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Council, police and staff discuss marina area noise, RVs and parking enforcement; mayor requests land‑use review of semi parking request
Summary
After council heard reports on waterfront noise and parking, officers reported increased enforcement and a roughly 10% drop in collisions citywide; the mayor asked that the semi‑parking request at Bravo Terrace be taken to the land‑use committee for review.
Port Orchard council members and police staff discussed ongoing complaints about noise, driver behavior and long‑term vehicle parking along the waterfront and downtown Bay Street corridor during the June 17 meeting.
Deputy Chief reported the department has doubled traffic enforcement productivity year‑to‑date and said roughly 8% of traffic stops are on the Bay Street corridor; he also reported a near 10% decrease in traffic collisions citywide compared with 2024 and said a similar reduction in injury collisions is anticipated if current enforcement levels continue. For noise complaints along the waterfront, staff logged 39 patrol checks in the corridor this year to date, most after dark; the department received 20 complaints and 7 calls related to motor‑vehicle noise or engine noise.
The mayor and council discussed parking enforcement on Saturdays, when market activity and boaters increase pressure on downtown parking. Council members said the city ran a warning period before active enforcement and noted that some parking system outages at a weekend created confusion. Staff said the Port of Bremerton has posted trespass signage in port areas and that signage helps enforcement.
A hotelier at Bravo Terrace requested permission for semi‑truck parking on city property; the mayor said he has concerns about safety and habitual RV parking in the same area. Council asked staff to assess the request and directed consideration of the issue in the Land Use committee and to inspect the location. Staff explained that certain parking prohibitions make enforcement and towing easier than enforcing temporary or habit‑based occupancy, and that any towing or impound action requires analyses including whether a vehicle is being used for habitation.
Councilmembers asked for more public education about legal parking options and suggested posting information on the city web page and social channels.
