City blamed for parking snarl

They had to go get more chairs. About 60 people showed up for a neighborhood meeting at West Central Community Center last Tuesday put together by Spokane City Council members Nancy McLaughlin and Steve Corker to address parking issues around The Flying Goat restaurant on Northwest Boulevard.

And most of the neighbors could agree on one thing: It’s the city’s fault.

The Flying Goat artisan pizzeria and neighborhood pub opened in June. It’s owned by Jonathan Sweatt and business partners including Hal Dixon and John Stejer. Sweatt also is an owner of the Downriver Grill across the street.

The Flying Goat, which serves handcrafted pizzas and has more than a dozen beers on tap, quickly became a destination restaurant, and that’s when, neighbors say, street parking in the area got completely out of control. Patrons block driveways and take up every available spot on the streets and make it impossible – or at least difficult – for emergency vehicles to get through the narrow residential streets.

“This is a very emotional and angry person you see here,” said Pat Carlin, who lives on F Street. “If there is sufficient parking for The Flying Goat, why are people then parking in the street?”

At Tuesday’s meeting, many people were wearing “I (heart) The Flying Goat, and I’m an Audubon neighbor” stickers on their blouses in support of the restaurant.

“Those Flying Goat stickers are a slap in the face of us neighbors,” Carlin said.

Connie Hickman, who has lived in the neighborhood for 45 years, said car doors are being slammed in the street late at night, people urinate in public and her yard is filled with beer bottles, candy wrappers and cigarette butts.

“It’s always been a quiet neighborhood around here. I want my neighborhood back,” Hickman said. “If my husband leaves for the store, now I have to stand in the street and keep his parking spot in front of our house. It’s not right.”

But The Flying Goat is not violating any zoning laws or codes, and the number of parking stalls in the restaurant’s lot meets all requirements. Though some neighbors have alleged otherwise, in letters to the editor and fliers passed out in the neighborhood, all permitting procedures were followed when the restaurant went in.

After listening for more than an hour to neighbors alleging everything from liquor law violations to public drunkenness and urination, it was an emotional Sweatt who got to speak.

“We don’t want to be just a tavern. We want to work with people here in the neighborhood,” said Sweatt, choking up a bit. “We have never asked our neighbors to turn a blind eye to any illegal activity here.”

He then passed the microphone to Stejer, his business partner.

“We try to create a high level of service; it’s for you, it’s not for us,” said Stejer. “Our dream came true but it came true at a compromise for the neighbors here.” Stejer added that they provide 31 jobs for the neighborhood.

Beth McRae, The Flying Goat’s general manager, said restaurant staff will do anything to work with neighbors and do everything in their power to make sure no one is over served at the bar.

“I have a 2-year-old niece living just down the street, so it’s ridiculous for people to say that I would let drunk people drive around the neighborhood,” McRae said, and shared her cell number with everyone at the meeting. “That should show you how serious I am.”

The Flying Goat owners said that patrons have complained to them about neighbors who yell at them or turn on sprinklers so they can’t retrieve their cars without getting soaked.

Corker said he’d met with a group of neighbors at Carlin’s home, and later met with the owners of The Flying Goat.

“The owners are complying with all regulations,” Corker said, “but we are sensitive to the concerns raised about the conduct of neighbors and patrons.”

The Washington State Liquor Control Board has received a complaint saying The Flying Goat is “allowing liquor to be removed from premise,” which means drinking in the parking lot or on adjacent streets.

“Flying Goat does have an endorsement to sell unopened bottles to go,” wrote WSLCB communications consultant Anne Radford in an e-mail, adding that an investigation into the complaint can take up to 60 days and may result in a warning – written or verbal – or a fine or liquor license suspension.

As the evening wore on, even the most vocal and adamant critics softened their tone a bit, saying it really isn’t the restaurant they have any beef with, it’s the parking issue. And the parking issue is a result of the city’s slack regulations when it comes to neighborhood businesses, some said.

Neighbors suggested “resident only” parking permits or marked parking spots or signs warning to avoid blocking driveways.

City traffic engineer Bob Turner, who attended the meeting, responded to volley after volley of questions from neighbors.

“I get more than 2,000 calls a year from people who are unhappy with parking,” Turner said. “If parking rules are enforced, you’ll lose half of the parking on the street. If we write tickets, both patrons and neighbors will get tickets. If we put up signs, we’d need around 50 signs in the area.”

Supporters of The Flying Goat applauded Sweatt and his partners for doing something good for the neighborhood.

“He is investing in the neighborhood – why would we discourage that?” asked Chris Bernardi, who lives nearby. “It’s a shame that we are here arguing over an issue that’s pretty simple. We need to get together as a neighborhood and figure out how we can make this happen.”

Corker and McLaughlin said they are committed to seeing the process through and finding a solution.

While that works its way through City Hall, neighbor Al Finch said:

“The Flying Goat is the kind of business we want here, because it is neighborhood oriented. And to anybody who lives close to the restaurant: walk here – don’t drive.”