New ‘trial’ spaces latest chapter in Sunset Avenue parking plan

George “Kingfish” Stevens of the “Amos ‘n’ Andy” TV show once famously observed, “Relatives are like radishes. Just when you think you’ve heard the last of them, there they are giving you trouble again.”

He might have been talking about Sunset Avenue.

With last month’s elimination of the much-maligned angle parking stalls, you will be forgiven for assuming that the parking issue on Sunset had at last — ahem — faded into the sunset.

Saying goodbye to the angle parking meant fewer stalls, so in an effort to make more parking available, the City of Edmonds brought out the spray paint this week and lightly marked several addition “potential” spaces along the northern section of Sunset Avenue.

According to a memo to the City Council from the Public Works Department, these spaces are the first step in an “organized effort that reaches out to Sunset residents and other citizens for input regarding these possible locations.” The memo goes on to explain that this effort will likely include an online poll (e.g., Survey Monkey) that “will allow people to comment on any or all of the potential locations and how they perceive it would impact their property or their parking needs.”

Once input has been collected and summarized, staff plans to present the findings to the City Council and provide a recommended solution, “but in the end it will be a council decision as to how many, if any, additional parallel spaces are added and where they should be placed,” the memo said.

“Our goal was to create additional parking spaces without undo interference with existing driveways,” said Public Works Director Phil Williams. “But it’s important to note that these are not yet approved new parking spaces.”

However, drivers who see the paint markings may not realize this. So what happens if you park in one of these spaces? Will you get a ticket?

“We understand that these markings could result in confusion about whether or not it’s OK to park in these spaces,” said Edmonds police spokesman Sgt. Shane Hawley. “As long as there has not been official notice given (or posted), we will not be enforcing them.”

And for any who’d care to test the Kingfish’s advice, the produce stands at the Edmonds Summer Market (opening this Saturday) will be brimming with plenty of fresh, plump radishes.

— Story and photos by Larry Vogel

  1. Drive down Sunset Ave. at sunset on any beautiful night and you will see bumper to bumper parking from Edmonds St. north to Caspers St., regardless of the markings of legal parking spots. One resident has taken to placing traffic cones in the no parking zone across the street from his house, I assume so he can back out of his driveway.

  2. There is no option for this street that will satisfy everyone, so collecting more citizen input is a waste of everyone’s time. City staff should simply determine what they believe to be the most optimum configuration and make that recommendation to city council.

  3. Enough with the hanky-panky, now-you-see-them, now-you-don’t approach to creating parking
    spaces on this street. Just leave the street alone (no new fake, trial spaces) and let folks live
    with what they have. Thanks.

  4. One thing I would like, as it was in the past, is a parking spot or two, closer to the picnic table so us older people don’t have to walk so far.

    1. and/or what about 1 or 2 more picnic tables?

      (also, Ken, it’s not necessarily “old folk” that have difficulties walking)

  5. They need to come up with a plan that can accommodate cars and leave it. The end. We elect people to lead…so lead.

  6. When the angled parking spots were removed, so was the required and much needed disabled parking. These spaces were wheelchair accessible (with painted stripes allowing room to enter/exit from a ramp.) With parallel parking only, a person in a wheelchair can only enter/exit their vehicle by putting the ramp down right in the lane of traffic. This is an accident waiting to happen.

    1. There is a marked disabled parking space at the north end of the street. I don’t know how compatible it is for wheel chair accessibility.

  7. Christina,
    There is also angled parking facing the Sound and mountains at Brackett’s Landing that may be an option for you.

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