  The Board will meet next in Regular Session June 14, 2004 beginning at 9:30 a.m. 

 

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

ISLAND COUNTY, WASHINGTON

 

 

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William J. Byrd, Chairman

 

 

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Mike Shelton, Member

 

 

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Wm. L. McDowell, Member

 

 

 

ATTEST:  

 

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Elaine Marlow, Clerk of the Board