Kitsap County presents 2025 Parks, Recreation and Open Space plan update after 447 public comments

Kitsap County Parks Director Alex Wisniewski and Parks Planner Carmen Smith on May 6 presented a revised draft Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan and a summary of public engagement that produced 447 comments and led staff to make edits before forwarding the plan to the Board of County Commissioners.

The PROS plan is a 20-year strategic document that the county is required to update every six years under state grant eligibility standards; it guides department goals, capital projects and grant applications to the Recreation and Conservation Office. The department told the commission the plan meets Growth Management Act requirements and is structured to inform a six-year rolling capital improvement program.

The plan team said public outreach included three surveys, three district open houses, stakeholder interviews, youth and targeted surveys and Parks Advisory Board review. Carmen Smith summarized the outreach and said, “We received 447 total comments,” and that staff grouped responses by topic and district to guide edits.

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