Planning commission unanimously recommends Roper parcels for open‑space tax classification amid mapping dispute

Kitsap County planning commissioners on Aug. 19 recommended that three parcels owned by members of the Roper family be reclassified under the state's current‑use open‑space tax program, a decision the commission made unanimously after public comment and staff site visits.

The Ropers sought reclassification for 16.72 acres across three parcels to receive a 50% reduction in land value for tax purposes; the designation does not change zoning or create a public access requirement, staff said.

Jason Robert Walsh, a planner with the Kitsap County Department of Community Development, told the commission the request is being processed under the Revised Code of Washington chapter 84.34 and Kitsap County Code chapter 18.12. "The reclassification is for tax purposes only and does not change the zoning of the property," Walsh said. He said the nomination met the county's eligibility criteria because multiple priority resources are present, including wetlands and a fish‑bearing stream.

The two public comments on the record reflected opposing concerns. Alicia Roper, a co‑owner…