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Residents push Mount Rainier council to reverse closure of locally owned parking lot serving dog daycare
Summary
The mayor and council read a city statement expressing disappointment about the closure of a locally owned parking lot and read dozens of written public comments urging the city to help the business; the council said it will consider how to handle large volumes of online comments from non-residents.
The Mount Rainier mayor and council opened public comment with a formal statement saying they were "saddened by the closure of the locally owned business parking lot," and acknowledged residents' concern that county planning and permitting issues contributed to the outcome.
"The mayor and council and the city of Mount Rainier are saddened by the closure of the locally owned business parking lot," the mayor read. The statement noted that corrections to a site plan fell under county planning and permitting authorities and that city staff have been available to assist business owners within the city’s authority.
The meeting record shows the mayor read dozens of written comments submitted online and in-person from residents and customers urging the city to work with the affected business. Commenters described the business as a community asset: "They provide very valuable services to families like mine who rely on their excellent day care and boarding," wrote Rick Ruggas, whose comment was read into the record. Kelly Bieves (read by the mayor) said the facility is "a fantastic addition to the city" and said she had seen no excessive barking nor other problems that would justify closure.
Several commenters pressed the council to return to the negotiating table rather than shutting the business down; one, Jamila Larson, urged the council to "invite the owner, his staff this time, find a solution, a win win is not only possible." Many comments described the business as a neighborhood amenity that brings customers to Mount Rainier and supported efforts to preserve it.
Councilors also discussed the logistics of reading many online comments during a hybrid meeting format. "We definitely are gonna have to... figure out how we're gonna do public comments moving forward," the mayor said, noting the council will consider policy in a future work session. A former council member in the audience questioned whether it was fair to dedicate so much meeting time to a single business's comments.
The council did not take a formal vote on the parking-lot issue during the meeting. The mayor said the city will post its statement on the city website and that staff will discuss next steps and public-comment procedures in a future meeting.
