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Poulsbo council hears repeated complaints about downtown parking, hears update on enforcement plan
Summary
Port officials, marina tenants and downtown business owners told the Poulsbo City Council that limited parking is hurting waterfront businesses and port operations. Staff said the city has narrowed an RFP for third‑party parking enforcement and expects a contract and related fines to come to council in July.
Port and marina leaders urged the Poulsbo City Council on June 18 to preserve a small cluster of employee and resident parking at the head of D‑Dock and to strengthen enforcement of downtown parking rules.
Public commenters from the Port of Poulsbo and several downtown marine businesses said limited parking and inconsistent enforcement are preventing customers from reaching marine‑related shops and creating operational problems for the port’s fuel and service trucks. Jay Lawrence, chair of the Port of Poulsbo commission, told the council the port’s 2024 visitor counts totaled roughly 4,790 vessel arrivals, at an average party size of 2.8 people, and said those visits generate substantial downtown spending. He presented the numbers as port estimates and credited Washington Economic Development studies for the per‑vessel expenditure figures.
Marina residents and tenants said a planned city takeover of seven parking spaces at the head of D‑Dock would have an outsized effect on…
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