The Port Townsend School District has found itself in a bit of a fender bender.

A recent “poor communication” led to a misunderstanding that could cost the school district more than just money.

Members of the Port Townsend School District approached the Hearing Examiner last week to request a parking variance for the district’s use in the upcoming school year at its new school on Grant Street.

The district’s argument was presented to lead those in attendance to believe an agreement was in place with local churches to use their parking lots during the school year, in which at least one of the churches backed out of the agreement, leaving the district in a bind for parking.

However, in a story seen on page A1 of this week’s The Leader, there was, in fact, no agreement in place.

According to a spokesperson for a church the school district had been in communication with to use its parking lot only through the construction period - set to finish before the start of school this fall, the school district took its time developing an agreement before presenting one the church would not accept.

The district apologized for how it handled the situation, citing “poor communication” on what the district believed was an agreement for continuous use of the church’s parking lot.

Because of this misunderstanding, the Port Townsend appeared in front of the Hearing Examiner on July 13 to ask for a variance for off-site parking, in which the examiner has 10 business days to make a decision. The district might not know until July 27 whether it will need to devise yet another parking strategy for Salish Coast Elementary.

This is a costly decision either way.

If the variance is approved by the hearing examiner, it will be at the cost of local residents who rely on parking in that area where parking is already an issue.

Many of these residents have spoken out at these hearings and in letters to the editor published in The Leader.

If it is denied, the school district will head back to the drawing board, possibly to re-draw design plans not only costing the district money, but it could be at the cost of entities for the students such as playground space and equipment or a playing field.

Even if an agreement were to get worked out between the district and church, it would be at the cost of church sacrificing its property longer than it had planned for years to come.

Parents will most likely park in front of driveways, double parking will occur, fender benders may happen, and the property owners will get the short end of the stick in this.

When clear communication is not present and agreements are not formally in place prior to projects beginning, rarely are those situations worked out where someone does not lose.

In this case, the outcome is not just affecting the immediate entity involved, but also the immediate community.

As this mistake’s consequences play out, remember to please be a neighbor.