A summary of the minutes from the Dec. 5 Kingston Citizen Advisory Council meeting. The next meeting is Jan. 2, 7 p.m., at the North Kitsap Fire & Rescue headquarters fire station, 26642 Miller Bay Road NE, Kingston.

Special Presentation
Evan Stoll and Sandra Bauer presented information on the Forest and Bay Project. The purpose of the presentation was to explain the details of the project, provide an update on the status of project and invite KCAC to join as a coalition member.

The group started about a year ago in hopes of acquiring and preserving properties that Pope Resources will be selling. The proposal deadline is March 28.

Pope Resources’ timber management is moving out of the county after 160 years, and there are five blocks of property that total 6,690 acres that the group is hoping to obtain and preserve. There are several significant conservation benefits, including tidal wetlands, mudflats, beaches and freshwater streams.

There is historical significance to the project as well. Pope is definitely planning to sell. They can sell to the coalition, a timber company, or to an investor in (already zoned) 20-acre lots.

Benefits to the community include a linked system of publicly owned trails, recreational opportunities, marine and upland habitats, sustainably managed forests and protection of Port Gamble Bay and watershed. The purchase would also protect cultural resources, preserve Puget Sound shorelines, and conserve wildlife habitats. There are also economic benefits that include selective logging and fish and shellfish harvesting.

Funding strategies public and private fundraising. It is important to acquire documented community support of the coalition because grant applications require evidence of that support. People can help by joining the coalition and sending a letter of support to add their name to the coalition’s email list. Right now, there is no monetary commitment.

It is unclear as to what the ramification of the deadline will be. Approximately $15 million is needed to assure the purchase of the shoreline and maritime parcels. Appraisal will be released within the next few weeks. The option is up in March and there must be evidence of substantial movement to secure an extension. The OPG is very supportive of making this purchase happen; the coalition has one shot at making this happen.

Motion was made and seconded for the KCAC to join the coalition and select a member to send as a KCAC representative to any meetings. Motion carried.

Temporary food cart research
There are two types of use permits: a temporary permit, which is six months or less and a semi-permanent permit which is six months or more. The temporary permit is approved by DCD; it does not have a rigorous permit process and there is no land use table or design standard. The person asking to set up on Port property was more of a permanent stand.

Generally, from a zoning point of view, the Port area is zoned for neighborhood community use. If the Port were to give a permit for a concession stand they would have to look at the use table to find the closest example which is an espresso stand. Permits for stands like this can be issued immediately.

The use table is silent when it comes to temporary uses. Permanent  use permits would have to be examined more closely by DCD and would have to meet health department requirements. Betsy could not reach the Health Department and, therefore, could get no specific answers regarding this piece.

No temporary business can be placed on a Kitsap County right of way; this is county policy. If a private owner of land wanted to bring a temporary use stand onto their property and it was similar in size and shape to an espresso stand, they would be allowed to do so. Permits of more than six months require a more rigorous examination of use.

Bottom line, it seems, is that there really isn’t anything that can be done to stop this kind of activity. Local property owners and their neighbors need to agree among themselves not to get started with this kind of practice.

Subcommittee Reports
Parks & Open Space — Walt Elliott
— Arness Park: The county has made a collaborative proposal to the Village Green MPD for a partnership on Arness Park trash pickup. They recommend that the MPD add the pickup to their schedule in return for use of the county dumpster at the Community Center. The Big Belly compactor would be removed and replaced with two 32-gallon trash cans.

There is no plan for county support for a porta-potty at the park and no grant request was made for the installation of the vault toilet. A second picnic table has been requested for the park.

— Kola Kole Park: There is a contract with a local person for park maintenance. One Big Belly trash compactor will be removed, but the one near the pre-school will remain and be emptied by the preschool.

— Parks Department: An intern is working with parks and has been responsible for the recent trash pick-up at the skatepark. He will be working to setup a stewardship group.

Kiwanis — Ken Hanson
The fiscal year is off to a good start. The annual Apple Cup food drive on Nov. 17 was a great success, with the Cougar team foreshadowing the outcome of the actual game. More than 1,200 pounds of food and more than $300 in cash donations for ShareNet and the Kingston Food Bank were collected.

Also in November, the Kiwanis Foundation announced it would award two $3,000 scholarships in the spring.

Dec. 1 the Kiwanis had a very successful Santa’s Workshop, with Santa photos for kids at the Kingston Cove Yacht Club. Beginning in January, Kiwanis will change the evening meeting to the fourth Thursday of the month. The meeting will be held at the North Kitsap Fire & Rescue headquarters on Miller Bay Road. The agenda will include a potluck dinner. Join them at the meeting and learn about the good work Kiwanis does in the community.

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe — Noel Higa for Dawn Purser
The Gliding Eagle Marketplace received the award of Minority Business of the Year for our region. They are also one of three finalists identified as the fastest-growing minority business.

There have been a few volunteer work days at Heronswood. Dan Hinkley is committed to helping restore the garden. They are expecting a shipment from Monrovia to plant, in hopes of developing the garden into even more than it originally was.

On Jan. 12, Dan will do a presentation on the history, present and future of Heronswood. The Tribe is looking at making Heronswood a membership garden. Check out the garden’s new Facebook page.

Chamber of Commerce — Sandy Scott
The Chamber recently elected five new board members. Focus will be on how to let others know what is going on. The board has retracted its decision to do away with the Big Bellies; the program will continue. They have recently established a plan and a business model to work with volunteers.

Fundraising efforts will continue. Noel said the Tribe would like to invite business owners to Heronswood soon and that they would like to work with the Chamber on marketing the garden.

Port of Kingston —  Pete DeBoer
Both vessels from the SoundRunner project are idle and have been taken off operational insurance policies and placed at a less expensive “Port Risk” status until removed. This saves a substantial amount, but the boats cannot be used for any purpose.

The Spirit of Kingston is being transferred to the Maritime Division of King County. All of the grant responsibility for that vessel will go with it. This relieves the port of $2.5 million in the FTA grant. Similar efforts are being made to remove the Kingston Express.

The Christmas holiday lights are up and running on all of the Port’s public park areas. The Kingston Country Christmas, with 400-plus people in attendance and the Kingston High School Jazz Band performing, was highlighted by the lighting of all of the features.

A group of more than 20 volunteers have been working at least one day a week since March to create the sculptured plants, animals, sea life and other pieces of the display. Henry’s Tree Farm donated the Christmas tree.

The Port of Kingston will be present at the Great Seattle Boat Show. The purpose of this is to show the assets that the Port has for cruising boaters. When a visiting boat comes to a marina, it is generally believed that each boat adds at least $140 per day per person to the local economy.

Most boats stop and stay for two to three days. This is a substantial piece of the local economy each summer.

The dredging project is progressing. Kitsap County has all of our permit applications. Hopefully, the port will submit soil samples to the biologists with a couple of weeks. It would be nice to get the dredging started in January to complete before the work window closes in February.

North Kitsap School District — Patty Page
Patty gave an update on Kingston Middle School. Because the school did not meet standards in a few areas, they are looking in depth at school improvement. They are looking, in particular, at finding community and parent volunteers. There aren’t many right now and the principal asked that she ask this group to spread word of the need.

Volunteer opportunities include tutoring, hall presence, after-school programs, games, etc. Right now, between 35 and 45 students stay after on Tuesdays and Thursdays for extra math help.