Narrow parking options expanding

Restricting parking along the south side of Frederick Avenue in Millwood may not happen for another month.

Monday night during the regular Millwood City Council meeting, the council decided to defer the vote once more until the next meeting after public comments questioned the decision. The council had decided in June to table the issue until July to investigate the location of the right-of-way along Frederick.

“It’s not going to do any good,” longtime resident Ray Gardner said about the possible restriction. “They are still going to park there.”

Gardner also expressed concern over owning several vehicles with limited parking in his driveway.

Restricting parking on Frederick is a byproduct of public testimony given during May’s special meeting on Millwood traffic. It was formally proposed to the council last month as an amendment to an ordinance restricting parking in 10 areas of the city.

“Safety is a major issue,” Councilman Glenn Bailey said. “Emergency vehicles need to get through there, and with cars on both sides they can’t do that.”

The ordinance presented Monday restricts parking on the south side of Frederick from Locust Street to Stout Street, across from the city park.

Sharon Palagonia, who lives on Frederick west of the proposed restriction, expressed concern that limiting the restriction to only three blocks would force people to park further west on Frederick.

“If you only took the parking restriction to Locust, everyone would park on the other side of the sign,” Palagonia said. “And I would have the same problem everyone else is having.”

Resident June King said if the city cleaned up the public right-of-way it would create additional parking.

“If city would go back and claim their property, I don’t think we would have a problem,” King said. “That is a good place to start.”

Responding to King’s comments, Councilman Richard Shoen thought widening the right-of-way by extending into the park could create additional parking.

“It is a long-term problem that needs a long-term solution,” Shoen said.

The council decided to defer the vote and look into extending the restriction further west on Frederick and to investigate the cost of widening the right-of-way.

The revised ordinance also withdraws the no-parking restriction on the east side of Laura Road between Frederick and Buckeye Avenue. The restriction is currently not being enforced.

The council also deferred a vote on whether the city should join the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington rosters program after Bailey expressed concern.

The program is a shared online small public works and consultant roster, used to qualify contractors and consultants for projects and solicit bids. According to City Planner Tom Richardson, the program would save the city money.

“I would like to see some kind of roster,” Bailey said, but “I want to have some insurance we have local people involved before I’m comfortable with it.”

City Attorney Brian Werst said he would request a current MRSC roster from Spokane County so the council could review it next month.

In other city news, the council decided to “survey the market” for other insurance coverage after Werst gave an update on the Washington state Office of Financial Management investigation of Cities Insurance Association of Washington. The association provides Millwood with comprehensive property and liability insurance coverage.

The city has until Sept. 1 to decide whether to renew the contract with Cities Insurance or seek alternative coverage.