Political players at the City of Port Townsend have made no secret of their desire to eliminate vehicular traffic in the city’s primary business districts in favor of a more walkable, bike-able, maybe even pedestrian-only commercial hub. When John Mauro was hired as city manager to replace 20-year manager Timmons, it was on the strength of his “green” credentials. As reported in the Free Press in October 2020 (Who is John Mauro, Port Townsend’s City Manager?), in his prior position as Chief Sustainability Officer for the city of Auckland, New Zealand:
“He gave interviews and wrote climate action plans and plans for planting trees and adding bike paths and eliminating cars from Auckland streets.”
A green and sustainable environment may be a laudable goal. Is the elimination of parking in PT’s Historic Districts — by awarding use of publicly-funded street rights-of-way to some business owners, to the detriment of others — the right way to achieve that goal?
When pandemic response began dramatically changing our local landscape, temporary “streateries” were developed to enable restaurants to relocate their indoor dining to parking areas outside their businesses — literally on the city streets. Naturally, the loss of valuable parking spaces meant potentially reduced traffic for all other businesses along those streets. But, hey, this was an emergency, and the burdens on folks in the food industry were especially onerous.
The emergency is past. It’s business as usual again. But the restaurateurs who have benefited from the expanded real estate do not want to lose it. The city is now proposing that these “streateries” are granted permanent status — benefiting a small coterie of restaurant owners while the majority of the business community suffers the loss of even more already-limited parking options for their customers.
Water Street “streatery”, removing 46 feet of parking, as well as public sidewalk space.
The city posted notification of an “Open House on Streateries” on their website. The presentation took place yesterday evening. According to the timeline on the city webpage, this is the fast-track schedule to codify their proposal:
- March 21, 2022 Survey noted above distributed by Port Townsend Main Street
- March 29, 2022 Open House at 4:30 at the Cotton Building
- March 31, 2022 Survey closes
- April 4, 2022, City Council Meeting reviews public feedback
- April 18, 2022, City Council Meeting – Council will be presented with proposed code and receives public feedback
- May 2, 2022, City Council Meeting presents any revisions of ordinance for the proposed code
Where was the public notice?
The public was never notified of this significant proposed change to city code in the newsletter that is included in all city utility bills each month. It was not mentioned in reports from either the mayor or the city manager. Will next month’s newsletter announce this plan, after the survey has closed and the City Council has already reviewed public feedback?
A press release is linked on the city’s page noted above, but we can find no mention in the Leader of this proposal or process. Nor did Main Street’s Word on the Street publicize it, though the timeline above states that Main Street distributed a survey.
That survey is also on the city’s website, here. It consists of 13 questions. Question 5 is “Do you support the establishment of a long-term program for streateries and parklets?” Free Press editor Stephen Schumacher responded:
“This feels like a theft of public streets by converting ‘temporary emergency’ outdoor dining into permanent space for preferred businesses at the expense of others, who may not have been given legally required public notice. These outdoor street structures are ugly and unnecessary and impinge on parking and reinforce the false narrative that some kind of ongoing ‘emergency’ is going on or may soon be resumed.”
Additionally he wrote, “I reject the premises of questions 6-11 because these illegal takings of public properties for private insider benefits need to be terminated not perpetuated.”
The only public notice of this proposal we were able to find other than the page on the city’s website was a March 16 article in the Peninsula Daily News (PDN), Port Townsend to consider permanent ‘streatery’ program. It notes that a Main Street survey conducted last year found that business owners complained about the loss of parking spaces “and about the way some of the streateries look.”
Unless a resident regularly reads the PDN or frequents the city’s website, one wouldn’t know this giveaway was in process.
The issues with parking, to which the city has turned a blind eye for years, have been an ongoing nightmare for some Port Townsend businesses. Harvey Windle, owner of Forest Gems, anchoring the busy downtown intersection of Washington and Adams, has been a vocal critic of the parking morass for eight years and has written the city multiple times about this proposed commandeering of public property.
His most recent letter, emailed today to Port Townsend’s city attorney, city council and mayor, and City Manager Mauro, questions not only the fairness of serving special interests in this city street giveaway, but the public process itself.
“Besides the negative proposed removal of even more parking spaces for insider special interests, the process looks to be extremely flawed.
My manager knew of the proposal only because she signed up on a mailing list.
Monday with only a few days before input cut off on the 31st I took what little time I could spare and spoke with 2 neighboring businesses. Bergstroms and the new owner of the Antique Mall.
Neither were aware of the proposed unknown final number (problem there as well) Streaterie and Parklet conversions and were shocked at the proposal.
Claims were made that businesses were given information. Where is the checklist of businesses contacted?
Why was this not in the local paper weeks in advance with both sides of the issue covered?
Robin Bergstrom asked me if there was something he could sign in protest. A class action lawsuit is where this is headed.
I contacted the City Attorney then and am now.
I believe most do not know of what is going on. Especially after speaking with other business owners.”
Today Windle spoke with even more downtown business folks.
“Stopped into Gooding O’Hara Mackey. Receptionist knew nothing about plans. Was disgusted that the streatery across the way has not been removed. Never used, she said. Also commented that she has to find parking daily.”
He also visited another business on Taylor “which was bustling.” The owner told him she went to last night’s meeting and “expressed that she did not want the streateries to continue or grow in numbers.”
There is also a safety issue. These are not quaint sidewalk cafes, they are in the roadway. Until (if) all vehicle access is eliminated, diners are literally feet from traffic negotiating the often busy uptown and downtown business districts. A side order of gas and diesel fumes with your meal, anyone? There isn’t even a curb providing a few inches of elevation to deflect a wayward car from careening into unprotected diners.
“Streatery” below the curb, in the street. Grills on the table tops and propane tanks at your feet. Puddles. Cars driving just inches away, some trying to park at the edge of the picket fence. A safe and pleasant dining experience?
The PDN states “streateries are taking about 10 parking spaces out of the downtown-Uptown equation.” Windle conducted his own survey and estimates that about a dozen spaces are being lost to these “temporary” outdoor dining spaces at present. But there are only three streateries currently installed — one outside of Alchemy on Washington at the end of Taylor Street, two along Water Street (photos at top and above). You can bet that with official city code inviting eateries to annex the street parking outside their properties, there will be many more to come.
Alchemy “streatery”, eliminating 5 or 6 parking spaces
If this proposed plan is codified, these three would likely be the tip of the iceberg. Taylor Street alone could have several streateries. Windle noted that until recently, there were “many others”, outside Sirens and Elevated Ice Cream among them. His letter to the city continues:
“In this case restaurants will think they benefit but where do their customers park?… Where are my special woodworkers spaces? And auto shops? And antiques? When restaurant owner Kristin buys a 6 million dollar parking-not-enforced building I think her losses are manageable without taking from me and others…
Several restaurants are owned by the President of Main Street, run under already compromised Mari Mullen under the influence of Mr. Mauro.
Mauro has a widely known lack of qualifications and has ignored parking issues from his beginning here. It is hard to claim that was not pre-arranged…
Mr. Mauro has no business further damaging limited parking. The City Council is responsible to keep him in his place and doing his actual job.
I am attaching 2 photos for the record of Mr Mauro and Mari along with restaurant owner Kristin’s attempt to close Taylor…
Even restaurant customers need parking. This is insanity. Helter Skelter Insanity against all visitors and business…”
Windle’s comment about “Kristin’s attempt to close Taylor” is in reference to the owner of Alchemy.* These are the photos he provided:
“Open Streets Initiative” on Taylor Street.
All photos: Harvey Windle
If this “Open Streets Initiative” is the direction this current proposal is headed, there will be far more than a dozen parking spaces lost on Taylor Street alone.
The survey on “Long-term Proposals for Port Townsend Streateries and Parklets” — which the city didn’t announce in its newsletter and the Leader never reported on — closes Thursday, March 31.
*Correction: Past owner
Arriving in Port Townsend in 1975 in Sherpa, her Ford van, Ana Wolpin has watched a sweetly funky, diverse and tolerant community increasingly gentrify, polarize and lose its soul. After almost half a century engaged in local business, city politics, county organizations and community projects, she joined with fellow editors to revive the Free Press and bear witness to extraordinary times. For a short sketch of Ana's history in Jefferson County, see “About the Free Press."
Port Townsend, another San Francisco wannabe.
It’s like we have a mini deep state running things here in Jeff County and especially Port Townsend. Some seriously bad energy. Nothing uglier than people who have gotten a taste of power.
Correction— Alchemy has a new owner who has been parking in front of and around my business all day. When I spoke to the new owner of the Antique Mall he also told me the same person is also parking in his lot as well. He also said a nearby hotel has told guests to park in his lot, he learned from guests…
He was a very nice person. Someone I would do business with. Unlike some key folk in City Government. He said he needed to go talk to the hotel owner, who also takes spots all day instead of parking behind his building.
The antique store owner didn’t want to seem like a “jerk” to the hotel owner who is taking advantage of him.
Does anyone see any problems with the culture that has been engineered here? Nice guys finish last.
By the way, I had a full day 2 different days and made time to touch base with real people and find out what is really going on..
Stinson never stopped in. Sandoval never stopped in. Faber doesn’t stop in. Howard and all the gang stay away because they can’t look you in the eye.
Imagine if year after year your neighbors hiding behind masks of City Power did and had been doing what I did just the last 2 days?
But that’s not the way it has been engineered. Helter Skelter.
Thanks to Chief Olson for contacting me twice today in response to my email. Thanks to new Council Person Ben Thomas for contacting me several times including today.
Thanks to the Free Press for just putting this out there.
If you have come to PT over the last 8 years you have been treated like a fool obeying parking signs while others on the A list don’t have to because some “public servants” engineered things for personal profit. This is just the latest installment.
Let’s make Port Townsend human again. Take back the soul. Get rid of those holding it hostage behind greed masks..
Main Street is toxic and a tool of city forces. Big smiles!!!!!!!!!!. Have a grrrrrrreat day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mauro is a puppy Sandoval brought home and abandoned without advertised pedigree. Get him back to where he came from, someone might be looking for him. Those last 2 photos are his dream. Tyler shut down early covid period through Main Street and Mari Mullen the people pleaser. Wrong people Mari.
Lots of negative reaction regarding traffic flow and fairness to other business access. Walked it back after someone contacted the City Attorney.
Here we go again.
Your Neighbor Harvey
If I recall correctly, the parking survey done in the early 2000’s showed that each 2-hour parking spot taken by employees cost the collective business district $200 per hour. When I worked downtown, everyone knew which business owners and employees took these precious spots. It would be a very simple matter to deal with this, heck, a sixth-grade class would come up with solutions in a week. The Main Street folks? Forget it. Fifteen years ago, Mari Mullen’s pay package was somewhere around $70,000. What should we imagine it is today? As with administration in our local government agencies, salaries and productive outcomes are generally unrelated. Any justification for these pay scales is pure fantasy.
In my comments to the survey, I suggested that since the city has so badly mismanaged the parking issue, they should turn over all their dedicated parking to visitors. Back when the Park & Ride paved over that corner of Kah Tai park (it was controversial) there was muttering about government employees being asked to park there and bus or walk to work. So much for that.
I also shared my distaste for going downtown at all because parking is such a pain in the butt. I know others who feel similarly. It’s only gotten worse in the last two years, and if these restaurants are permanently permitted to expand their square footage into the public square (on our dime) I’ll stay away for good.
Right on the button again. as usual. great work Ana.
Jim Scarantino here. This is moving at light speed, while regulatory reforms needed to promote affordable housing, like rolling back parking requirements for ADUs, have been dragging on for years. We have a legit housing emergency. But streateries get the octane boost from City Hall?
We have to hope the the people of PT rein in and vote out these elitist, and incompetent (hopefully incompetent and not evil) public officials, “servants”.
Currently building a new home elsewhere. I’ve reached my limit of woke virtue signaling bullshit.
Meg —
Well considered, succinctly put.
The danger lies in NOT seeing these “elected”/unelected bureaucratic (“deep state”) criminal elements as monolithic, ubiquitous worldwide. The covid psyop installed insidious insulations between citizens and gov’t offices — becoming purposefully even more out of touch & reach than before.
Distanced fiefdoms with full-on firewalls…. and a stunning vacuum right behind (a bizarre nothingness). You can bet yer last inflated/meaningless dollah that these creeps are taking marching orders from further up the food chain.
Recent decades have pointed out local & global operations, but the last couple years it really popped into full view, agendas in our faces. Greed & power grabs are fundamental to the psychosis of the ptb, but ultimately concerns absolute control, including genocide & democide (hence the covid era).
What’s being attempted on local stages, by local stooges, is a microcosm of the globalist “theatre of war”, and thus all of a piece. The destruction of mainstreet economies & lives by corp-gov influences (subsidiary of wall st and the BIG players, all the way up through “blackrock”), is integral to “the great reset”.
These demolitions are taking place all around, in a hot globalist NY minute.
Amidst the spectrum of intense inanities & insanities, and steep learning curves — it’s always gratifying to see local folks getting in the way of the machine — calling out the psycho-criminals & BS where due.
Thanks PTFP, and all the gumshoe watchdogs.
That’s a good point, Jim, about the seeming order of priorities (especially with something as seemingly simple as ADU parking requirements). I do want to point out that the short timeline comes from a previous deadline of May 9 for the streateries that was an extension from the end of last year. The two other options were ending them completely or postponing a decision on them to the future.
The drawback of the latter option was that given an uncertain future, no business owner would invest time and money into making them look better. If they’re going to be there, the consensus seems to be that they ought to look presentable. I think we can all agree that they’re looking pretty rough right now.
I hear the frustration laid out here by the author and most – if not all – of the commenters. I think the survey is up for a few more hours. Why not put your opinion on record.
[Also, I need to be careful about how much I comment on City business in this forum. I copy any comments I make in a space like this and submit it into the public record. It’s a hassle, but I hate the idea of not engaging since some good stuff comes up here that doesn’t make it to official public comment.]
I need to be sure one thing is clear. I have never before this current email even mentioned having any problem with streateries. It would have been futile even if I did.
The current email is regarding taking public property on short notice and distributing it to select people and groups of people.
My emails and photos have been regarding people parking all day in front of and all around my business, and related loss of access for customers. For 8 years. Many come here to specifically see me and then go eat somewhere. I am sure other business would tell you the same. It’s a mix. No one is special. Are they? That would be Orwell some are more equal stuff.
Who wants to be special favorite? Kris from Main Street does. Mari and Mauro want to help.
Ben, on a dime the issue flipped to permanent status. Once it’s gone Ben, it ain’t coming back. A manufactured parking crisis is in full swing Ben. Maritime Center removes lot not used enough they say. Because there’s illegal free parking. They want to build a new building to attract more visitors where the parking lot is going away. Can we see a problem with parking if parking were enforced, or even if not enforced? Cherry Street Genius.
The Marine Science Center moves from Fort Worden to Flagship Landing at the other end of town. To attract more people. Where do they park? Plus volunteers and employees. Between streateries? Cherry Street genius.
Dozens of units in the works on Taylor and plans for the Hastings building as an upscale hotel. Will we have flying cars and rooftop parking soon enough? Cherry Street Genius.
Ben did you know that the Mercantile pictured behind the streaterie in one photo has board members that are 2 past appointed mayors, or were board members? Do you know I still have a flyer from a few years ago saying they would tow people parking too long in their parking lot? They wanted to move them onto the public street all day. Nowhere else to go. There was and is no parking enforcement, plan, or education (simple information). Great mayors.
So now Ben we are supposed to give away forever probably dozens and dozens of spaces? I counted about a dozen spaces taken right now Ben. No one was using them. Dozens and dozens will go up potentially Ben. This is the world of John Mauro. And Mari of Main Street.
And Kris from Main Street, the popular type A restaurateur from Sirens and Whisky something and probably lots more in the future. Deep pockets all over PT to help with that. Plus streateries!!!!!! Grrrrrrrreeeattt!!!! RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS and taking public parking for personal gain. But nowhere to park. Cherry Street Genius. Please leave a tip.
In the real world we have been very short of spaces in all months of the year, especially at certain key times of day. For years. Peak times? If you don’t know you are in denial.
Stealing in this fashion is not legal, Mr. Mauro. Mari. Kris.. Especially with bad faith hocus pocus notice and “polls”.
Some businesses sacrificed for others. When not needed there was a failure to remove. Recently the current level of streateries is far less than “normal: even for slower times. It coincidentally just looks less obtrusive right now. It’s part of the show. At meetings and press opportunities, unicorns and rainbows rain down. How good it will be giving and getting public property.
Look at our smiles. We are Cherry Street geniuses.
Ever heard of the FWPDA?. One game plan fits all. Public property. Private interests. City employees as tools.
Restaurants are not the center of the earth. They can be big money for some. They are part of an organic mix that is any community. Poisoning some in the community and fertilizing some special others will give you a very controlled environment. A Mauro Biodome. Guess I’m his experiment. Not your bitch Johnny.
Mr Mauro has no clue what will be the long-term health of his biodome. But he can make friends in cool places and try to kill off cars by killing off parking. Cherry Street genius. Did you look at his portfolio? What’s he qualified for anyway? Make no mistake who is being attacked here. Plus the public. This is defense. Not offence.
This is how hurried up and rushed theft for personal gain is painted—-
“Nelson emphasized that, with permanent streateries, she’d be inclined to take hers to the next level, making them prettier and more wheelchair-friendly.
“I want to build something … that adds to our streets and makes them attractive, and not just keep putting rope on my tent,” she told the council.”
Disclaimer —— Kris Nelson is a great person. Eat at any and all of her establishments. Just don’t stand by and let her take from others not as well connected or fortunate. I really liked the wheelchair part Kris. I teared up. People are so stupid.
Please share this with Council Ben. Thanks for sharing ideas. It’s all a learning experience. I know you are trying.
Ben, hassle that it may be, I am heartened by your willingness to engage in this forum. In a past life I was on City Council, in a naive time when I bought the promise of a progressive agenda. This is a much tougher landscape and I do not envy your role in what city government and this town have become.
I, too, hope others took a few minutes to respond to the survey that the city never told them about. You say there was a short timeline because of a May 9 extension that was running out. It is city management’s job to anticipate proper timelines for public process and when that extension was granted it was known THEN when this would need to be revisited.
When I was on council those decades ago I lobbied for a newsletter to be distributed with monthly city utility bills. Featuring various city employees is nice, feel-good PR fluff. But this significant revision to city code is exactly the kind of proposal a newsletter is needed for. Why wasn’t that survey included in my bill? That neither the mayor nor the city manager even mentioned this permanent streatery proposal and buried asking for feedback on the website instead speaks volumes.
In another lifetime I also had a career in design, marketing and communications. Didn’t you put out an alternative publication for a time? (If that was you, thank you.) I imagine you understand nuances of communications.
Here’s what I see, which I did not include in the article:
1) The rushed timeline with negligible public notice appears intentional. This was expected to be a done deal, which simply went through the motions of fulfilling legal process requirements.
2) The timeline itself is telling citizens (and you council members) that the outcome is pre-ordained — after you review public feedback on April 4, you “WILL BE presented with proposed code” and receive public feedback, presumably to decide how to tweak it. At the next meeting you’ll see “any revisions of ordinance for the proposed code.”
It’s not IF it will be adopted, it’s about agreeing to the details. The kinds of questions asked in the survey.
3) ONE question in the 13-question survey asks “Do you support the establishment of a long-term program for streateries and parklets?” Every other question following it, as Jim might say, is leading the witness — Where are other streateries you like?… How many streateries should be allowed?… Should there be an annual fee?… etc.
If you haven’t seen the comments on our Facebook page (for some reason a different crowd comments there than under the articles), Paula Wakefield said it simply: “The survey is very one sided.” She had trouble completing it, she said, because it didn’t work properly on her phone. Another, Donna Colwell, commented: “It is not safe, it is not sanitary to have the servers walking through the shoppers and walkers…. The survey was completely one-sided. 🤦🏽♀️”
Is this typical of the way the city handles public process? A predetermined agenda that is then engineered by city staff to just meet legal public process requirements, manipulating to a desired outcome all the way through? Even random FB commenters can see what’s going on here.
All this is somewhat tangential to the larger issue looming, rumblings of a possible class action lawsuit over granting special privileges to a small sector of the business community and damaging the rest. But as someone who takes public process seriously, which I sense you do as well, this is a significant wake up call.
Lets keep this out in the open
Subject:Fwd: Strangulation by Streateries
From parking20@forestgems.com
To Hgreenwood
Date Today 08:13
City Attorney Heidi Greenwood-
For the ongoing record.
Pasted below is the email I sent to you, City Council, Main Street, Chief Olson and others.
I received the following automatic response which shows you or your office did receive the email. There has been no response other than that. This seems an attempt to shield you personally.
Automatic reply: Strangulation by Streateries
From Joanna Sanders
To parking20@forestgems.com
Date Wed 12:17
Contact photo
Message Body
I am out of the office for a medical emergency. If you need immediate assistance, please contact Heidi Greenwood at 360-379-5048.
CITYOFPT NOTICE REGARDING PUBLIC DISCLOSURE:
Public documents and records are available to the public as required under the Washington State Public Records Act (RCW 42.56).
The information contained in all correspondence with a government entity may be disclosable to third party requesters under the Public Records Act.
This is the early morning of April 1st. No joke. Your lack of response is noted. It seems a class action lawsuit would be supported and understood by many. Work will begin to organize negatively affected merchants and public soon. Your office is silent. Please see some public input here that cannot be withheld or tweaked.
https://www.porttownsendfreepress.com/2022/03/30/strangulation-by-streateries/
I look for a swift dropping of this plan to avoid more damages for all. Illegal actions should not make it to City Council.
It seems monetary damages are in order; the stress here is huge. There are 2 separate but related issues. Purposeful ignoring of Parking Ordinances for 8 years resulting in damages, and now the taking of public space for private use by a favored group with the guidance of a City employee. City Manager with a dubious background and agenda, John Mauro.
Details available within this email and link. I look forward to your response. It is overdue.
Harvey Windle
Forest Gems community member since 1996
In her revelatory 2011 book Behind The Green Mask: U.N. Agenda 21, Rosa Koire pulls back the curtain on the decades long plan to seize the commons, commodify nature and control every aspect of our lives. “In a nutshell, the plan calls for local governments to take control of all land use and not leave any of the decision making in the hands of private property owners.”
“Enter the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives—ICLEI. Created in 1990 as a non-governmental organization to implement Agenda 21 locally around the world, ICLEI (pronounced ick-ly) brings the international into your town. According to its international website, http://www.iclei.org, ‘members come from 70 different countries worldwide and represent over 569,885,000 people.’ Surprising that you’ve never heard of it, isn’t it? It is a lobbying and policy consultant designed to influence and change local governmental policies related to all aspects of human life… ICLEI was founded before the 1992 Rio Earth Summit where the formal precepts of Agenda 21 were introduced to the world. ICLEI sells trainings to governments, sets up climate adaptation programs, measures and monitors community greenhouse gas emissions and more, for a fee. Recently, ICLEI changed its name so that you wouldn’t notice that it’s an international organization. It’s now called ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability. Here’s what it says on ICLEI’s own website: http://www.icleiusa.org:
ICLEI: Connecting Leaders
Connect. Innovate. Accelerate. Solve.
The pace of global environmental change, the degradation of ecosystem services globally and the overshoot of the human footprint on Earth require an acceleration of local efforts. Even if all 1,100+ local governments forming ICLEI’s membership performed in the most advanced manner, and if we were to extrapolate these efforts into the future, those valiant efforts alone would not reach a sustainable level of resource consumption and pollution in communities – better known as the ecological footprint of cities.
Experts confirm what all of us feel. We must act more rapidly and collaboratively and strive for more radical solutions
To accelerate action, ICLEI invites to the table leaders from a wide array of sectors who all have a stake in urban sustainability: Local governments, regional and national governments, international agencies, financing institutions, non-profits, academia and the business community. They are mayors and entrepreneurs, scientists and agency heads, ministers and CEO’s, strategists and organizational leaders. They are innovators, decision makers, agenda setters and agents of change.”
Auckland Council, former employer of Port Townsend’s new city manager John Mauro, is an ICLEI member.
Here is an agenda item from the city’s Climate Action Committee dated June 26, 2019:
• Inventory Update and ICLEI Tools for Identifying Emission Reduction Strategies
If you go to this link and look at page 2, you’ll find that Jefferson County, WA is also an ICLEI member. (I have submitted a Public Records Request to determine what the membership fee is.) Click on that link, and you’ll see this:
Kate Dean
Title: County Commissioner
Population: 31729
Member since: 01.04.2019
Our local governments are peppered with these Agenda 21 change agents. Rosa Koire explains the “Goals of UN Agenda 21 in 5 minutes!”
Oh my! Best to get EVERYTHING out in the open. Puts silly little mess tents in public space in perspective. Still waiting on the City Attorney to respond.
In the spirit of keeping everything out in the open and easy to find, here is a link to the streaterie poll received April 1
https://cityofpt.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=1698&meta_id=199823
I must not be reading it correctly, “4, When visiting Downtown or Uptown, how do you
travel? the total is 167.7%
An interesting anomaly,
“5. Do you support the establishment of a long-term
program for streateries and parklets?”
Yes 325 (63.6%)
No 186 (36,4%
Seems not to mesh with the overwhelming negative support in written comments.There are many overwhelmingly negative comments ranging from the changing of appearance (downward) of the Historic District, discrimination against some businesses in favor of others, taking public spaces, dangerous and unsanitary conditions, ant street parking for private use.
Perhaps this poll was not well administrated, Many point out it is slanted. I reject the premise it represents and the fact there is no oversight or checks and balances of the process and totals.
Trust Main Street and Mari, and Faber and Mauro and Kris? No I do not. Not at all.
Still no word from the City Attorney as of 8 pm Monday 4/4/22
Harvey, Regarding the 167.7% on question 4: I wondered the same thing, but repondents could enter more than one answer, thereby making the total percentage a meaningless number. And I thought Mari was very forthright tonight in acknowledging the negative responses.
I’d still like to think there’s a possible solution in which streateries are allowed with a fee, and we are also able to free up parking for retail customers. I see it as positive sum vs. zero sum game theory. A lot of people are currently shirking the 2-hour limit (not that I need to tell you), so I believe there’s a lot of ground to be gained with a combination of education and enforcement. Surely we should start there, no?
Okay, I hear you, Harvey. I wish you didn’t do the personal attacks against people on staff, but I do hear what you’re saying. I mean fundamentally it’s a commercial district first, so it needs to work well for, shoppers, diners and business owners. And the process behind the rulemaking should be transparent and fair.
One specific question for a downtown retailer: what is the most challenging hour of the day for your customers to find parking? I would assume between 4-5, but not being a downtown retailer, I could be wrong.
First Ben, we don’t need streateries. Public comment that does not mesh with the final “yes” majority explains the many reasons why.
Streateries remaining and growing in numbers are a bad idea for profit by an organization, Main Street, that is made up of names restauranter Kris Nelson, supported by Mari Mullen the near 25 year director of Main Street, and City Manager John Mauro who sure seems to be dedicated to Agenda 21. Mayor Faber wants to be at the head, so he is also part of the mix.
Thanks again for actually engaging, Ben. First and foremost, what you call personal attacks is pointing out personal responsibility and specific actions of specific people that are merely parts of the broken and dysfunctional “machine” that is the City of Port Townsend.
There are broken parts, parts not designed or qualified to do their specific jobs (Faber), and gears just spinning not engaging and rubber-stamping bad policies.
To not name names is to enable the veils and walls that have come to exist. The veils and walls exist because it serves the agenda of some who wish their actions to be unseen and not understood. The local Paper has not helped dampen this culture. It has enabled it. The Fourth Estate here has failed and been an active part of the problems is some cases.
To fix the out-of-control machine, Ben, you must diagnose bad parts and replace them as soon as possible. No different than your car.
This City is run by a social club Ben. “Likable” people to you. Your homework is to watch some TV. I recommend Survivor and Big Brother. Look at secret alliances and smiley faces plotting to vote out innocent good hearted folk. Smiley sharks and goldfish. Learn from the outcome.
Deborah Stinson. Michelle Sandoval. David Faber. David Timmons. John (Agenda 21) Mauro. Plus many faulty gears not engaging for reasons hard to explain. Corruption Ben. Corruption. Housing, parking, budget, Fort Worden, streets, all moved backwards. Backwards Ben. By people that simply can’t engage eye to eye on the community level.
The move for this type is often to play “hurt victim”. I have seen it in other systems Ben. These folks illustrate problems in larger and larger systems. Their counter parts in larger systems create problems for them. Upward and upward it goes. Your children and theirs will pay.
Parking and parking management of public space has been mis-managed for years by specific appointed Mayors for profit and specific City Managers not challenged by specific Police Chiefs. This statement is true and I would love any past or present council member to address it.
Sound of crickets is the soundtrack for PT. You stand out Ben. I hope everyone wanting change here has your back.
The standard griping about “the City” in general shields the problematic individuals. It is how specific individuals over many years have damaged this community to an extent many recognize. Many of those members of the damaged public are too timid to “engage” effectively by taking on toxic smiling individuals So the problem grew and grew.
Peak times for us is after 1 pm when lunch is mostly done and people come back from the beach or whatever. My business and others also have specific individuals coming to town for specific business all during the day.
The time of emergency streateries or fancy mess tents is over. No special people. No special businesses. Myself and many silent others are also “recovering”. My recovery and others is hamstrung by streateries taking a limited resource for a purpose not designed and not really needed. We all rent or own specific space. Want more space? Get more commercial space. We are probably headed to court, Ben. Even you seem to not understand the dynamics here and larger picture.
Read the public comments again. This seems to be strictly a Faber/Mauro/Nelson/Mullen “need”. Wenstrom and Rowe in the PDN article show their hands. Food trucks as well? Glad you have been able to travel to Europe a lot Libby. Names. Attitudes. Specifics.
This is going long as always Ben, but an illustration. At Pike Place years ago the high paid managers needed something to do. They started recruiting new farmers. There was a set community including some apple farmers. Supply and demand had established a natural balance. The managers recruited many many more apple growers to sell, promising lots of money. I was Chair of the Daystall Tenants Association. Apple growers started coming to me saying business was way off. The new growers were not doing well. Supply and demand. The supply was over saturated. A manufactured problem due to specific people with NAMES.
The managers put together their statistics to report to PDA Council that said they had done a great job and farmer participation was up X % !!!! I looked at the numbers and saw first year failure rates of new farmers was way up. Failure rates of established farmers were way up. I reported to PDA council what I found.
It never showed up in the minutes.
What happens to small eateries with a set number of potential customers. If one gets a streaterie to make more money, all should. What of myself who has taken no money from anyone during this time and am trying to survive? And others, and others, and others. Lets just move everything into the street. John Mauro and Agenda 21 win. Everyone will fail due to no parking. We can plant grass in the streets.
Changes need to and will happen. A clueless unqualified City Manager is not the way.
Mr. Mauro, Faber, Mullen, and Nelson, don’t have a clue what they are doing. Eye pollution in a once beautiful and naturally balanced community seems against Historic Guidelines.
Still think its a workable idea, Ben? Haven’t seen any parking education, planning or enforcement yet. No response from the City Attorney. Her name is Heidi. Just flawed people Ben. That get to call themselves the City of Port Townsend.
Now it has become Sandovalia, or Corruption Junction.
Square one though Ben is the Process.
Not adequate notice, those in power understand bare minimums. Details have been covered.
Slanted Main Street Poll with leading questions.
No oversight for result counting of poll.
Check the waste basket. Comments and yes/no do not mesh.
Oversight and checks and balances at every turn is what people should demand.
46 years in business for me Ben. Up and down the West Coast dealing eye to eye with customers and artisans.
The most untrust worthy damaging people I have ever encountered are right here in City Government.
They have NAMES.
The process and premise were simply corrupted. No word from the City Attorney. That does not look good. Sending another email now with links to this article and comments to Heidi Greenwood, Silent City Attorney who never dealt with ignoring parking issues contrary to municipal code.
Further disclaimer and correction. Kris apparently has quit Main Street after 7 years. Of her 3 large original streateries only one is currently hers and up and usually empty at the Old Whiskey Mill. The other large one still up and usually empty has sold to a new owner at Alchemy. One of her employees is on the Main Street board so she’s there in spirit. The President now is from 1st Security Bank. The treasurer is from Coldwell Banker. I wonder what the home office thinks of involvement with taking public property for private use and establishing a class system? For that matter I wonder what the home offices of Main Street think?
Corporate Main Street, not so small town anymore. Do try both Whisky Mill and Sirens!!!! Great owner and great food with plenty of comfortable inside seating that make them 2 of the most successful eateries in town!.