Following a comprehensive staff review at their Monday, June 9, 2025, PM briefing, the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners made decisions regarding 17 rural rezone requests as part of the County's Year of the Rural initiative.
The Board unanimously moved three rural commercial and industrial rezone requests forward for additional review. A final decision for these three will not be made until the end of the year.
Then, in a split 2-1 decision, they voted to remove residential rezone requests. Commissioners Katie Walters and Christine Rolfes affirmed the decision, while Commissioner Oran Root dissented.
A revised docket removing all residential reclassification requests will be presented at a public hearing during the June 23, 2025, regular business meeting of the Board of Commissioners. This action could potentially remove 14 residential rezone requests that would have added up to 135 to 140 additional residential units across rural Kitsap County.
A Department of Community Development evaluation found that the cumulative effect of residential requests conflicted with the County's rural growth targets and Comprehensive Plan policies to direct growth to urban areas.
Let us know your thoughts
Public comment will be accepted during a public hearing at the Board's June 23, 2025, regular business meeting. Written comments are preferred no later than Friday, June 20, 2025, at 10 a.m. Comments can be emailed to compplan@kitsap.gov. All correspondence will be shared with the Board of Commissioners.
Next Steps
- Monday, June 23, 2025: Public hearing for the amended docket will be held during the Board of Commissioners regular business meeting at 10 a.m.
This decision represents one component of the broader Year of the Rural initiative, which includes updating rural policies, reviewing development codes, and engaging with rural communities throughout 2025.
Information about Board of Commissioner meetings is available on our e-Agenda page. For questions, contact compplan@kitsap.gov.
