City manager Blair King in his report to the Bainbridge Island City Council June 25 will give an update on the parking project.
In February the council asked the city to enforce unsanctioned parking programs. New requirements reduce the number of street spaces for vehicles and trailers from 15 to 10, which still exceeds observed demand. Parking restrictions were removed on Brien Drive, making way for 42 more spaces in fall-winter and 26 more in spring-summer. Parking on Brien, Bjune and Winslow Way will be limited to three hours.
On the north side of Winslow Way, there will be a corral for about 10 bicycles and e-bikes. Also, “Permit Parking Only” signs have been removed to end exclusive neighborhood use. Downtown employers will be able to participate in an employee permit program. The city will give permits to employees, who will be able to use the 625 Winslow Way lot temporarily.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the council will discuss policy objectives and give direction to staff. Options include: prohibit; allow in business-industrial zone with specific standards for air quality; and allow in commercial zones and conditional use in residential zones with 200-foot or more setback. After guidance from the council, staff will come up with a draft law to forward to the Planning Commission, which will have a public hearing and make a recommendation. A local business came to the city wanting to build a crematoria, but neighbors objected. Since there is no city zoning for such a facility, a moratorium is being putting in place while the city researches and comes up with a law for them.
The council will talk about providing $5,000 a year for a free mobile pump-out program at the request of the Recreational Boating Association of Washington. The pact would be for at least three years. The association has a grant for $178,452. It has to pay 25%, or $44,613. It provides a convenient way for boat owners to properly dispose of sewage, with the service coming to the boater rather than the other way around. The city provides free stationary pump-out services in Eagle Harbor, that brings in roughly 100,000 of effluent annually. That service is crowded during summers. It would also service Fort Ward. The port and city of Poulsbo contribute, but Kitsap County does not.
It will consider a request by Mayor Joe Deets to talk about protection of beavers at a future meeting. His request says such protection will help with climate goals. Kitsap County and West Sound Partners for Ecosystem Recovery are already looking into it. Regulations have not kept pace with research about beavers, Deets’ memo says. They can be legally trapped using antiquated fur-bearing regs. A recent presentation to the council told of their importance: improve water quality, provide wildfire reduction and flood retention, reduce stream velocity, and more.
It will approve city co-sponsorship of 11 of the 30 community events that take place on BI each year. By doing so it supports the event for free, waives certain fees or helps with publicity. BI co-sponsors the Grand Old Fourth, Hometown Halloween and the Community Tree Lighting, among others. Under the consent agenda, the council is expected to agree to pay $900,000 for waterline extension project at the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial so it can build a visitor center. It also will appoint a new deputy mayor as Jon Quitslund’s term is up July 1. And it will make appointments to the Climate Change Advisory Committee.
