San Juan County council members said they will update local parking ordinances and install new signage at Orcas Landing and Medrano Point to curb long-running overnight parking and boat-dwelling issues.

The changes, which county staff said the council will take action on Tuesday, include designated time limits at Orcas Landing, a ban on overnight parking at Medrano Point and a substantial increase in fines for persistent violations. Council member Justin said the rules are intended to give deputies “the teeth we need to clean that space up.”

The ordinance updates will add enforceable signage and revise fines that county staff said previously were small enough that some people treated them as a recurring cost of leaving vehicles or boats at county docks. “Previously, mortgage was if you parked the dock overnight, it was a $25 fine… That fine is now $250,” Justin said, adding that fines can be charged as daily offenses if vehicles remain in violation.

Justin said the county plans to designate one side of the Orcas Landing lot as short-term and the other for slightly longer stays (described in the meeting as up to 72 hours on one side and five days on the other) to reduce the site’s use as long-term storage or living space for boats and vehicles. He also said new signage will allow the sheriff’s deputies to enforce the limits instead of relying on a slow civil-infraction process: “When residents are complaining because there’s a bunch of activity happening at 2 in the morning…there’s very little they can do because there’s nothing to enforce. So this ordinance change…is now getting the teeth that needs.”

Resident Bob raised an enforcement and resource concern, saying many vehicles at the ferry landing “are not currently registered,” which complicates removal and impound processes. County staff and deputies noted impound and storage costs can make aggressive towing or impounding complicated on smaller islands; staff said the county is discussing creation of an abatement fund to cover nuisance cleanup costs.

County public works staff were reported to be working on a temporary float to reopen the East Sound dock for the summer, while a larger repair is planned over a longer timeline. Justin said the short-term float could restore boat access for the season while a multi-year rebuild is developed.

The county plans to post new signage and finalize ordinance language before deputies begin routine enforcement. Staff said they will monitor other nearby lots to avoid displacing parking problems to neighboring areas.

If adopted as discussed, the ordinance revisions will be administrative tools for deputies and public works staff rather than new land-use regulations; the meeting record shows the items were discussed and scheduled for action, but no formal vote on the ordinance changes occurred during the EPRC meeting.