Oak Harbor, Washington Development News
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7-7-2026 City of Oak Harbor Council Meeting
Published: Jul 7, 2026
Oak Harbor Marina to Feature New Mexican Food Truck
The City Council considered and approved a concession agreement with El Saison de Wajaka (Francisco) to operate a Mexican food truck at the marina, located between the marina and Catalina Park. The food truck will provide a new amenity, offering food services at the marina during the busy season (Memorial Day to Labor Day), operating Thursdays through Mondays from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The agreement includes a monthly fee of $300, covering utilities and trash, with the potential for a guest gate card for restroom access. This initiative is seen as a step towards the city's vision of a food truck plaza at Windjammer and revitalizing Catalina Park, with plans to eventually accommodate up to four food trucks there. Council members expressed enthusiasm for the new amenity, its potential to draw business from the nearby naval base and college, and its contribution to the marina's offerings.
Oak Harbor Appoints Craig Llamas Cole as New Parks and Recreation Director
The City Council approved an employment agreement for Craig Llamas Cole as the new Director of Parks and Recreation. The selection followed a competitive recruitment process with multiple strong candidates. Cole's experience with the City of Los Angeles and Oak Harbor, along with his institutional knowledge and demonstrated performance, led to his selection. The council expressed confidence in his ability to lead the department, emphasizing his expertise and the value of internal hires. Cole also spoke, expressing excitement to lead the department with transparency and community involvement. The council unanimously approved the agreement and his appointment.
Island County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Highlights Risks for Oak Harbor
Fire Chief Travis Mayor presented an update on the Island County 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan, emphasizing its requirement every five years. The plan is crucial for identifying hazards and securing grant funds from DHS and FEMA. The county initiated public input in October 2025 through surveys, with Oak Harbor's outreach efforts recognized as a best practice. The presentation detailed the identified risks for Island County and the City of Oak Harbor. For Island County, landslide and floods moved from medium to high risk. For Oak Harbor, the risk rankings remained largely unchanged, with severe weather as the top risk, followed by earthquakes. Residents can access more detailed information on the county's webpage. This presentation served as a required public meeting to discuss identified risks.
Oak Harbor Reduces Speed Limit on State Route 20 to 45 MPH
The City Council adopted Ordinance 2046, which reduces the speed limit on a specific section of State Route 20 from 50 mph to 45 mph. This change is from milepost 33.697, approximately 700 ft north of Northeast 16th Avenue, up to the north corporate city limits. The ordinance aligns the city's code with a request from Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) related to the Fakma Road and Highway 20 roundabout construction. Although the council initially suggested a 40 mph limit, WSDOT's design documentation and subsequent speed studies recommended 45 mph. The city is revising its code to match the state's established speed limits. The ordinance does not affect other speed limits on SR 20 within the city. Discussions also touched upon WSDOT's plans to extend the 45 mph speed reduction further north and concerns about the traffic signal at Altfield.
Oak Harbor Council Supports Opposition to Proposed Federal Grant Regulations
The City Council received a presentation on proposed federal regulations affecting financial assistance, specifically revisions to 2 CFR 200 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). While some changes aim to improve transparency and reduce recipient burden, many are expected to increase administrative burdens for small cities. Key concerns include mandatory written justification for every payment request, required use of the DHS e-Verify program for employees and contractors, expanded Buy America program requirements potentially delaying construction, and more complex reporting. The proposed rule also grants federal agency heads more power to impose new rules or terminate grants at will, potentially creating instability for ongoing projects. The city is submitting a comment letter urging OMB not to finalize the proposed rule, highlighting that 14 of the city's grants, totaling approximately $5.5 million, could be immediately impacted if the rule passes, with an effective date of October 1, 2026. The council unanimously voted to add their support to the mayor's comment letter.
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Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission Regular Meeting (PDF)
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Happy Monday….we hope you all had a great Independence Day weekend! Here’s a recap from our time at the Whidbey...
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