By Leslie Moriarty
Herald Writer
SULTAN — Rusty Drivstuen’s parking lot at the Mountain View Chevron on the east edge of town is probably the most popular one around.
He wants to make sure it stays that way.
For the past year, in an agreement with the ski resort on Steven’s Pass, Drivstuen has offered free car parking at his station and shuttle bus rides to the mountain in an effort to keep traffic counts lower on U.S. 2.
His parking lot has been a part of his business since the station opened six years ago. And for several years, his place has been a ticket outlet for ski lift tickets to Steven’s Pass.
"We do a huge amount of business for them," he said. "Adding the free parking and shuttle buses was just a natural."
The city issued a temporary conditional-use permit to allow Drivstuen to offer the services during the 2000-01 winter ski season. But as winter rolls around again, the city has decided it should issue a standard conditional-use permit.
While Drivstuen doesn’t know the exact number of cars that use the parking lot and shuttle buses on a typical skiing weekend, city officials estimate that it may take 200 or more cars off the highway on Saturdays and Sundays, the busiest ski days.
City Clerk Laura Koenig said city ordinances pertaining to conditional-use permits don’t address parking lots.
"They address such things as drive-through banks and other items," she said. "But once in awhile things crop up that need to be addressed."
So, the city council has set a public hearing for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Sultan Community Center, 319 Main St., to hear comments about how the city should regulate special-use permits for parking lots.
The ordinance is being drafted but is expected to address who can create such lots for public use and what conditions have to be met.
City councilwoman Carolyn Eslick said she thinks the council is in support of giving Drivstuen a conditional-use permit, but wants to make sure that the city’s ordinance addresses parking lots.
She said she doesn’t think the city will require that the lot be paved, just some minor improvements.
When Drivstuen put in the parking lot six years ago, he met the existing codes and he did get the needed permits. But since that time, there have been added regulations.
He is afraid that the city will make him re-do his lot and adhere to the 2001 grading regulations.
"This (the parking lot) is something that I think is a service to people," he said. "It’s land I’m donating for use by drivers, so that we can keep cars off a highway that is already over-crowded.
"I’m not making any money off this, and the parking lot is safe. Why the city wants to regulate it just baffles me."
You can call Herald Writer Leslie Moriarty at 425-339-3436
or send e-mail to moriarty@heraldnet.com.
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