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Everett council pushes administration to address parking, food distribution and community meetings
Summary
The council asked traffic and enforcement officials to meet about covered cars, overflow parking tied to weekly food distributions, and set dates for community meetings about former school properties; several items were referred for written responses or special meetings.
The Everett City Council on Jan. 13 directed the administration and public-safety staff to take several steps addressing parking enforcement, food distribution logistics and scheduling community meetings about two former school properties.
Parking enforcement and covered cars (Item 20): The council referred a resolution asking the traffic commission to consider a restriction on covered cars parked on public ways. Councilor Stephanie Smith, sponsor of the resolution, said covered vehicles on neighborhood streets make it difficult for enforcement to verify resident stickers or enforce the 72-hour move rule.
Special meeting on parking enforcement (Item 22): The council voted to request that Sergeant Gaff and the head of parking enforcement appear at a special meeting (scheduled for Jan. 21) to discuss parking issues and enforcement capacity. Councilors said repeated, localized illegal parking is creating safety and operational problems for emergency response.
Linden/Webster/Church Streets (Item 23): Citing specific weekend congestion around pantry distribution, Councilor Robert Van Kampen asked the traffic enforcement division to strictly enforce parking restrictions at Linden, Webster, Church and Warren Streets and provide a written reply outlining planned steps.
Food insecurity task force and Church Street distribution (Item 24): The council amended and approved a resolution asking the administration to convene a task force with council membership, administration and community stakeholders to study food insecurity and distribution logistics. Councilors said Church Street food distribution has caused repeated parking and safety problems and asked that the administration provide an update to the full council by the Jan. 27 meeting.
Former school community meetings (Item 25): The council asked the administration to provide an update on scheduling community meetings on the future use of the former Everett High School and the former Pope John property. Councilors emphasized that public engagement is needed before decisions on overcrowding and potential reuse move forward.
Together, those referrals produced clear next steps: a special parking meeting on Jan. 21, written responses from police/traffic enforcement on targeted parking enforcement, and a requested administration update on community meetings by the Jan. 27 council meeting. Several councilors said the issues combine public safety, neighborhood quality of life and program delivery for residents who rely on food distribution services.
The council also asked that written responses include any data on calls, placements or complaints so members can evaluate whether enforcement staffing or operational changes are needed.
