Port Angeles City Council

**Mayor Kate Dexter**, on meeting efficiency: "We do have three council members and two staff members who are heading to Olympia this evening, so my hope is that we can, not at the, I don't want to not do our business well, but that we can do it efficiently this evening so we can get on the road before it's particularly icy as it was this morning." **Council Member Amy Miller**, on council assignment delays: "What I wanted to say the reason I didn't wanna just pass along without any kind of discussion is because, I think it feels like this conversation has sort of been kicked down the trail quite a bit." **Council Member Navara Carr**, on permit-ready plans timing: "This is a timely time to be talking about this, particularly because there's a senate bill that's going through the legislature was heard last week that would have permit ready plans for gmas." **Steve Luxton**, on housing needs: "The existing, you know, capitalism works for people who can participate in it, not for thos

# Port Angeles City Council Meets in the Shadow of State Capitol Visit The Port Angeles City Council convened on January 20, 2026, with three council members and two staff members preparing to depart for Olympia immediately after the meeting to advocate for the city's legislative priorities. Mayor Kate Dexter opened the session by noting the urgency of completing their business efficiently, given the icy conditions and travel plans ahead. ## Mayor and Deputy Mayor Elections Resolved The meeting began with unfinished business from the previous session — the election of mayor and deputy mayor positions that had ended in a tie vote. With Council Member Hodgson now present, providing the full seven-member body needed for decisive voting, the elections proceeded smoothly. Dexter and Deputy Mayor Navara Carr had been the nominees for mayor at the previous meeting. When the roll call vote was taken, Dexter emerged with four first-choice votes to Carr's three, securing her position as mayor for the 2026-2028 term. "Thank you all for your vote of confidence and I look forward to continuing to serve," Dexter said after the unanimous motion to confirm her appointment passed. The deputy mayor race proved more competitive, with nominations for both Drew Schwab and Navara Carr. Council Member Amy Miller nominated Schwab, praising his dedication as "a thoughtful researcher who prioritizes the well being of the entire city" and highlighting his "deep understanding of Robert's rules" that would be valuable for maintaining procedural integrity. Council Member Latricia Suggs countered by nominating Carr, emphasizing her extensive experience serving as deputy mayor and her leadership through challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic. "She really has served our community well looking out for people who have challenges in their life," Suggs said. When the votes were tallied, Carr received four first-choice votes to Schwab's three, retaining her position as deputy mayor. Dexter noted with humor that the outcome would make logistics easier since Carr had already moved into the deputy mayor's spot at the council table. ## Housing Pipeline Grant Creates Opportunities and Questions The council unanimously approved accepting a significant $1,988,500 Housing Pipeline Pilot Project Grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce for predevelopment work at 935 West 10th Street. The grant will fund pre-design, programming, design development, engineering, site preparation, developer selection, and site disposition for what city staff envision as a high-density multifamily pilot project. The project aims to address the shortage of multifamily rental housing while demonstrating the feasibility of higher-density development in commercially zoned areas. The city purchased the 14,000-square-foot property at the intersection of 10th and C Streets in April 2025 as part of implementing the 2025 Housing Action Plan. However, the grant sparked pointed public commentary about the project's direction and goals. Steve Luxton, a local builder, urged the council to establish clear objectives for the project, arguing that it should focus on permanently affordable housing for people at 60% Area Median Income and below. "I've been building in Port Angeles for about ten years and in that time it's become really clear to me that this 60% AMI and below category is really the most in need category in town," Luxton told the council. "A lot of these people are unable to come up with a deposit. If you talk to their work history, they might have worked three weeks, but they have a two year gap. They usually don't even have credit." Luxton advocated for a duplex court format that could be built in phases as funding becomes available, and he questioned the city's need to pilot something when the private market has already built about 80 units serving the 70-100% AMI category in recent years. John Ralston echoed concerns about costs, questioning how the project could achieve affordability given likely prevailing wage requirements and regulatory barriers. "I don't know how you're ever gonna be building things that are gonna be affordable because you're gonna have to be paying prevailing wage," he said. Mayor Dexter acknowledged the comments, saying she hoped the council would have additional conversation about the feedback as the project moves forward. ## Expanding the Permit-Ready Plan Program The council unanimously approved establishing formal procedures for accepting donated permit-ready plans into the city's existing program. The initiative allows architects and developers to donate engineered plan sets to expand the library of pre-approved housing designs available to community members at no cost. Community and Economic Development Manager Shannen Cartmell outlined the success of the current program, noting that since its inception, four permit-ready plan units have been fully constructed, including ADUs and primary residences across multiple neighborhoods. Seven additional permits have been issued and are under construction, including townhouse duplexes as part of larger subdivisions. "There is a very healthy pipeline of new dwelling units planned for 2026," Cartmell reported, building on the solid performance of 2025 and the exceptional success of 2024. The new donation procedures require that contributed plans comply with all applicable building codes and meaningfully contribute to community housing needs by providing multifamily housing, middle housing, infill housing, or innovative design techniques. Donors must also agree to update plans when code requirements change. Council Member Drew Schwab praised the timing of the initiative, noting that similar legislation is working its way through the state legislature for growth management areas. "It's nice when we're working on things that seem like they're being worked on in terms of solving the housing shortage all across the state," he said. ## Senior Center Showcases Community Impact Senior Center Manager Carmen Geyer presented an impressive year-in-review for the facility, demonstrating how the center serves as a vital community resource. The center, completed in 1995 and cooperatively run by the city and a nonprofit board, relies heavily on volunteer support — 148 volunteers contributed 9,804 hours in the past year, equivalent to 4.7 full-time employees. The center serves 1,127 members and generated more than budgeted membership income, bringing in $19,000 against a $15,000 budget. The facility hosted 68 programs and classes totaling over 13,150 hours of programming, resulting in more than 53,370 hours of individual participation. "I just try and think where else would they be? And where else would our community members be if we didn't have these programs in our senior center," Geyer reflected. Beyond recreational activities, the center provides crucial support services. The coffee lounge served over 5,600 cups, the crafty corner sold nearly $5,000 in handmade goods by local seniors, and the computer lab had over 430 visits. Support services included helping over 450 people with tax preparation through AARP's program and assisting 575 individuals with Medicare enrollment. The center also completed major infrastructure improvements, including HVAC upgrades and a solar project that will help achieve long-term cost savings and sustainability goals. Council members expressed appreciation for the presentation, with several noting they qualify for associate memberships (ages 45-54). Council Member Amy Miller, who revealed she is one of only nine associate members, praised Geyer's work: "You should be very proud of the work that you are doing there and the legacy you are leaving." ## Council Assignments and Committee Changes The council approved their committee assignments for the 2026-2027 term, with some notable changes. Staff recommended removing the Aligned Response and Care (ARC) team from the current assignments until the full council can provide clear legislative direction on camping and encampment policies. Deputy Mayor Carr, who currently serves on the ARC team, explained that the committee has reached a point where they "can no longer have useful conversations without council direction." She requested that the discussion be scheduled for February 3rd, with an opportunity to present the committee's work and the two diverging paths they've identified. The council also removed the City Wellness Committee and North Olympic Community Media from the assignment list, while adding the Joint Task Force with Clallam County Public Utility District that was approved in September 2025. ## Building Permits Down Significantly During public comment, Steve Pelayo drew attention to concerning building permit statistics, reporting that residential building permits were down 45% year-over-year in 2025, falling to just 52 units from 95 in 2024. The data showed particularly troubling trends in multifamily development. "We had zero multi family in 2025. Multi family apartment I should say," Pelayo noted. "We need 250 unit apartments tomorrow, and it's shocking that we're just not getting anything done." He pointed to macroeconomic conditions and local regulatory challenges as contributing factors, while warning that Sequim's planned thousand-home developments would create a "massive demographic shift" as they outperform Port Angeles in growth and tax collections. ## Public Safety and Infrastructure Concerns Multiple speakers raised concerns about public safety and illegal camping issues. Kelly Johnson, representing Cliff House Condo owners, described ongoing problems with illegal structures on city-owned property, including trespassers, attempted break-ins, and drug paraphernalia found on their property. "This is not just our concern, it's become the number one topic across social media, substacks, podcasts, community pages," Johnson said, urging the council to take more decisive action. Steve Pelayo amplified these concerns, describing a recent incident where a local hero defended a Clallam Transit driver and had his e-bike stolen. The community raised money to buy the individual a new bike, but Pelayo emphasized that the underlying problems persist. "Crime drug use, and legal camping have really become these burdens that law biding citizens and businesses are increasingly being expected to accept as just normal," Pelayo argued. "What this community needs really is some leadership that's gonna prioritize outcomes." ## Technology and Transparency Challenges The meeting also highlighted ongoing challenges with the city's virtual meeting technology. A remote participant complained that the "live virtual meeting" buttons on the city website don't work properly, making it difficult for citizens to access meetings online. "It took me 15 minutes to finally figure it to get to the right place. Very frustrated, very unhappy," the caller reported, urging the city to fix the website accessibility issues. ## Looking Ahead As the meeting concluded, several council members prepared for their trip to Olympia to advocate for the city's legislative priorities. Council Member John Hodgson, making his first appearance after missing the previous meeting, expressed his eagerness to engage with lawmakers about the city's economic, environmental, and housing needs. The council will return on February 3rd for what promises to be a substantive discussion about the ARC team's work and the city's approach to camping and encampment issues — a topic that has clearly become a focal point for community concern and council attention. With new leadership confirmed and major housing initiatives moving forward, the council appears positioned to tackle some of the city's most pressing challenges while navigating the complex balance between community needs, regulatory requirements, and fiscal constraints.