Employees aren’t the only ones complaining about the parking restrictions at Juanita Village and Juanita Beach Park. Customers and employers have begun to speak out, as well.

In late July, the Kirkland Parks Department received emails from Suzette O’Day, who works at the Bank of America at Juanita village, according to documents obtained by the Reporter through a public information request. In the emails, O’Day stated that time restrictions on parking spots at the Village, as well as restrictions prohibiting employees from using parking at Juanita Beach Park, make it impossible for them to find adequate parking within a mile radius, including paid parking. O’Day claimed in the email that Juanita Village had 180 employees last year, and the number has grown since then.

“My associates cannot afford the parking tickets daily,” she wrote, “There is absolutely no place for them to park other then the park.”

Although Juanita Beach Park is less busy during the fall and winter, the four-hour limit placed by the parks department on all spots, as well as prohibiting parking there for any other use than the park itself, has left employees at Juanita Village scrambling to find alternative solutions. Those who work a full eight-hour shift are forced to move their vehicle during their lunch breaks, which can prove difficult during peak traffic times. Additionally, they say all parking spots in front of their workplace are left open for customers.

As a solution, O’Day requested the city allow employees to park at the beach park using passes, or allow employees to pay to park in one of the three city parking lots around the Village for a reasonable monthly fee.

In a follow-up email, O’Day added that customers have complained to the bank, asking for the city manager’s name and email.

“It truly is becoming a huge issue and all the associates of local businesses are parking in the parking area allocated for clients,” she wrote in another email.

Jason Filan, the parks manager, wrote to O’Day that the issue is beyond the scope of the parks department, which focuses on maintaining the parking lots only for people using the parks. He added, though, that a permit system could be discussed.

“There is no easy answer on this end,” he wrote. “I think that the various land owners of the Village need to get together and come to the city with some unified voice as to possible solutions.”