Regarding Land Use Alternatives for the 2024 Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan update, the Planning Commission has recommended implementing the Focused Growth/Urban Center option.
The governing body says it is most in line with regional planning, Growth Management Act consistency and new Department of Commerce requirements.
Focused Growth/Urban Centers involve population, housing and employment growth being focused in existing multi-family, urban areas such as Silverdale, Kingston and Central Kitsap with policies to incentivize more diverse housing types such as townhomes, multi-family and cottage housing, county documents state.
It also meets Commerce housing targets and exceeds Countywide Planning Policy population targets.
The other two alternatives considered are No Action (all maps, policies, and regulations stay the same, but that would meet neither housing or population targets) and Dispersed Growth (growth similar to historic trends focusing on spread out single-family housing. Urban areas are expanded to accommodate growth and some additional rural development is allowed for housing and jobs. Additional environmental protections are included. Meets county population targets but not housing targets).
A public hearing was held at the April 8 county commissioners meeting. To view written comments go to the Comp Plan section of the county’s website.
The board will hold deliberations before selecting a preferred alternative at the end of the month. The board will make a decision on the final version of the proposed Comp Plan in December.
The preferred alternative would direct additional environmental and capital facilities review based on revised Urban Growth Area boundaries, zoning composition, rural reclassifications, maximum height and density allowances, tree canopy requirements and other major policy initiatives, documents read.
The county states the preferred alternative should acknowledge potential Critical Area Ordinance changes and their implications on developable land. Rural areas have substantial capacity well beyond the 20-year forecast (2024-2044). Increasing housing diversity including missing middle and multi-family housing is a priority. Requiring tree canopy is also a priority but carries impacts on developable land.
Based on review of the draft documents, environmental analysis, public outreach and state and regional requirements, the Planning Commission recommended the following proposals for the preferred alternative:
- All rural reclassification requests (including Rayonier) should be referred to a 2025+ planning process.
- UGA expansions should be limited to those that increase housing diversity, provide industrial opportunities or support city annexation/incorporation goals.
- Multi-family and missing-middle housing should be promoted, and incentives are necessary to promote housing diversity.
- The preferred alternative should assess critical area limitations based on the March 8 Draft CAO. Tree canopy requirements should be established that strongly incentivize the retention of mature trees.
Listed below are UGA and area-specific details regarding the Planning Commission recommendation, per documents:
Kingston UGA: Focused growth with amendments; removed is southwest Urban Low (single-family) expansion east of Arborwood. Expansions and rezones support housing diversity, acknowledge existing vested urban development in rural areas or resolve split-zoned properties.
Poulsbo UGA: No action; The Poulsbo UGA is associated with the city of Poulsbo. Kitsap has an agreement with the city to use its zoning and assumptions within its UGA. The city has supported no change to its UGA boundary as it has adequate capacity within its city limits.
Silverdale UGA: Focused growth with amendments; removed is northern single-family expansions on the northern boundary. The alternative includes upzones that support housing diversity.
Silverdale Regional Boundary: Focused growth with amendments; added is Old Town Neighborhood Commercial area; removed is Ridgetop property NW of Highway 303. The alternative includes upzones that support housing diversity.
Central Kitsap UGA and McWilliams Countywide Center: Focused growth; the alternative includes a UGA expansion to acknowledge existing commercial development adjacent to the UGA as Commercial. McWilliams Countywide Center supports housing diversity. The UGA is associated with the city of Bremerton and supports housing diversity.
East Bremerton UGA: Focused growth; no expansions. The UGA is associated with the city and supports housing diversity.
West Bremerton UGA: Focused growth; the alternative includes UGA expansions to acknowledge existing urban services in rural areas, the city of Bremerton’s property ownership and annexation goals, and a need for additional industrially zoned land. The UGA is associated with the city and supports housing diversity.
Gorst UGA: Focused growth; no expansions. The UGA is associated with the city of Bremerton and supports housing diversity.
Puget Sound Industrial Center – Bremerton UGA: Focused growth with amendments; added is L-shaped property adjacent to the Olympic View Industrial Park on the northwest of the UGA as Industrial. The UGA is associated with the city of Bremerton and supports industrial and employment needs.
Port Orchard/South Kitsap UGA: Focused growth with amendments; removed is Urban Low expansion at the northwest corner of the UGA; rezoned is property on the eastern side of Bethel Road to Commercial to be consistent with ownership pattern. The UGA is associated with the city of Port Orchard and supports housing diversity.
Rural Areas and Limited Areas of More Intensive Rural Development: Focused growth; no changes to rural zoning.
Tree canopy requirements: based on tree units per acre; retention of existing trees are incentivized with unit credits; tree units are required with subdivisions or large project approvals only; trees within critical area buffers and landscaping count toward the requirements; impacts on development opportunities will be deducted from land capacity.
For more go to kitsap.gov/dcd/Pages/ComprehensivePlanUpdate_2024.aspx
