“POULSBO – I regret putting you in the dark. Hopefully by the time you leave you still won’t be in the dark, planning commission chairman Barry Babcock explained to a packed house at Vinland Elementary School just prior to beginning a public hearing on Poulsbo’s proposed Urban Growth Area. The lights, Babcock said, had been turned off Thursday night to reduce noise in the cafeteria and allow the 120 people in attendance to be heard. He shouldn’t have worried about that. The hearing, the first of two on the touchy subject, could have been held on the runway at Sea-Tac and the overwhelming opinion of the crowd would have been just as clear – Finn Hill and Gala Pines residents do not want to be included in the city’s UGA. For two hours, this message, in one form or another, resounded through the large room, sparking applause, shouts of amen and additional comments as to why the citizens of Kitsap County were against the proposal. The primary reason for the group’s position was simple: They don’t want higher densities to ruin their rural lifestyle. But this is exactly what’s hanging in the balance as the city considers its UGA. If approved as is, housing densities on rural land included in the new boundary will increase from one home per five acres to five homes for every one acre. This change, however, depends wholly on whether the property owner chooses to sell his or her land. JoAnn Mayfield of Finn Hill was one of the few at the hearing who supported the plan and said she had been waiting patiently for seven years for the city and county to reach an agreement. For the city, I think it’s ridiculous. I’ve been held in limbo for the past seven years. Mayfield said. I think it’s time to make a decision on this. While her opinion was definitely in the minority, those in attendance as well as the city planning commission agreed that after eight years of discussion, it was indeed time for a decision on the 20-year plan which is already eight years into the process. Is what we’re doing tonight going to matter? Bill Davis of Gala Pines asked. Davis explained his question further, noting that in past discussions about the UGA some 95 percent of the landowners in Gala Pines had expressed their desire not to become part of the city. Questions like Davis’ were not uncommon and time and time again the public was assured that their input was part of the process and the record which will ultimately be used to decide the matter. Either way, it will take some doing as the city and the county are still on opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of population density, critical environmental areas and the UGA boundary. Darryl Piercy, assistant director of Kitsap County Department of Community Development, used the public hearing to explain the county’s position against Poulsbo’s proposal. Kitsap County at this time disagrees with this proposal, Piercy explained, noting that the county still felt densities could be increased within the city limited, hence reducing the overall size of the UGA. He also clarified that when the entire process is over the city’s proposal would still need county approval before it is adopted. I suggest Poulsbo build apartment buildings 10 stories high instead of going out into the county and building five houses an acre, John Oetjen remarked. I don’t want to belong to the City of Poulsbo. While this concept seemed a bit outlandish to some, Brad Walker of Urdahl Road pointed out, The main purpose (of the Growth Management Act) is to maximize the density in the city (before moving into the county). It seems to me there are some political reasons behind the numbers because the numbers aren’t adding up, Walker said of the impasse which occurred earlier this year between the city and county planning commissions and ultimately led to Poulsbo taking ownership of its own UGA plan. Barry Berezowsky, senior planner, explained that the Urban Growth Area was required under the Growth Management Act and the city had to find ways to allocate its population. In order to make way for a growing population though, the boundaries of Poulsbo must be expanded as well, he explained, noting that this was the basic concept behind the UGA. But, Berezowsky admitted, The math is not an exact science. The math in question, which was a major point that divided the county and city during their joint planning process, deals with how much more population should be placed within Poulsbo and how much should spill out into the surrounding area. It has become one of the rusty hinges which is preventing the UGA door from swinging to completion. Jim Nardo of Rude Road voiced concerns about the city’s proposal to exclude a large area of land on its north eastern edge, which has been declared an environmentally sensitive refugia area. The exclusion of the land was basically what led the city planning commission to look west to Finn Hill to accommodate UGA growth. Even so, Nardo said 40 acres across from his farm was also sensitive land but was being developed anyway. Such comments about whether fish or people were more important in the grand scheme of things flourished but with the Endangered Species Act looming over both city and county officials, leeway on the matter is becoming scarce. I feel like I’m an endangered species, Carmen Nardo remarked. “