Time is now to have your say about BI’s future

By Steven Powell • August 29, 2024 1:30 am
Housing is one of the many issues to be determined in dealing with future growth in the BI Comp and Winslow Subarea plans.
Housing is one of the many issues to be determined in dealing with future growth in the BI Comp and Winslow Subarea plans.

The future is now for people on Bainbridge Island—what do you want the community to look like?

Now is the chance to have your say. Public comments are being taken through Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. on the city’s Comprehensive and Winslow Subarea plans. Numerous public events are taking place to help explain the drafts of each plan and to receive comments from residents via a stenographer.

The Comp Plan establishes a long-range vision for BI, identifying important characteristics people want to retain, promote or foster, the city’s website says. The plan includes goals, policies, maps, actions and capital improvements to guide BI toward that vision. The Comp and Winslow Subarea plans complement each other; they both deal with growth and updated policies and regulations.

The Comp Plan needs to show the city has the land capacity, public services and financial capacity to deal with growth mandated by the state’s Growth Management Act. The Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council has directed that the city grow in population by 4,524 people—from 24,825 to 29,349—by 2044. It also hopes BI can grow jobs from 8,073 to 11,932. The Comp Plan will include information from other city plans, including Climate Action, Sustainable Transportation, Housing Action and Groundwater Management.

The draft Environmental Impact Statement analyzes the environmental impacts associated with three alternatives. One will be selected as the preferred one.

Alternative 1: Under the No Action Alternative the Winslow Subarea Plan and Com Plan that guide the city through 2036—as well as the existing development regulations in the BI Municipal Code—would remain in effect and continue to shape development decisions for properties throughout the city, including the Winslow Subarea, designated Industrial Centers, designated Neighborhood Centers and the Conservation Area.

Alternative 2: Directs future development to higher density centers, primarily Winslow, and to a lesser extent, Neighborhood Centers and the Day Road Industrial Center, with zoning changes allowing additional density and height to accommodate growth. In Winslow, development would be concentrated into two core areas that would be connected by a walkable corridor.

Alternative 3: Directs future development to expanded Neighborhood and Industrial centers, in addition to Winslow. The overall size of Winslow would be reduced, but some boundaries would be expanded to more closely align with the city’s sewer service area to the north.

The analysis and DEIS address the following elements of the environment, which were identified during the State Environmental Policy Act scoping process:

• Land Use/Relationship to Plans & Policies

• Housing

• Population and Employment

• Aesthetics/Visual Resources

• Environmental Justice

• Air Quality / Greenhouse Gas Emissions / Climate Change

• Utilities

• Natural Environment

• Public Services

• Transportation

You can comment on the DEIS online on the city’s website. It takes about 19 minutes. There’s also a three-minute video that explains the draft EIS.

Review the DEIS at the BI library, senior-community center or City Hall. Thumb drives of the DEIS are available at City Hall to borrow.

Upcoming meetings

Sept. 5: At City Hall, 6-7:30 p.m., discussion with city’s Race Equity Advisory Committee.

Sept. 12: At City Hall, 3:30-5 p.m., steering committee meeting.

Sept. 14: At Island Center Hall, 8395 Fletcher Bay Road, 10 a.m. to noon, drop in anytime. Learn how Island Center could change and make comments.

Sept. 14: At Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church, 11042 Sunrise Drive NE, 3-5 p.m., drop in anytime. Learn how Rolling Bay could change and make comments.

Sept. 15: At Lynwood Commons, 4779 Lynwood Center Road NE. Learn how Lynwood Center could change and make comments.

Sept. 16: At City Hall, 2-5 p.m. Discussion with city’s Design Review Board.

Sept. 16: at Seabold Hall, 14450 Komedal Road NE. 4-6 p.m., drop in anytime. Learn how the Day Road Business/Industrial area could change and provide input.

Sept. 18: At Bainbridge High School, 5-7 p.m., Citywide Open House, drop in anytime. Free childcare ages 1-12.

Sept. 19: At City Hall, 5:30-7 p.m., discussion with city’s Utility Advisory Committee.