[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6251507,"mediaKeyId","3195524-f5666e21709a3c666d35c53a60139809","parentId",3195524,"title","Public Works committee recommends phased funding, clearer deliverables for downtown streetscape plan","audioSeconds",158,"startMs",208000,"endMs",366000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195524-f5666e21709a3c666d35c53a60139809&start=208&end=366","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195524-f5666e21709a3c666d35c53a60139809/thumbnail_208000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6251507/Anacortes/Skagit-County/Washington/Public-Works-committee-recommends-phased-funding-clearer-deliverables-for-downtown-streetscape-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251507-841902101fe72a351333f37c02529b72/orig.mp4?Expires=1771031191&Signature=d0VuLRwIohyN7PrbL2ZouXQWDJf2tep3QatukDvTuKOEuz7ltB3vLJYVWhfgf6S97BGwLo4W1xyzeRumdgNtSezYCr79n7t096jo4x7FQA3ZWsm4GgXu-dz7RocD0M1IIKRcjLZyxI11sjzKOJKWB2gHvjlqnoraPNLMXFoNcuQV0yMjdZE7FG1iV-rmvliUHMuotk86zQHAcLzpbaftXQ~VZ7nOeZ~2roHo3WY13x0RSVz2wZuFcOWXsmX~2syQZtA1muiT3T7ouvGYJPP7nFonG9FLnuGlNrfp65AvA17b2x67pOdNJdrLLg95ymVc4uBcPRAqvLgUUhyFEwfX1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Anacortes, WA","date","2025-05-06T07:55:55.503Z","article","The Public Works committee reported to the Anacortes City Council on May 5 with recommendations on the downtown streetscape plan, wastewater outfall progress, and other projects in the capital program.

Committee member Councilmember Walters reported committee consensus that the consultant the city has identified as the highest-scoring proposer for the downtown streetscape study submitted a price that exceeds the amount allocated in the 2025 capital facilities plan. The committee recommended spending the money allocated for 2025 now and planning to fund the remaining delta in 2026. The committee also recommended the city embed specific objectives and deliverables in the consultant’s scope of work and to include mechanisms in the plan so it does not \"just sit on a shelf,\" including funding pathways and realistic project phasing. Walters said the committee asked that on-street parking opportunities on side streets be incorporated to increase downtown parking \"only by spending some money on paint and signage.\"

On the wastewater outfall, Walters reported the tunneling contractor is nearing a directional turn and that overall progress remains roughly on schedule despite being slightly behind earlier estimates. For the 12th and Commercial non-roundabout project, Walters said bids came in a few hundred thousand dollars under the engineer’s estimate and the project is moving forward; scheduling details remain to be finalized.

The committee also noted a privately owned parking lot on Commercial Avenue where unpermitted improvements caused problems; the lot owner has agreed to undo those improvements to restore the prior condition until they seek permits.

No formal council action was recorded on these committee recommendations during the meeting; they were presented as committee reports to the full council for awareness and future consideration.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Anacortes - City Council Meeting (5/5/25)","oneSentenceSummary","At its May 5 meeting the Anacortes City Council received a Public Works committee report recommending phased funding for the downtown streetscape study, clearer contract deliverables and inclusion of side-street parking strategies.","taxTitle","Anacortes, Skagit County, Washington","taxId",51056,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6251511,"Council directs staff to seek RCO guidance as it weighs Portland Loo vs. CXT restroom for Ben Root Skate Park",2527,946000,3473000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195524-f5666e21709a3c666d35c53a60139809&start=946&end=3473","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195524-f5666e21709a3c666d35c53a60139809/thumbnail_946000.jpg","/articles/6251511/Anacortes/Skagit-County/Washington/Council-directs-staff-to-seek-RCO-guidance-as-it-weighs-Portland-Loo-vs-CXT-restroom-for-Ben-Root-Skate-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251511-49cfcdc330d2058b571da06a2441ef93/orig.mp4?Expires=1771031191&Signature=U2iDP3-Im-bocVtsDeab7qrcVCaeWJ6mqmuJ4~33OczgPD5tnJMo9IBT1038pO4t43sGZhEPkAU~o91jZyeOm9nc9Dbu39MWi-GkClY0QDP-NIETP8jVoWe05MC6boLT3v978SYCLRg~FmAUPlOBEivhKcrTVcFkQcGwYwp4l4IPDl0vbWMh7p4ldjCB5NBUhGA0yxDRdHIX1DnBE1Nln4ONCTJlOcqfRGI~Ja5IdC8lik8zGPrpTdwR8qQ8thmd1sNuguHj2SZQGj0EhBTH9qBr3D4~GDE6-8-QQDes68zTXbrBdeoHUPN1WZcgpxBbLZ2APlyYGfUG93xieMrc7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Anacortes City Council on May 5 discussed design options for the Ben Root Skate Park restroom and associated parking lot and directed staff to seek guidance from the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) on whether a Portland Loo-style unit could be substituted for the existing CXT-style restroom under the city’s grant conversion requirements.

Parks project lead Bob Vokes presented the design-phase recommendation and said the city is \"back to having to build our own parking lot\" after a potential partner location fell through. Vokes described the existing plan to replace a four-stall concrete restroom with a self-contained CXT (depot) unit and a parking layout the parks department previously prepared.

Councilmembers raised alternatives, chief among them the Portland Loo — a stainless-steel, single-occupant unisex unit — and noted trade-offs in cost, privacy, maintenance and safety. Councilmember Walters said the Portland Loo \"is intended to avoid most of those problems, mitigate the others,\" citing potential advantages for cleanliness and public safety; other members questioned the evidence base and privacy and accessibility for families with small children.

Financial constraints and grant conditions were central to the discussion. Speakers said the project has an associated RCO grant; Vokes and other staff reported the city has $1,000,000 from MJB for restroom relocation and that council designated $700,000 for this project while $300,000 went to the general fund. Staff cited an initial engineering estimate of about $640,000 for the overall project; Vokes said a single Portland Loo can cost roughly $100,000–$175,000 depending on configuration, making multiple Portland Loos substantially more expensive than a four-stall CXT unit. Vokes also described the RCO conversion process as lengthy and requiring director approval and a cultural-resources survey in coordination with the Samish tribe.

Council agreed on a two-track approach: proceed with parking-lot design while staff formally requests RCO guidance on whether a Portland Loo (and if so, two, three or four units) could substitute for the grant-funded restroom without jeopardizing the conversion. Council asked staff to return with: cost comparisons (including winterization, hot water and hand-wash options), RCO's response on allowable substitutions and any required public comment or processing timeline, and local data on restroom-related incidents or calls for service. Vokes said the RCO conversion historically took about a year and noted the city is not in control of RCO’s internal timeline.

No contract award or final design decision was made at the meeting. Councilmembers said they prefer more information before proceeding and emphasized the project’s importance for skate park users and trail visitors; Councilmember Cleland McGrath asked staff to seek an estimate for two Portland Loos as a starting point.

","Councilmembers debated replacing a restroom at Ben Root Skate Park with either a CXT-style unit or Portland Loo. Staff was directed to return with cost estimates, RCO conversion guidance and local usage/crime data before final design; council also authorized continuing parking-lot design work in parallel.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6251513,"Council approves $131,648 contract to replace eight water services on South Commercial Avenue",417,487000,904000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195524-f5666e21709a3c666d35c53a60139809&start=487&end=904","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195524-f5666e21709a3c666d35c53a60139809/thumbnail_487000.jpg","/articles/6251513/Anacortes/Skagit-County/Washington/Council-approves-131648-contract-to-replace-eight-water-services-on-South-Commercial-Avenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251513-d08411c717274766437c3766959ca55f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771031191&Signature=ftEeg-nLCC48YAvtOPh81oQW0v8Kfp3-VZZFxflxuQDUT2huQuvJPUQyJEY4bXMbqedfMv-hc30buOBTSeSpkpJvq1aaHdJ0DcroHpdq-x7F9TNZK8BL~iqKvcrn4wTxzMQ28lSXeclQyRoJmmUt4NUMw1~RFSOxLYl-xjds5sEX1CYf6-Rrtt-F5TLMcxwJVXnDiR8N6ZgOVVzjUBaLttOsHjPHysmLFi1FESUMnWQsNTDxNOZX7DRerkFNv9courrZWoiUCN5mamCmlYIagSDqcxVG5ZgjWvFtD0jSLCkbW5nryS5yZCxlT693CRF~Pj5WXZqAlTCyWYTyY~J~vQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Anacortes City Council on May 5 authorized the mayor to sign contract 25-119-WTR-001 with Raw Land Construction LLC for $131,648 to replace selected water services on the South Commercial Corridor ahead of a planned paving project.

The contract covers replacement of eight service connections and the associated saddles that attach service lines to the city’s main, according to Andy Rayum, Public Works Director. Rayum said staff identified a subset of service lines most likely to fail and that \"we're proposing to do the service replacements at night\" to avoid disrupting businesses in the corridor.

The move follows concerns raised at a prior meeting about tearing up newly paved roadway if service lines fail after repaving. Councilmember Walters said the committee reviewed the mains and services and noted the main in parts of the corridor is an older, 1940s-era asbestos-cement pipe that appears to have a thicker wall than other pipes in town; that, combined with replacing problem saddles, \"makes me feel quite a bit better\" about the line's risk of failure. Rayum also said most of the identified services are 3/4 inch; one is a 2-inch service serving Bubba's Eds.

Councilmember Young moved the contract; Councilmember Walters seconded. The roll call vote recorded in the meeting was: Young — yes; Walters — yes; Clelia McGrath — yes; Moulton — yes; McDougal — yes; Cevic — yes; Fantini — yes. The motion carried.

Discussion vs. decision: Council discussion focused on risk reduction before paving, customer and business impact from daytime repairs, and the adequacy of replacing selected saddles rather than wholesale main replacement. The formal action was the authorization of the contract; staff will schedule the work and proceed with nighttime replacements as described.

Background and next steps: The replacements are timed to precede scheduled South Commercial paving later this year. Rayum said the work will give crews additional opportunity to observe main condition along the corridor. The contract award initiates construction coordination and scheduling with businesses for nighttime access. No amendments to the contract were proposed at the meeting.

","The Anacortes City Council on May 5 authorized a $131,648 contract with Raw Land Construction to replace eight water service lines and saddles on the South Commercial Corridor before planned paving; work will be done at night to limit business disruption.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public Works committee recommends phased funding, clearer deliverables for downtown streetscape plan

Council directs staff to seek RCO guidance as it weighs Portland Loo vs. CXT restroom for Ben Root Skate Park

Council approves $131,648 contract to replace eight water services on South Commercial Avenue