A local business owner raised the cost of repainting permits during public comment at the La Conner Town Council meeting on Jan. 23, 2025. Austin, a business owner who said he and his wife recently took over the Nasty Jack building, told the council the town’s $1,000 fee for repainting feels excessive for small property owners.

The comment matters because the fee applies to routine maintenance that building owners said helps keep downtown properties and historic storefronts attractive to visitors and customers. Council and staff said they are reviewing code language and permit fees.

Austin, a business owner, said the paint on his building is “really starting to crack and crumble” and that repainting is expensive. “It's about a thousand dollar fee for any building repainted,” he said. He asked the council to consider a lower application fee or a tiered structure so small merchants can maintain façades without an outsized upfront cost.

During the same public-comment block, Linda (resident) added that downtown historic names and signage matter to neighborhood character, citing Nasty Jack’s and the Dallas Market as examples. She also said she learned about a separate right-of-way permit by walking down the street and that some neighbors had not received notice. She urged staff to check notification lists and preferred contacts.

Council and staff responses were procedural: staff said they are “looking at a lot of our codes” and that the town decided at a prior meeting to collect sign-in information for public commenters so staff can follow up. No motion, vote, or ordinance change was taken at the meeting on the painting fee.

The issue will move into the staff review of town codes, and council members indicated they could consider simplified or revised fee schedules in an upcoming code review or handbook update. For now, staff will continue to accept comments and follow up with property owners who raised concerns.

Less-critical details: commentators noted the dual goals of preserving historic names and encouraging private investment in storefronts. Speakers urged clearer notice processes for nearby residents when right-of-way permits or street work are proposed.