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Commissioners urge inventory and active use of underutilized town parcels and design guidance for downtown
Summary
Members questioned the town’s inventory and use of underused public parcels and downtown parking lots, suggested a five‑year land/facility inventory review and urged applying design guidelines and historic‑district thinking to redevelop parking into mixed uses where appropriate.
Commissioners at the May 6 meeting recommended that Coupeville evaluate underutilized town‑owned land and parking lots as potential revenue or redevelopment opportunities and suggested adding language to the capital facilities element requiring periodic land and facility inventory reviews.
Why it matters: several commissioners noted town‑owned lots and parking areas that are rarely used and could be redeveloped to increase revenue, add housing or activate downtown tourism uses. Given the town’s multiyear capital funding shortfall, commissioners said a proactive inventory could identify assets to sell, lease, or redevelop.
A commissioner proposed that the plan call for a regular review — for example every five years — to assess return on investment and consider redevelopment, sale or adaptive reuse, with special attention to parcels near the downtown core where market value is highest. The historic preservation representative explained the town’s design guidelines are intended to make new construction compatible with adjacent historic buildings while allowing change, and commissioners recommended a district‑scale plan be considered to guide downtown character and land uses.
Commissioners also raised coordination with Island County about county‑owned buildings in town that may be underused, and asked staff to explore partnerships that might allow shared use or redevelopment to meet town goals such as affordable housing or expanded services.
Ending: staff agreed to consider language revisions requiring periodic land and facility inventories, to flag underused parcels for follow up and to coordinate with Island County and other stakeholders on shared uses.
