In response to public complaints and assertions about parking problems downtown, the city of Port Townsend has confirmed that the number of parking spaces available downtown has increased slightly, but that city files contain no evidence of a “parking fund” alluded to by business-persons who have in the past remodelled downtown spaces.

Civil engineer Laura Parsons supplied maps of parking spot gains and losses to The Leader, not including motorcycle parking, to illustrate the aftermath of construction on Water Street.

“Overall spaces, if you include disabled parking, increased after the project from 103 to 106,” Parsons said. “I also just went out and did a verification count. The count of 100 standard spaces and six disabled parking spaces is current.”

In The Leader’s July 17 story on parking availability, Silverwater Cafe co-owner Alison Hero was one longtime downtown business owner who recalled that the city made them purchase future parking spots 25 years ago, to invest in a future parking fund, but city finance manager Sheila Danielson was unable to remember or find records of a parking fund, or of any monies paid into such a fund.

Nora Mitchell, finance and administrative services director for the city, confirmed that former city manager David Timmons does not recall anyone paying into a parking fund, either.

“None of our planning staff recall this occurring either,” said Mitchell, who’s serving as interim city manager until the arrival of John Mauro this fall. “We do not have a parking fund on our books, but it looks like there were changes regarding a downtown parking plan in the early 2000s.”

Amber Long, legal assistant and deputy clerk for the city, cited a resolution from 1990, establishing a downtown parking improvement plan.

“Ordinance 2893 appears to have removed references to a parking improvement fund from our code,” Long said.

Planning manager Judy Surber quoted Port Townsend Municipal Code with regard to the National Register’s Historic Overlay District, noting that the city’s Development Services Department requires developers sign a No Protest Agreement in conjunction with development permits.

“All new construction and all land uses established, changed or relocated within the nonresidential zoning districts of the historic overlay district, as defined by PTMC 17.30.040, except for the C-III zoned portions of the Uptown National Landmark Historic District, shall be exempt from off-street parking and loading requirements; provided, that the owner of the property underlying such construction or uses has first signed a no-protest agreement with the city, in a form approved by the city attorney, concerning the formation of a Parking and Business Improvements District (PBID) for the purpose of funding municipal parking facilities, pursuant to Chapter 35.87A RCW; and further provided, that all such construction and uses shall be subject to the maximum permissible parking space and bicycle parking requirements set forth in Table 17.72.080; and provided further, if parking facilities are provided, they must meet the requirements established pursuant to PTMC 17.72.150 through 17.72.190 regarding parking plan requirements, minimum dimensions, landscaping, and maintenance.”

Surber added, “We’ve had folks sign the No Protest Agreements, but to date, no funds have been collected.”

Some critics of city parking management have grumped to The Leader about special parking exemptions granted.

But John McDonagh, senior planner in the city’s Development Services Department, explained that the construction of the Northwest Maritime Center, like all development in the city’s Historic Commercial (C-III) zoning district, qualified for an exemption from all on-site parking requirements.

“This parking exemption for the historic downtown area has, in one form or another, been in place for, I believe, more than three decades,” McDonagh said. “Prior versions of code did have a ‘fee in lieu of parking’ option, which was rescinded in 2005, via Ordinance 2893, without anyone I know of ever choosing to buy their way out of parking.”

McDonagh specified that, since 2005 — again, via Ordinance 2893 — whenever a downtown property owner elects to use the parking exemption in new construction, or pursue a sizable rehabilitation that generates more parking demand, the owner is required to sign and record a No Protest Agreement to the formation of a Parking and Business Improvement District.

McDonagh supplied The Leader with a copy of the No Protest Agreement that the Northwest Maritime Center signed and dated Aug. 4, 2009, and added that, as one of the State Environmental Policy Act mitigation measures established for the Northwest Maritime Center, it was also required to develop and implement a Transportation Demand Management plan, which was approved in 2010.