Ocean Shores Food Bank applies to relocate to former Moby Dick's site; staff flag traffic concerns

The Ocean Shores Planning Department told the Planning Commission on Jan. 14, 2025, that the Ocean Shores Food Bank has applied for a conditional use permit to relocate to the mostly vacant property at Shoal and Point Brown Avenue, the former Moby Dick’s restaurant site.

Marshall (Planning Department staff) said the department uploaded application materials online and expressed concern about traffic flow for high-volume distribution days. “We've experienced, you know, at their current locations, traffic backed up all the way to Point Brown, from Anchor Avenue snaking through the area,” Marshall said, and asked whether the commission wanted a traffic study before a hearing examiner decision.

Jerry Rue, present with the application, described site plans and on-site parking. Rue said he could provide about 40 on-site spaces if a manufactured home on the parcel is removed: “...I could park on-site providing that we move the manufactured home off. That's gonna go away.” Rue said distribution days can be adjusted; he told commissioners he counted approximately 25 cars waiting in the street during recent Thursday distributions and that the Food Bank could open twice a week to reduce peak congestion.

Commissioners and staff discussed mitigation options including requiring a traffic study, staggered distribution hours, adding an additional distribution day, and monitoring vehicle queues. Marshall noted the hearing examiner will review the conditional use permit application and asked commissioners for comments to inform that review. No final decision was made by the commission at the Jan. 14 meeting.