Poulsbo council presses staff for cost estimates and enforcement options ahead of downtown parking vote

Councilmembers used a March 12 workshop session to press staff for detailed cost estimates and implementation scenarios ahead of a planned vote on a downtown parking policy package the council has labeled “Resolution 3.” The resolution bundles four components: signage, employee parking, enforcement, and an option for paid parking by summer 2026.

Councilmember Gary (identified in the discussion as a sponsor of the earlier resolution) asked staff to provide cost estimates for each of the four items — “Signage, employee parking, enforcement, paid parking” — so the council could consider the package holistically before voting on March 19. Staff said they will provide rough budget estimates; they noted that some items, such as enforcement models, depend on choices that require further analysis and vendor procurement (for example, a private contract for enforcement versus police enforcement).

Council discussion focused heavily on enforcement. One councilmember asked what police staffing would have to look like if the department were the primary enforcement option; staff and council discussed the possibility that relying on the police would require increasing patrol staffing to avoid reducing service levels elsewhere. Council members also discussed alternative enforcement models used by other jurisdictions (paid street‑scanning services, seasonal enforcement, or contracted staff) and asked staff to include several options and the likely fiscal impact for each.

Councilmember Brooke criticized recent scheduling changes that moved votes to different meetings and said the body should avoid rearranging agendas because of individual absences. Others urged the body to reach a decision next week, noting the issue has been divisive in the community.

Staff indicated they have been meeting with the Historic Downtown Poulsbo Association (HDPA) and businesses to gather information, including an employer survey to identify employee parking needs. Staff also said they have been working to identify parking lots (church, private) that could be used for employee parking and will include those options in the March 19 presentation.

Council set expectations for the March 19 meeting: staff will provide cost guesstimates, enforcement scenarios (including police staffing implications), and summaries of parking‑lot agreements for possible employee parking. Council members asked that presentation materials be shared in advance so members can review before the meeting.