PORT ANGELES — The non-profit Port Angeles Waterfront District and the city of Port Angeles have entered into a three-year agreement aimed at enhancing the waterfront downtown business area.
The goals of the partnership are to encourage and promote economic development, strengthen and revitalize commerce, improve aesthetics, sponsor and promote public events and engage in professional management, planning and promotion of the waterfront district, according to the agreement.
The Port Angeles Waterfront District (PAWD) also will enroll in the Washington State Main Street Program.
To help accomplish these goals, the city will pay the PAWD the fees that the city collects for the downtown parking and business improvement area. Those fees, which are implemented on most businesses north of Second Street and between Valley and Lincoln streets, include a one-time special assessment of $100 plus a quarterly billing determined by the business’ square footage.
The quarterly fees are $40 for those with less than 1,000 square feet; $66.50 for those between 1,000 and 5,000 square feet; and $100 for those with 5,000 square feet or more.
The PAWD can use those funds for parking facilities, decoration of public places, sponsorship of public events, furnishing of music in public places, providing professional planning and promotion for the area, providing maintenance and security for public areas and providing transportation services that benefit the area.
Some beautification tasks the PAWD could undertake, as laid out in the work plan, include overseeing the annual winter lights and implementing seasonal flowers, planters, street light banners, alley enhancements and trash cans.
Events that will be overseen by the PAWD include free live music, volunteer work parties, Hometown Holidays, Fall Crawl, Halloween Trick or Treat and a new Spring Mural Festival.
“We look forward to an active group doing cool things downtown again,” Mayor Kate Dexter said during a city council meeting Tuesday night.
The PAWD also is tasked with building and maintaining relationships with organizations such as the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the Clallam County Economic Development Council and the Port Angeles Business Association.
The agreement will run from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2027, and could be extended to Dec. 31, 2030.
The agreement was unanimously approved by six city council members. Council member Drew Schwab recused himself from the vote because he is a member of the PAWD.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
