HANSVILLE — With the completion of the Hansville Futures project and the formation of the Greater Hansville Area Advisory Committee, residents are more than ready to put the community improvement plan into effect. At GHAAC’s meeting Tuesday, the group took another step forward in this direction by discussing its plans with Kitsap County Department of Community Development officials.
“You are way ahead of what we normally work with,” said DCD assistant planning director Jim Bolger. “We will look at the plans, and how to implement them, and how possible it will be. We want to be clear about what the department and the county can provide for this group.”
The GHAAC, comprised of 30 members from various neighborhood groups, was joined by 16 residents who were curious about what role the county would play in the Futures final report, which was released at the end of 2006.
“This is all very new to us,” said GHAAC interim president Judy Foritano. “Is there anything you can share, other steps to formalizing that we can take?”
Bolger recommended the group educate itself about what is involved in undertaking a planning process. The county also needs to be brought up to speed on the Hansville Futures Project, which is a much more extensive community plan than other areas have produced he said. Stakeholders in Hansville should also be involved in the plan so they can contribute.
“Alternative and different viewpoints all need to be taken into account,” Bolger said. “For the most part, you are already doing it with this group. The representation I see here is fantastic. The large landowners in the area also need to be at the table, in the discussion.”
“I haven’t grasped anything you said,” said GHAAC member Emma Jean Hemingway, who also represents the Hansville Ladies Aid.
“I think we’re looking for something that is more direct and more action than what you just described.”
She elaborated on her concern that the answers provided by Bolger and DCD planner Philip Fletcher, who also attended the meeting, were too broad. Hemingway also asked how long questions and concerns raised by the GHAAC would take to get answered or resolved by the county.
“It really depends on what the problem is and what you want to get done,” Fletcher said. “Part of the advance attention I would give to the meetings up here is anticipating problems, rather than crisis management all the time.”
Later in the evening, the GHAAC refined its bylaws and added several new subcommittees to begin work within Hansville. The Saltwater Parks Committee, the Greater Hansville Area Traffic Safety Committee, a sign committee and an energy committee were all approved during the meeting.
