Kitsap staff outline annual administrative code edits, seek April hearing; 14 topics include stormwater, tree canopy and parking

Kitsap County Department of Community Development staff presented a package of annual administrative code edits to the Planning Commission on March 18, describing about 14 proposed changes intended to clarify existing code, correct inconsistencies and align local rules with recent state law.

“We track staff-identified needs, director’s interpretation of code, or other code suggestions from external code suggestions,” Colin Poff, long range planning supervisor, said while describing the annual update process and how more substantive changes could be deferred to separate proceedings. He said the county aims to adopt simpler edits more quickly and to refer large, substantive changes to longer processes when necessary.

The draft package covers items in Title 12 (stormwater/drainage), Title 16 (subdivision/land division), Title 17 (zoning), and Title 21 (land use procedures). Examples presented include codifying director’s interpretations on which residential projects require engineered drainage versus a site development activity permit; cross-referencing the 2024 tree canopy ordinance in subdivision standards; correcting inconsistent parking-dimension definitions; reinserting “outdoor storage” where it was dropped from the use table; addressing a missed Kingston UVC change for drinking establishments; and resolving a conflict in garage setback language created during the comp-plan updates.

Poff said one code change responds to recent state law requiring local jurisdictions to allow certain parking configurations: the county would allow parking within enclosed garages or unenclosed spaces to count toward minimum parking requirements in code, consistent with the cited legislation (discussed in the presentation as “Senate Bill 6 0 1 5”). He characterized the parking amendment as administrative because state law already preempts inconsistent local code.

Staff proposed a tentative schedule: a Planning Commission hearing in mid-April (April 15 was discussed as a tentative date), followed by deliberations and findings; the Board of County Commissioners would consider a work study, hearing and adoption in May and June. Poff said the edits are tracked internally, and that more substantive policy changes would be scheduled separately.

Public commenters raised concerns about specific items. In general public comment, Mr. Palmer asked that a director’s interpretation issued in March 2020 regarding minimum/maximum density and urban cluster development be included among the edits and cautioned about siting requirements for preapproved ADU plans on sloped lots. A speaker identifying as “Powers,” an environmental planner for the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, asked for clarity on the Title 12 stormwater director interpretations and urged that critical-area buffer reductions be limited and be subject to public notice and a hearing before the hearing examiner for decisions affecting tribal resources. Powers said the tribe supports preapproved ADU plans in urban growth areas but opposes their use in rural areas.

Staff contact and next steps: Poff said staff (he, Heather Cleveland and Scott Diener) will complete a draft ordinance and work with commissioners to schedule a work study and a hearing; public noticing (GovDelivery, SEPA and hearing notices) was described as the next practical step if the April hearing date is pursued.