Oak Harbor’s elected officials decided to save the parking lot next to the newly installed sculpture on the waterfront and leave a flagstaff alone, following apparent community sentiment but breaking with recommendations from two volunteer committees.

The reconfiguration of Flintstone Park on Bayshore Drive has garnered a lot of discussion and strong feelings in the community, especially in regard to whether the parking lot should be turned into green space and whether the historic flag pole should be moved.

The reconfiguration of the small waterfront park was planned after the 40-foot-tall “Angel de la Creatividad” sculpture was installed. The giant metal art piece faces the water and was placed as close to the shore as possible without requiring a shoreline permit. The sculpture is located partly in the asphalt roundabout inside the park.

The flagstaff flew the flag at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island for 45 years and was donated to the city, with a dedication at the park on Armed Forces Day in 1991.

At a council meeting last week, city Parks and Recreation Director Brian Smith presented two options to the council for reconfiguring Flintstone Park. He said there have been 16 public meetings and discussions of the reconfiguration.

In Option 1, the entire parkway roundabout and the south parking lot would be torn out and converted to turf.

In Option 2, only the east side of the parkway roundabout would be replaced with grass, leaving the south parking lot in place.

Smith said the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission and the Arts Commission preferred Option 1 since it’s more aesthetically pleasing and adds more green space for park activities.

Smith said that the Park and Rec commission reconsidered the two options at the behest of the council Feb. 10, but a motion to recommend Option 1 failed 2-2, with three members absent. The members unanimously voted to move the flag pole to Veterans Memorial Park, which is closer to the marina.

The Arts Commission unanimously voted to recommend Option 1 but with a second phase to improve the waterfront walkway. The commission also voted to relocate the flag poles.

In addition, people who live in the condos and others felt that removing the parking lot would cut down on traffic noise and shenanigans in the area.

Yet Smith said that the city received a lot of public comment about the issue, with about two-thirds of the people preferring Option 2.

Likewise, the council members said the majority of citizens they heard from want the parking lot and flagstaff to remain.

Councilmember Tara Hizon said she’s normally hesitant to go against the recommendations of volunteer boards and that she would personally prefer Option 1 because of the green space. Yet she said she would follow what citizens want.

“This community is really into parking and eating their lunch,” she said. “It’s kind of what we do. I do it too.”

Councilmember Bryan Stucky said an online survey he conducted backed this up, as did public comments to the commission and the council.

In the end, the council unanimously adopted Option 2 and decided to leave the flagstaff alone.