PORT ANGELES — Jobs and the outdoors were the only elements of Port Angeles living in which participants in a city exercise found common ground this week during a study being conducted for a city comprehensive plan update.

Port Angeles’ comprehensive plan establishes long-range policies for nearly everything the city does, including land use, parks, transportation, housing and other services.

The update is expected to be complete by June 30, said Nathan West, city director of community and economic development.

Downtown HQ

The process included two workshops and drop-ins at headquarters downtown, which was open Tuesday through Thursday to let residents ask questions and share opinions.

Residents left ideas on Post-it notes on boards that identified various issues facing the city.

About 150 had dropped in at the center by Thursday afternoon.

About 30 city residents took part in the exercises and discussion Tuesday at the Elwha Heritage Center and another 16 Wednesday at the North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center.

They were separated into small groups and asked to rate the city in 10 categories on a scale where a zero is average, with options that ranged from minus 5 (very bad) to 5 (great).

They were also asked to provide guidance as to which categories the city should allocate resources.

The categories were fiscal balance and great services; neighborhood feel; safety; vital downtown; local employment for youth; living wages; available shopping and services; small-town feel; community appearance and outdoors.

The skills center meeting was small but enthusiastic, as four groups pored over the questions the city asked of them.

Jobs major issue

Jobs were identified as a major issue, though there was disagreement over whether the city had much influence in job creation.

“Living wages was the biggie,” said Katherine Occhiogrosso, 66.

Nearly every group assigned living-wage jobs as a minus 3 or minus 4 on their group surveys, and identified the subject as one of the most needful of city resources.

Some groups defined “youth” as post-high school young adults seeking entry-level jobs, while others defined it as teenagers, but all groups rated the city low in those areas.

Disagreement came in how much influence the city has over youth job creation, and some groups wanted to assign more resources to it, while others felt resources were best used elsewhere.

Outdoor access

Outdoor access was universally highly rated by the groups, scoring 1 to 3 on most group worksheets, and participants noted the high number of large parks, pocket parks, athletic facilities and access to Olympic National Park.

“You can’t throw a rock without hitting something, but there is more we can do,” said Drew Schwab, 31.

Group recommendations included better access to restroom facilities at parks; additional athletic facilities, especially on the west side of the city; and improved maintenance of those places.

Other categories

In other categories, there was little agreement, including how to interpret each category.

“It’s not so much violent crime as burglaries and drugs,” said Chad Aubin, 37, noting that for the average person, there is little risk in walking down a city street.

Occhiogrosso noted in a related topic, neighborhood feel, that Port Angeles residents might not spend a lot of time with their neighbors in a social setting, but they know their neighbors by sight and know who belongs there.

The category of a “small-town feel” divided those who took part.

Some groups said they rated the city low on the scale not because the city didn’t have one but because they wanted to see Port Angeles grow and gain a bigger city feel.

Other groups said the city had a good small-town feel that came naturally.

Some interpreted that as a disparaging description.

Shopping and services were rated highly by some groups and low in others, according to their needs and experiences.

________

Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.