A public hearing is set for Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. on Poulsbo’s Comprehensive Plan.
The Planning Commission will hear public input and take recommendations to the City Council.
To attend go to us06web.zoom.us/j/86724671267
The state’s Growth Management Act requires the city to include within its development regulations a procedure for the public to suggest amendments annually to its 20-year land-use plan in response to changing city needs or circumstances.
The plan covers land use, community character, economic development, natural environment, housing, transportation, capital facilities and utilities, as well as parks, recreation and open space.
Amendments include one from city parks because additional parkland has been acquired.
Proposed changes include: “Develop the city’s public parks to their highest potential in order to offer a high-quality, inclusive and equitable park system that benefits citizens of all ages, incomes and physical abilities.”
Included in the paperwork are results of a 2021 parks community survey with 277 responses. In it:
• Only 16 say Poulsbo parks are substandard or poor; 25 say they are excellent.
• The parks do not have features that interest me was the reason given by 47 percent for not using them. Other reasons, in order, were: locations are inconvenient, do not feel safe, restricted by disability or age, and do not find value in parks or open spaces.
• Almost 62 percent said they want more and improved trails in and around parks. Others, in order, were: more playground equipment, improve picnic facilities, more sports fields and courts, more open spaces and more smaller neighborhood parks.
• Respondents were basically evenly split, 51.6 percent to 48.3 percent, on wanting the city to focus on existing parks or acquire land for new ones.
As for city recreational activities, 62 percent said they have participated in programs, while 38 percent said they have not. Reasons given were: unaware (36 percent), too busy (27 percent) and no programs of interest (23 percent), followed in order by inconvenient times, too costly, inconvenient locations, child care issues and not accessible for people with disabilities.
As for what respondents would like to see more of, they said, in order: special events like concerts, aquatic programs, youth sports, general interest like gardening, youth programs like art, adult sports, arts-music, teen programs, youth camps, indoor fitness, drop-in activities, senior programs, before-after school programs and others.
Only 11 respondents said parks are not very important. Almost 58 percent said parks should continue to be funded mostly through user fees, but with some tax money.
For more information contact senior planner Nikole Coleman at ncoleman@cityofpoulsbo.com.
