Goldendale council hears wide-ranging public concerns over West Broadway parking; matter sent to Public Works Committee

Goldendale City Council held a public hearing on proposals for West Broadway parking and a possible four-way stop at the Broadway and Mill intersection and voted to refer the matter to the Public Works Committee for further study and recommendations.

Residents and business representatives described narrow travel lanes, frequent double-parking, damage to vehicle mirrors, and difficulty for buses, trailers and emergency access. Jack Runyon, a West Broadway resident, asked, “Where are you gonna put them?” when told parking could be removed from parts of Broadway, and said he does not believe the intersection is “busy enough for a stop sign.”

The hearing drew multiple speakers representing homeowners, apartment owners and downtown institutions. Veronica Clevidence, who lives on West Broadway, recommended limiting parking to one side of the street and said a system of residential placards allowing “one vehicle that can park on West Broadway” per adult could help. Diane Rastole, owner of an apartment at 315 West Broadway, said long-stationary vehicles block garbage pickup and create unsightly conditions for tenants. Sean Jones, a board member with the historical society, and representatives of the American Legion and the Presby Mansion told the council their guests sometimes need street parking or use neighboring lots for overflow.

City staff told the council there has been no official traffic study yet; staff said multiple proposals remain on the table and that the public hearing was intended to collect affected parties’ input before the council or committees act. Roger Nicholson, attending as a reporter, asked whether traffic counts or accident lists existed; the staff response was, “There has been no official traffic study done yet.”

Councilmembers discussed a range of possible approaches: painting parking lines that define allowable distance from the curb; restricting certain vehicle types (for example, large rigs or RVs); limited residential placards; keeping parking on the north side only; creating new parking on nearby Grand Street with diagonal stalls; and pursuing grants for off-street (including possible tiered) parking in the longer term. Several councilmembers supported adding a four-way stop at Broadway and Mill primarily as a speed-control measure: one resident said the stop would slow nonlocal drivers who “come zipping in to town.”

A motion to refer the West Broadway parking options back to the Public Works Committee for further recommendation was made, seconded and passed by voice vote. Council staff said the committee will receive the meeting minutes and a link to the recorded meeting, and that any committee recommendation is likely to return to the council at a future meeting (the council discussed targeting May 19 for the Public Works Committee recommendation, subject to scheduling). The council emphasized that any changes affecting the state highway portion of Broadway — including installation of a stop sign — would require coordination with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

The referral preserves the status quo while the committee studies traffic, right-of-way or easement limits, parking layouts and potential mitigations (signing, curb markings, placards and limited vehicle restrictions). The Public Works Committee will consider all public comments recorded at this hearing when developing recommendations to the full council.

Details the public asked the council to examine include whether roadside areas are city right-of-way or prescriptive easement, how many businesses rely on the curbside spaces, and options for temporary overflow agreements with nearby private lots for events. Several speakers urged the council to prioritize senior and museum access and to consider winter-plowing impacts before removing curbside spaces.

The council closed the public hearing and approved the referral to the Public Works Committee by voice vote. Committee members will be provided the hearing record and the YouTube link of the meeting for review before the committee meeting.