Ocean Shores planning commission prioritizes sidewalks, downtown corridor and cellular coverage in 2025 strategic planning

The Ocean Shores Planning Commission met Jan. 28, 2025, at the Ocean Shores Library and identified pedestrian safety, downtown corridor improvements and improved cellular service among the top items to include in the commission’s 2025 strategic plan.

Commissioners and members of the public discussed extending the Point Brown multi‑use trail north to the roundabout and adding crosswalks and safety improvements on Ocean Shores Boulevard. “Complete the connection of Point Brown Multi Use Trail North to the traffic circle,” a commissioner said, and commissioners asked staff to consider crosswalks at Pacific Avenue, Ocean Lakeway and Taurus Boulevard and to replace flagged crossings with flashing lights at the roundabout after a near‑miss described at dusk.

Why it matters: commissioners said the projects would increase pedestrian and bicycle safety for residents and tourists and would help unify the downtown commercial area, a goal that appears in the city’s comprehensive plan. The commission also discussed design standards, parking and code enforcement as linked issues for downtown vitality.

Commissioners referenced Comprehensive Plan language (policy 3.2, as read in the meeting) that calls to “unify the downtown commercial area through construction of sidewalks, unified design, landscape, and signage.” Commissioners said past sidewalk plans had been contentious; earlier grant work was returned when the commission and property owners could not reach consensus on a design that would also preserve parking. One commissioner said the town broadly supports sidewalks but that “the devil is always in the details” about placement and parking impacts.

Code enforcement and nuisance concerns came up repeatedly. Multiple commissioners and members of the public said the city’s planning and code teams lack capacity to follow up on violations in a timely way. A commissioner asked staff to identify “codes that are tough to enforce” and to bring back ideas the commission could advance to help enforcement.

The commission heard from staff about motel renovations and potential conversions to longer‑term rental units on the so‑called Hotel Row. Marshall, the city’s community development liaison, said the planning and building departments are seeing many remodel projects and that any conversion from short‑term to long‑term rental should come to planning for review because parking requirements differ (the meeting noted that long‑term units commonly require roughly 1.5 parking spaces per unit versus one space per unit for short‑term lodging). Marshall said exact counts of conversions were “not available” but that the department would track conversions when owners apply for permits.

The group also discussed cellular coverage and potential sites for antenna support structures. Commissioners and residents raised dead zones on Ocean Shores Boulevard and near private residences. Marshall noted existing carrier leases at the public works yard and at the Grays Harbor PUD site and described the South End Fire Station as a location that hosts infrastructure such as a GPS base station and a strong‑motion seismic sensor; staff cautioned that new equipment should not interfere with public‑safety or seismic systems. A resident suggested pursuing federal rural broadband grants; one attendee said an online source listed about $38,000,000,000 available for rural broadband — a claim staff said should be verified with the city’s grant specialists.

On municipal signage, staff told the commission that the city attorney had advised not to change the municipal code on signs. “Legal has come back and said, do not touch the municipal code on signs,” the chair reported to the commission.

Natural‑resource and wildlife concerns also surfaced. One commissioner asked the commission to review rules about beaver control, referencing Washington statutes; the meeting included a citation to RCW 77.36.030 as part of that discussion. Commissioners asked staff to check whether the municipal code and state law could be reconciled to address property damage while protecting public safety.

Marshall reported that planning and building permit volumes are high, and the department expects another record year for permits in 2025. Commissioners agreed to carry these items into a written strategic plan to present to the City Council; the commission set its next meeting for Feb. 11, 2025, at 2 p.m. at the library.

The meeting recorded no land‑use decisions or permit approvals; commissioners voted on routine meeting business (agenda and minutes) but took no policy votes at this meeting.