Kitsap County staff recommends conditional-use approval for detached ADU; requires road maintenance agreement update

Department of Community Development staff recommended approval April 10 of a conditional-use permit to build a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on a 4.9-acre rural residential parcel accessed from Glen Acres Court in Port Orchard.

Erin Lewis, a planner with Kitsap County, told the hearing the proposal is for an 897-square-foot detached ADU on parcel 092201-3-046-2000, with the primary residence about 4,489 square feet. "Good morning, my name is Erin Lewis and I am a planner with Kitsap County Department of Community Development. Today, I'm presenting a request for approval to a conditional use permit for an accessory dwelling unit, to construct a detached ADU," Lewis said, summarizing the site, SEPA review and the staff recommendation.

Lewis said the application used the optional DNS (determination of non-significance) SEPA process and that no SEPA appeals were filed. She said the ADU would meet size limits (897 square feet, under the 900-square-foot maximum tied to the primary dwelling size), meet required setbacks and would connect to approved water and septic systems. The ADU is not an RV or mobile home and is about 150 feet from the primary structure, the staff report says.

Lewis identified a recurring neighbor concern about use of a private road and told the examiner a recorded road maintenance agreement governs the route (Southwest Glen Acres Court/Southwest Glenshire Place) and was entered into the record; the agreement is recorded under auditor file number 201603110053. The department conditioned the conditional-use permit on updating that road maintenance agreement to name the resultant parcels created by land subdivisions so responsibility for upkeep is explicit.

Lewis said a public comment and staff response were received from Hannah Elkins and entered into the record. The applicant (recorded as Mr. Gardner on the agenda) was not present at the hearing; staff and the hearing examiner proceeded. Lewis recommended approval as conditioned under Kitsap County code 17.415.015B and Title 12 stormwater controls.

No public commenters spoke at the hearing room podium and no virtual participants raised hands; the hearing examiner closed the record and said he will issue a written decision within the time frame stated at the hearing.

Key details in the record: parcel number 092201-3-046-2000; parcel size 4.9 acres; ADU 897 square feet; primary residence described in staff materials as 4,489 square feet; ADU located approximately 150 feet from the primary structure; SEPA DNS issued and final; road maintenance agreement recorded auditor file 201603110053 will need updating as a condition of approval.

The hearing closed after staff presentation and no public testimony; the examiner will issue a written decision based on the hearing record.