Council asks planning commission to solicit public input on allowing residential or short-term rentals in Front Street historic district

Coupeville’s Town Council on May 27 directed the Planning Commission to solicit public input on whether the town should permit residential uses and short-term rentals behind storefronts in the historic Front Street commercial district.

The issue was raised during audience input by several property owners who said limited options for living or overnight accommodation constrain building viability. Chantal Barber Summers, owner of 12 Front Street, said she is not asking the town to pay for protection but asked that the town change its Shoreline Master Program to allow owners to apply for hard-armoring and to avoid forcing lower floors to flood or undergo costly elevation. Julie Lloyd, owner of 15 Front Street, said she supports reconsidering rules that prohibit residences behind some single-story storefronts and said allowing limited living space could help prospective buyers and new businesses.

Council members discussed competing priorities. Supporters said allowing limited residential or short-term rental use behind storefronts could make properties economically viable and encourage new uses. Opponents and other councilors raised parking, historic-character and fairness concerns; council members noted time-based parking rules and business-owner enforcement as possible mitigations. Councilors asked that any outreach include both sides of Front Street and be widely advertised.

What was directed: Council agreed the Planning Commission should convene public meetings to gather community feedback and report back to council. The council did not draft code changes at this meeting; members emphasized the initial task is broad public input rather than ordinance drafting.

Context and concerns: Councilors and staff noted the town’s existing Shoreline Master Program and historic-district policies constrain what changes would be allowed without state review. Staff said the Department of Ecology had not flagged a prescriptive barrier to the idea in preliminary conversations, but any local SMP change would require state review and likely further technical work. Council members repeatedly flagged parking as a local constraint: staff and councilors said employee parking already pressures Front Street spaces and that time-limited parking or business enforcement of employee parking could be tools but may be unpopular.

Ending: Council gave staff and the Planning Commission direction to begin public outreach and return findings to the council before any ordinance drafting. The record shows council members want a broad, public conversation first rather than an immediate regulatory change.