Kitsap County parks staff outline 6-year Parks, Recreation and Open Space plan, promise fuller briefing May 6

Kitsap County Parks Director Alex Wisniewski told the Planning Commission on April 15 that the county's updated Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan is a six-year strategic plan required by the Growth Management Act and by the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office to remain eligible for state park development and land-acquisition grants.

"Ultimately it is a six-year strategic plan. It is a plan that really focuses and hones in on goals and strategies as well as capital projects for the next six years," Wisniewski said, adding the plan projects department and park development needs beyond that time frame.

The county posted a draft plan Feb. 10 and accepted public review through March 16; Wisniewski said the department received 447 comments, held open houses in North, South and Central Kitsap and is following a public process that includes review by the Department of Community Development (DCD) for a SEPA determination and a comprehensive-plan consistency review. He said the plan is now entering a sequence of public touch points, with a fuller Planning Commission presentation scheduled for May 6.

The draft, Wisniewski said, contains two primary outcomes: goals and objectives for department policy and a capital facilities plan identifying specific park improvements and projects. He said the plan draws on an inventory analysis, demand and needs assessments and public engagement done since mid-2023.

Public commenters asked questions about the SEPA checklist and tribal consultation. Beverly Parsons said she was concerned that proposed tree-canopy code changes might have environmental impacts and wanted clarification of the SEPA review. Wisniewski said a SEPA environmental checklist is required for any amendment to development regulations and that the staff's SEPA documentation for this update did not identify adverse environmental impacts related to the tree canopy references included in the administrative edits.

Commissioners and members of the public asked about tribal outreach. Wisniewski said staff presented to the Suquamish Community Advisory Council, and that the commissioners' office sent formal letters to the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe and the Suquamish Tribe when the first draft was ready to invite comment.

Joe Lubisher, a volunteer steward with North Kitsap Heritage Park, urged the commission to consider stewardship-group concerns about changes from the 2018 plan, saying some elements for heritage parks used by volunteers were removed in the draft and should be reconsidered. Wisniewski and other staff said more public workshops are planned over the summer and that written comments and additional public testimony will be accepted as the plan advances.

The county staff noted the PROS Plan must be adopted by the Board of County Commissioners and then approved by the Recreation and Conservation Office to be fully effective for grant eligibility. Staff said the plan has completed a consistency review with the comprehensive plan and was found by DCD to have no conflicts.

The Planning Commission will receive the more detailed briefing and public hearing material on May 6 and will have additional opportunities for deliberation and public input before the county commissioners consider adoption.

Ending: Staff directed the commission to carry comments into the May 6 hearing and to submit written comments through the project webpage; staff said the project webpage includes the draft plan, public comments spreadsheet, a tracking form of edits and a video of one presentation.