The big item on the Bainbridge Island City Council agenda April 25 is the Comprehensive Plan Amendment Applications.
The Planning Commission held public hearings and approved the applications. The council will make the finL decision.
Puget Sound Energy is asking for changes for the Port Madison, Murden Cove and Winslow Substations. They are in residentially zoned districts. PSE seeks a change to business-industrial, which would more accurately portray its true use. Addressing Planning Commission concerns, PSE says it’s unlikely it would discontinue use of any of the substations. Commissioners were concerned another type of business or industry could locate there. And a rezone would not affect neighbors.
The other Comp Plan Amendment is for Lynwood Center. It would allow floor-area ratio (FAR)-based zoning for parcels zoned Neighborhood Center only iF used to promote housing affordability. An example is a 5,000-square-foot building on a 10,000-square-foot lot would have a .5 FAR no matter how many stories it has.
A city memo says Housing Resources Bainbridge executive director Phedra Elliott supports the application, noting BI has a housing shortage, but increased density should be paired with mandatory affordable housing.
The main criticism from the public regarding the CPA is water and sewer availability in Lynwood Center.
The CPA does support BI’s growth strategy of focuseD on designated centers. And the city is working to increase housing, especially that’s affordable, in its Housing Action Plan and overall Comp Plan.
In other regular business, the council will receive the 2022 annual reports for the Climate Change and Environmental Technical advisory committees.
City manager Blair King will give the quarterly report on the police department. Crimes against property are down significantly from last year so far 145 to 83. Calls for service are up. Due to a change in policy, traffic stops are way up from 199 to 577, while citations are up from 35 to 131. King also will provide an update on the Climate Action Plan. The city is buying two electric vehicles, planning solar panels for the Senior Center roof, and much more. Finally, he will give an update on the city’s work plan.
Under Consent Agenda, almost $735,500 for upgrades to the wasterwater treatment plant; $192,000 for road striping; and $350,000 for Shade Covenant Compliance, which could include harvesting around 100 trees 30 feet or taller because they shade agriculture land.
Proclamations on the agenda include: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness Month, National Poetry Month and Education and Sharing Months, along with April 28 as Arbor Day.
