County staff recommends Cook ADU permit but leaves record open to clarify access easement (permit 2041190)

Emily Turrell, alternate hearing examiner, presided over the hearing on the Cook conditional use permit (referred to in the hearing as permit 2041190) to convert an existing single‑family house into a 900‑square‑foot accessory dwelling unit. Izzy Lotz, planner with Kitsap County Department of Community Development, presented the staff report and said the application had been deemed complete and routed under Title 21 notice procedures with one public comment concerning access.

Lot information in the record identified subject parcel APN 252501‑1‑059‑1007, about 1.69 acres at 7842 New Haven Lane NW in Central Kitsap, in a rural residential zone. Lot configuration changes (boundary line adjustments, or BLAs) created a situation in which resultant parcels would change which parcels accessed New Haven Lane. Lot 2 (the parcel receiving the ADU) will access New Haven; the parcel that may be reconfigured to no longer use New Haven would be required to take access from Roundup Lane or from a county‑maintained road. Staff conditioned the permit to require a recorded easement or evidence that the northern parcel will not use New Haven Lane.

Neighbor Dean Dennis spoke in person, urging caution about emergency‑vehicle access on the privately maintained New Haven Lane and noting limited width; Dennis identified the road as 10–12 feet wide and asked about parking and fire‑apparatus access. County staff (Darren Gurney) said the fire department had no comments creating conditions and that the county would require the applicant to provide either a revised easement signed by the owners served by the access or an alternate means of access before occupancy or per the permit condition. Applicant Jacob Cook explained the history: prior to BLAs two parcels accessed New Haven, and his planned BLAs will preserve two access points but move which resultant parcel uses New Haven; Cook said he is willing to sign modifications so the county’s access condition can be satisfied.

Turrell said the hearing record would remain open until the end of day to allow the county and applicant to finalize amended permit language (or to send that language by email), and she asked the county to provide revised condition text and any deed/easement documentation. The county did not issue a final decision at the hearing; staff recommended approval subject to the access condition and other standard ADU conditions.