Residents cite shoreline concerns, allege conflicts over Evergreen Point project at Bremerton planning meeting

Three public commenters at the Feb. 24 Bremerton Special Planning Commission meeting urged the commission and city to enforce shoreline protections at Smith Cove and raised allegations tied to the Evergreen Point waterfront proposal.

Michelle Moshe, a Bremerton resident, described Smith Cove's history and current remediation work and said the project's proposed height would exceed Shoreline Management Act limits. Moshe stated the Shoreline Management Act of 1971 imposes a 35‑foot height limit within 200 feet of the shore and said the Evergreen Point project has been proposed at 61 feet. "It just seems adding a high rise, 26 feet above this legal limit will really hinder the goals of the toxic remediation plan for Smith Cove and severely impact our park and our neighborhood," Moshe said. She also told commissioners an initial $100,000 grant was under review to support shoreline remediation to remove debris and contaminated materials.

Jose Camacho, representing Friends of Smith's Cove, reiterated concerns that a recreation designation enacted in 2013 (referenced in the public record as Ordinance 5229) was removed for Evergreen Park and Smith Cove and said the removal weakened ecological stewardship protections. He described ongoing stormwater flows into the park and said the removal of the recreation designation has not been publicly explained.

A third commenter alleged that private interests and a development partnership have unduly influenced city permitting for Evergreen Point and cited litigation references involving Sound West Group and related entities. The commenter said pleadings and depositions are on a public YouTube channel and argued the project’s approvals warrant scrutiny; those claims were presented as allegations and not as findings by the commission or city staff.

What the meeting record shows - These remarks were made during the public comment period; they were not votes or formal actions by the commission and no staff response or enforcement action was recorded during the meeting. - Participants raised questions about the interaction between shoreline protections, local designations and zoning heights and requested the city clarify the legal basis and the permit history for the Evergreen Point proposal.

Next steps The planning commission did not take formal action on these public comments at the Feb. 24 meeting. The remarks were entered into the public record and referenced documents and litigation that commenters said are posted on a public YouTube channel and other filings.