Since a Racial Equity Advisory Committee member won’t be on a Bainbridge Island steering committee after all, two members came to the City Council meeting April 25 asking them to use their tool kit.

Renni Bispham said REAC was “disheartened” not to be on the Comprehensive and Winslow Subarea plans steering committee. It will be made up of three council members and three planning commissioners instead. The council had decided it would be unfair to have a REAC member and not someone from other city committees.

So, to make sure that committee looks at the plans with an equity lens, REAC is providing them with a worksheet. Bispham asked that the committee fill out the worksheet, publish it on the city website and work with REAC to make recommendations to the steering committee. “Use early and often. Use it as much as possible,” he said, adding REAC is always available to advise the council.

Another REAC member, Olivia Hall, was even more outspoken about being left off the steering committee. “Every committee should have a say,” she said.

However, she said the council should not disregard the worksheet just because other committees didn’t provide one. “They can do a toolkit,” she said of the other committees.

Using the worksheet will increase the committee’s workload, she admitted, but it should because racial equity takes “thought and time.” Using the toolkit will “deepen the partnership between council and REAC.”

Following the worksheet will bring “improvements for all groups. If you fail the community of color you are actually failing all of us,” Hall said.

Comprehensive Plan amendments

The big item on the agenda was the Comprehensive Plan Amendment applications. Three involved Puget Sound Energy substations and one Lynwood Center. Most of the discussion surrounded the former.

During public comments, Tom Hansen encouraged the council to OK all three PSE amendments. He said they will just change the zoning from residential to business industrial, which better represents its true use as it’s been an electrical utility for decades. “The classification has been overlooked in the past,” he said, adding a zone change would be consistent with the Comp Plan. “It will not open the floodgates for rezoning,” he said, adding there have been only four cases since 2000 when such changes were made.

Hansen’s wife, Kathy, said PSE has had the same substations since 1960 when there were 919 people on BI. “It’s frozen in time,” she said, adding there are now 25,000 people here. “It’s a long time in the making.” She said PSE has been trying to make improvements for dozens of years, but in the past islanders have protested.

Elisabeth Dahl said she’s lived on BI for eight years, and her only complaint is the “consistent loss of reliable electricity.”

Christy Naan said PSE needs flexibility to make needed improvements, and a “rezone is one step toward resiliency.” She said improvements will lead to carbon-free energy goals. And everyone wants safe, reliable, efficient delivery of electricity to BI.

The only commenter against the change was John Grinter, a neighbor of one of the substations. He said the change goes against two land-use policies in the Comp Plan that say an isolated business cannot expand.

Councilmember Joe Deets said while he supports the concept, a conditional-use route would be better. City manager Blair King said the issue would have to go back to the Planning Commission for a public hearing for that to happen. PSE’s position is that would take too long.

Previously, the Planning Commission held public hearings and approved the applications. The council will make the final decision May 9. PSE is asking for changes for the Port Madison, Murden Cove and Winslow substations. Addressing Planning Commission concerns, PSE says it’s unlikely it would discontinue use of any of the substations. Commissioners were concerned another type of business or industry could locate there.

In introducing the agenda item, planning director Patty Charnas said BI allows amendments to the Comp Plan every three years regarding text and map changes. She said the Port Madison, Murden Cove and Winslow substations under the new zoning would require buffers double the size they are now. Regarding Lynwood Center, the change “may” allow floor-area reatio zoning only if used to promote housing affordability for more density.

The Comp Plan Amendment for Lynwood Center passed easily. It would allow FAR-based zoning for parcels zoned Neighborhood Center. An example is a 5,000-square-foot building on a 10,000-square-foot lot would have a .5 FAR. A city memo says Housing Resources Bainbridge executive director Phedra Elliott supports the application, noting BI has a housing shortage, but increased density should be paired with mandatory affordable housing. The main criticism from the public regarding the CPA is water and sewer availability in Lynwood. The CPA does support BI’s growth strategy focused on designated centers. And the city is working to increase housing, especially that’s affordable, in its Housing Action and overall Comp plans.

During public comments, Michael Schwank spoke against it. He said the owners of the property paid $3.1 million for it, and a year later requested a zone change. Staff initially didn’t like the plan because of a lack of sewer availability in the area. Since then the city passed a moratorium on inns. Schwank said the owners are trying to get this through by now including an affordable housing element. But he said there are lots of affordable housing units being built on BI so they may not be needed in Lynwood. Schwank said the owner has provided no details on what is to be done with the property, so until there are no zoning changes should be made.

In other news

King gave the quarterly report on the police department. Crimes against property are down significantly from last year so far 145 to 83. Calls for service are up. Due to a change in policy, traffic stops are way up from 199 to 577, while citations are up from 35 to 131.

King also provided an update on the Climate Action Plan. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are underway. Heat pumps are encouraged for residents. Reduce mileage and electric vehicles for transportation. Reduce waste. The city is buying two EVs, planning solar panels for the Senior Center roof and much more.

Finally, he gave an update on the city’s work plan of 100 projects, including redeveloping the old police station site for affordable housing.