Year of the Rural

Thank you to all that particpated in the survey.

The survey was open from February 1 - March 7, 2025.

A summary of the survey results will be published soon.

Meeting Dates and Materials
Date & Time	Purpose	Location	Related Materials	Video
Tues. February 18, 5:30pm Planning Commission	Briefing	Kitsap County Administrative Building
Tues. March 4, 5:30pm-7:00pm	Public Kick-off Presentation & Meeting	Village Green Community Center, 26159 Dulay Rd NE, Kingston	Presentation	Link

Outreach

Feb/March

Compile and review public comments from 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update
Survey to assess rural vision, character, and concerns
Public project kick-off meeting - virtual and in-person
Working group meetings and interviews

June/July

Initial draft of Rural and Resource Lands Chapter
NEW! Workshops hosted in all three districts presenting initial draft and facilitated discussions on specific topics

September

Draft Rural and Resource Lands Chapter
Present draft in all three districts and promote opportunity to submit public comments and testify at public hearings before the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners September - November

Working Groups

Agriculture Working Group Steeting Committee

Jess Sappington, WSU Kitsap Extension
Diane Fish, Kitsap Conservation District
Joy Garitone, Kitsap Conservation District
Brian Stahl, Kitsap Conservation District
Bob Geballe, Kitsap Community & Agriculture Alliance
Jeremy Anunson, Mason-Kitsap Farm Bureau
Stacy Marshall, Kitsap Farmland Preservation Coalition

Forest Management

In progress

Kitsap County Internal Review Team

Scott Diener, Planning & Environmental Programs
Colin Poff, Long Range Planning
Jim Rogers, Long Range Planning
Darren Gurnee (or representative), Current Planning
Kirvie Mesebeluu-Yobech, Environmental Programs
Jade Jarvis, Noxious Weeds Program
David Lynam (or representative), Building, Fire, and Safety
Rose Schaffer, Public Works
Michelle Perdue, Public Works
Carmen Smith, Parks
Brian Nielson, Emergency Management
Rudy Baum, Public Health
Eric Evans, Public Health

Scope of Work

Rural Vision and Character
Community Engagement
Data Analysis, Review, and Research
- Rural and Resource Inventory, Review, and/or Analysis
- Rural Lands, Resource Lands, Rural Population Forecast, Rural Economies, Rural Public Facilities and Services, Rural Areas and Planning by Watershed
- Rural Land Use

- Mineral Resources; Agriculture Policy and Code Review – Barriers and Policy Improvements; Energy Siting Assessment – Demand and Zoning; Boundary Line Adjustment Stakeholders Discussion; Open Space Law – Utilization and Barriers 

Rural Economy

- Childcare Assessment – In-home, Barriers and Opportunities; Agriculture Rural Events and Businesses – Code Improvements
Rural Housing
Mobile and Manufactured Home Parks Review
Update Goals, Policies, and Strategies
Draft Rural and Resource Lands Chapter; Prepare Ordinance and Implementation Plan

Project Timeline

Key milestones for the Rural and Resource Lands Chapter Update include:
·        February/March 2025: community engagement
·        June 2025: 30% project update
·        September 2025: 60% draft review and public comment
·        October 2025: 60% draft public hearing
·        November 2025: 90% draft and final public hearing

The Year of the Rural initial phase will focus on three deliverables:

Rural and Resource Lands Chapter update
Rural Land Use Reclassification
Rural code updates

Rural and Resource Lands Chapter Update

The Rural and Resource Lands Chapter guides land use patterns and directs land use decisions for the unincorporated portions of Kitsap County outside of urban growth areas. Together, the Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan and this chapter form the basis for all future land use patterns and decisions.

The policies in this chapter will work in tandem with the Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Map.

The Rural and Resource Lands Chapter aims to define and provide policy direction to preserve and enhance the rural character of Kitsap County. This chapter designates areas in Kitsap County as appropriate for rural and resource activities, both residential and non-residential. The Plan intends to preserve and protect rural character by defining rural character in Kitsap County and establishing measures to preserve it.

Rural Land Use Reclassification

A site-specific amendment can change land uses allowed on a parcel (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial, recreational, and institutional). Requests were submitted during the 2024 Comprehensive Plan update, and rural reclassifications (outside of the preferred alternative and urban growth area boundary) were deferred to 2025.

Rural Code Update

As priorities change and evolve, codes such as zoning also need to change and evolve. Zones classify, designate, and regulate land development for agriculture, forest, mineral resource extractions, residential, commercial, industrial, and public land uses. The Year of the Rural will focus on several key areas and review code for opportunities for updates.

Year of the Rural

Thank you to all that particpated in the survey.

Project Timeline

Rural and Resource Lands Chapter Update

Rural Land Use Reclassification

MAILING ADDRESS

Office Location