Pullman’s parklet project denied funding

The Pullman Lodging Tax Advisory Committee on Tuesday denied a grant request to fund temporary outdoor gathering spaces, called parklets, in downtown Pullman this summer.

Committee members expressed concerns about the amount of the funding request, maintenance and using parking spaces for the parklets.

The city came to the committee with a grant request for as much as $17,500 to build three parklets that are intended to attract pedestrians downtown. Two of these curbside seating spaces would be located on Main Street and the other would be constructed on Pine Street.

Pullman Economic Development Manager Jennifer Hackman said these parklets would be available to the public 24 hours a day.

The parklets would complement the city’s proposed traffic revisions that would temporarily reduce Main Street to two lanes, add back-in angled parking and create a protected bike lane downtown.

These changes would serve as a “pop-up demonstration” of the concepts proposed in the Central Business District Master Plan introduced in February. The city hired BDS Planning and Urban Design to create that master plan, which explores ways of improving the function and appeal of downtown Pullman.

The Pullman Lodging Tax Advisory Committee members were concerned about spending as much as $17,500 on a temporary parklet project, however.

Committee Chairwoman Pat Wright added that the City of Pullman barely has enough staff members to keep up with maintaining the public spaces that already exist. She said the city may not have enough staff available to clean and maintain the parklets.

Hackman said several businesses she has spoken to were in support of these parklets, and a few offered to manage the spaces. However, committee member Charlene Jasper expressed doubt that business employees would adequately be able to clean the parklets in addition to their other duties.

Jasper also doubted an average of 65 people would utilize these parklets per day as Hackman estimated in the grant application.

Additionally, Jasper disapproved of the parklets taking up as many as seven parking spaces downtown if they were to be built.

“I am 100 percent opposed to this idea,” she said.

Committee member Barb Wachter said $17,500 is too much money to spend on a project that likely won’t bring more tourism to Pullman.

The Pullman Lodging Tax Advisory Committee offers grants for tourism-related projects with revenue from the city’s lodging tax.

The committee expressed it would be more open to spending money on less costly improvements to beautify High Street and Pine Street plazas.

Anthony Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.