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Mukilteo reviews waterfront parking strategy; consultants propose cameras and an outsourced enforcement model
Summary
A Walker Consulting presentation for Mukilteo's council described signage fixes and data collection options for Lighthouse Park, recommended LPR camera pilots (about $2,500 per camera per year) to gather usage data, and presented a baseline outsourced enforcement cost model of roughly $230,000 annually under current assumptions.
Walker Consulting's Kenzie Colson walked Mukilteo councilmembers through refinements to the waterfront parking program and a cost‑modeling exercise that explored enforcement, technology and revenue scenarios.
Colson said new signage and clearer payment information have already been installed at Lighthouse Park and that the consultant team found multiple opportunities to improve enforcement efficiency and compliance. She highlighted Sound Transit's commuter lot rules (permited use between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. on weekdays and free/ticketed use at other times), noting that enforcement of that lot is complaint‑based and that the city would need an agreement to change enforcement or payment arrangements.
On technology, Colson described a subscription, cloud‑based license‑plate recognition (LPR) camera that runs on LTE and solar power and ‘‘collects data by collecting license plates... The cost is $2,500 per camera per year," she said. The cameras would be pitched primarily as a data tool (permit‑holder counts and duration studies) rather than immediate enforcement, though council members asked about near‑real‑time integration with permit databases and the tradeoffs of adding enforcement triggers.
The consultant presented a sample outsourced enforcement model that, under a set of assumptions, could cost roughly $230,000 per year; Colson emphasized many assumptions would need to be tested in a procurement phase.
Council discussion centered on whether to pilot cameras, how to integrate camera data with Passport and permit systems, the political and operational issues of resident permit caps, and exploring negotiations with Sound Transit over 67 commuter stalls that currently reduce paid parking capacity. Staff noted Washington Senate Bill 6002 (referenced in the presentation) has recent language about license‑plate recognition data and privacy that would shape any camera program.
Why it matters: waterfront parking generates revenue that funds rangers and park maintenance; improved data and enforcement could increase compliance and revenue but raises privacy, staffing and procurement questions.
Next steps: staff said they will refine assumptions, consider pilots for camera data collection, and evaluate whether to issue an RFP for enforcement services after further analysis and internal committee work.
