The steering committee was tired of being a backseat driver and wanted to get behind the wheel.

After a lengthy discussion on the Bainbridge Island Comprehensive and Winslow Subarea plans Sept. 10, the council admitted its concerns had been realized. Too much was being planned by city staff and consultants, and the council and public were not involved enough.

But after three councilmembers said it was too late to do that, steering committee members changed their minds.

“I’m shifting,” Councilmember Kirsten Hytopoulos said. “As long as we have the ability for feedback and dialogue.” She said she doesn’t like to do things in the 11th hour, but, “We never discussed these things.”

The council instead directed city manager Blair King to bring them information so they can have “meaty” discussions with the public.

“It’s too late to change now,” Councilmember Brenda Fantroy-Johnson said of changing the status of the steering committee.

Mayor Joe Deets said: “It’s not needed now. The DEIS (draft environmental impact statement) is out. We can discuss it and vote on it.”

Hytopolous said it was a mistake not having the steering committee more directly involved from the start. “We should have been in the room somewhere,” she said.

Fantroy-Johnson was the one who brought up the steering committee. “I haven’t seen them steering,” she said. “It’s the first time I’ve heard these numbers.”

The numbers of concern involve housing and population growth. City staff explained the numbers are potential “capacity,” but that does not mean those are the targets. The goal is still adding 4,524 people and 1,977 housing units in the next 20 years. The capacity in the report of 11,000 population and 5,500 in housing has many in the community in an uproar.

“We’ve gone beyond the bookends,” Hytopolous said of the capacity figures. She said they need to focus on numbers that are the “least impactful on the island.” She added they need to do what the law requires them to do, “but that should be our maximum.”

Deets agreed. “We want the smallest number possible,” he said. “What is it that we actually have to do?”

In introducing the topic, the council was told the State Office of Financial Management issues population, housing and employment forecasts, and targets are set by the Puget Sound Regional Council and Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council. Cities then ratify the numbers. To achieve affordable housing mandates, BI must add homes not only in Winslow but also around BI in neighborhood centers and conservation areas. Overall, housing must range from high income to very low income.

Three alternatives in the plan include: No action, which does not meet state law; dense centers, higher development in Winslow, neighborhood centers, conservation areas and industrial-business centers; and distributed densities, which would mean even more growth outside of Winslow.

Part of the problem is the 700-page document is confusing.

“I had sticky notes all over the place,” Deets said, adding it does look like the population and housing numbers doubled. “It seems like we’re overshooting. Let’s dial it back.”

Hytopolous was most critical of the DEIS. “I’m not going to pretend I’m really not unhappy; I’ve got some grave concerns,” she said, meaning the population numbers and it being hard to read. But after having the numbers explained at the meeting, “The numbers are shocking. It’s a maximum, not an obligation.” She said city leaders were not involved enough, so instead of building something together it now feels like they are arguing backwards.

Councilmember Jon Quitslund said city leaders need to do more responsible work in coming up with a preferred alternative. He said previous work done in 2016 on the Comp Plan needs to be looked at. “There’s a lot of flesh on those bones” that won’t need to be changed, he said. They need to identify what can be improved, and they can only do that if they are kept “in the loop.”

As for a preferred alternative, Councilmember Clarence Moriwaki said it should be a hybrid of Options 2 and 3, meaning building higher and also outward so they can have the “values the island really likes.”

King said the council will be weighing in after the public comment period is over on the DEIS in mid-October. “You control what you will be” in relation to the plans.

In public comments, Ron Peltier said the DEIS doesn’t deal enough with environmental degradation. He mentioned environmental justice is ignored. “Our plans affect the tribes” when it comes to water quality and climate change. “We value good relations with our Suquamish neighbors,” he said. He added that none of the alternatives help BI meet its climate goals, there is a lack of mitigation and emissions are not part of the DEIS.