Drug use, human waste lead to parking closure
Published 1:30 am Friday, March 20, 2026
Frequent reports of drug use and the discovery of drug paraphernalia led the Oak Harbor Police Department and Public Works to announce on Wednesday the immediate closure of street parking on Southeast Bayshore Drive.
Street parking will remain closed until March 21. All offenders will be towed by the city and impounded. This closure follows a uptick in reports about illegal activities on the road that threaten public health and the local wildlife, according to a city press release.
Concerns were also brought up at the last Wright Blend – Coffee and Conversation with Mayor Ronnie Wright and at the Main Street Annual Meeting that Oak Harbor Chief of Police Tony Slowik attended, Oak Harbor Communications Officer Magi Aguilar said.
Other reports concerned three different accounts of hazardous and human waste being dumped in the city’s stormwater drains and two complaints of human waste being dumped in the Portland Loo Toilets, Aguilar said. Other residents have observed “unauthorized activities that compromise the safety of the city’s waterfront infrastructure,” according to a press release.
“Our primary responsibility is the safety of our residents and the protection of our natural environment,” Wright said in a press release.
The street will remain open to traffic. Meanwhile, city ecology teams are in the process of inspecting stormwater drains in the area to determine if the complaints can be confirmed and if there is any damage; the city will work to resolve issues if necessary. There will be more law enforcement presence along the waterfront during this time to help enforce the new restriction, states the press release.
“By limiting vehicle loitering and illegal parking in this area, we can better monitor the corridor, prevent the contamination of our stormwater systems and ensure our waterfront remains a safe environment for everyone,” Police Chief Tony Slowik said.
So far police have not had to tow any vehicles since the temporary no parking signs were installed, Aguilar said.
Report active illegal dumping or suspicious activity by calling the Oak Harbor Police Department non-emergency line at 360-679-9567 or by dialing 911 for emergencies.
