• Comment Letter on Critical Areas Ordinance

    Posted on August 10, 2024

    Dear Commissioners Garrido, Walters, and Rolfes,

    We are happy to provide a summary of our July 22nd comments as Commissioner Rolfes requested. We seek protection of critical areas and buffers and effective enforcement of the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO).

    Towards those goals, we present a checklist of items that presently reduce the effectiveness of, or even block, the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO). These items are mostly external to the Ordinance itself and cannot be fully addressed by amending the code. Nonetheless, they need to be corrected for the CAO to be effective.[…]

  • Comments re: KC Public Works on the TIPS

    Posted on May 11, 2024

    Reviewing the draft report on the North Sound to Olympics Trail Study (NSTO), two things stand out: 

    Public Comments, Appendix A
    And overall project cost, Appendix F
    Reading the public comments in Appendix A confirms that there is overwhelming community opposition to going through North Kitsap Heritage Park, even from people who ride bicycles. […]

  • Critical Areas Ordinance – Comments Part 6

    Posted on May 10, 2024

    9. NO NET LOSS OF ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS, NO ADVERSE IMPACT, and MONITORING

    The current CAO has two performance criteria for wetland buffer decreases:  (1) “provide as great or greater functions and values as…under the standard buffer”  (also referred to as “equivalent functions and values”) and (2) “no adverse impact” for buffer averaging. […}

  • Critical Areas Ordinance – Comments Part 5

    Posted on May 8, 2024

    7. SPECIALISTS AND REPORTS

    There are multiple ecological functions of buffers. Evaluation of functions may require expertise in wetlands, streams, habitat, soil science, hydrology, hydrogeology, and/or stormwater.

    Currently, the department appears to rely entirely on wetland reports and habitat management plans from wetland specialists and fish/wildlife biologists, respectively. However, their expertise may not extend to all the technical areas necessary for adequate evaluation of buffer functions. […}

  • Critical Areas Ordinance – Comments Part 4

    Posted on May 6, 2024

    5. BOUNDARY MARKING AND MEMORIALIZATION

    For critical area or buffer boundaries to be honored in the future they must be memorialized for future owners and residents. Current code lacks such provisions and transgression of boundaries is not uncommon. It is too tempting and easy for a current owner to extend a garden or yard by importing fill. The current requirement allowing wood posts, even if treated, is only a short-term solution. […}