Council Refers Truck Parking Issue to Planning Commission

WAITSBURG – After hearing from both parties involved and engaging in a brief discussion at their Dec. 20 meeting, the Waitsburg City Council decided to hand a noise ordinance issue over to the Planning Commission for review.

The issue arose when the manager of the apartments located behind Whiskey Canyon Sports Bar & Grill, which is commercially zoned, complained that trucks parked overnight at the restaurant with their engines idling disturbed apartment residents. The complaints have been ongoing and sporadic according to City Manager Randy Hinchliffe, who asked the council to review the situation.

Hinchliffe told the council that the city has concluded that there is a conflict in the municipal code related to nuisances arising from noise and temporary parking in commercial zones.

The city’s noise ordinance states that a noise is prohibited if it “reasonably disturbs” a person, but it also allows for 72-hour parking in a commercial zone. Hinchliffe said the code does allow the city to issue a noise permit, but there are no code provisions associated with it and he has never issued one.

Hinchliffe said the last similar incident was years ago when trucks were parking overnight at the former city lot at the north end of Main Street, and disturbing Main Street residents. In that instance the council decided not to allow overnight parking.

Hinchliffe suggested three options: inform the apartment manager that he should expect above-normal noise levels in a commercial zone, refuse to allow the restaurant to allow overnight parking or limit overnight idling, or refer the issue to the Planning Commission for review an a recommended course of action.

City Attorney Jared Hawkins informed the council that the Department of Ecology has set thresholds using decibel levels, which the city could consider.

Restaurant owners said that their customers have been repeatedly harassed by the apartment owner. Guy McCaw said that the sheriff had been called and requested to ask truckers to leave “private property that no one owns but us.” Dan Cole said that the manager has used numbers off the backs of the trucks to call the truck owners at 1:30 a.m. to complain about the drivers parking there.

“Harlan Hulce built the White Stallion Restaurant in 1974 and it always had more truckers that we’ve ever had. The apartments used to be a motel and there was never an issue between the motel and the apartments. The property behind the restaurant is zoned commercial,” Cole said.

“We built the restaurant in hopes of supporting truckers who would in turn support us. That’s why we put in the shower,” he added.

The apartment property manager said that all of his tenants have complained repeatedly for the last two years, since the restaurant. He said that no restaurant in Walla Walla allows trucks to park and idle overnight.

Cole asked the council what the difference would be if the restaurant was open 24-hours-a day and trucks were going in and out all day.

Ross Stevenson and Leroy Cunningham, who live on the opposite of Highway 12 and just east of the restaurant said they have issued complaints as well.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve heard trucks parking over there. It’s not when they start up that’s the problem, but the constant drone from them running all night long is a nuisance,” Stevenson said.

Cunningham said that the complex is set up so that it becomes and echo chamber. “The sound gets trapped and reverberates,” he said.

The council agreed that the U-shape of the complex, the hill behind the buildings and the large metal buildings flanking the parking area increase the parking noise.

Council member Kate Hockersmith said she would like to see the Planning Commission look at possible ways to mitigate the sound, such as fencing or shrubbery, and try to find a mutual agreement that could satisfy both parties.

Mayor Marty Dunn requested that the issue be handed over to the Planning Commission which would take decibel readings from various locations and come up with suggestions for a solution.

Dunn made it clear that the council is not required to abide by the suggestions of the Planning Commission, but will take them into consideration in a final decision.