On May 17, 2017, Ben Braudrick, assistant planner for the city Department of Community and Economic Development, and Steven M. Zenovic, a city consulting engineer, presented three proposals for the continuation of the Olympic Discovery Trail that would effectively destroy the West End neighborhood along West Fourth Street and West Milwaukee Drive, near the intersection of Tenth Street and Milwaukee near Crown Park.
The three proposals presented are totally void of any consideration for the residents of our community.
The first proposal prohibits any on-street parking.
It would take 12 feet of the existing street on the north side and designate that as trail, then put up a 4-foot-wide planter-type structure that would separate the trail from traffic.
The second and third proposals do have a single lane of parking either on the south or north side of the street, or in the center of the street next to the planter structure.
To get this room, they would remove 8 feet of everyone’s front yard, which is public right of way, on the north side of the street.
That would require moving light poles, cable boxes, power transformers, telephone connection boxes and fire hydrants, to name a few.
These proposals do not address everyday issues such as how do we get our mail?
Where do we put our trash and recyclables for pickup?
How about delivery trucks, moving vans and firetrucks having easy access to our property?
These proposals do not address the prospect of greatly reduced property values.
All of the Realtors I have spoken with say this will greatly reduce values.
I urge the city council to soundly reject any and all parts of these proposals.
Rick Sistek,
Port Angeles