Kitsap DCD proposes administrative code edits; work study and public hearings scheduled

April Glassman, a new long range planner with the Department of Community Development, briefed the planning commission on proposed annual administrative code updates that staff described as non-substantive editorial fixes intended to improve clarity and consistency without changing code intent.

Glassman said the edits aim to remove conflicting provisions, codify some director interpretations, and improve predictability in permit review. She listed proposed changes including adding "side-by-side" units to the multiple-family definition to explicitly include townhomes, removing a master-planning chapter reportedly unused since adoption, clarifying that updated tree canopy requirements apply to commercial uses, correcting a deciduous tree-replacement footnote (from 6 to 3), adding a definition for 'sign face,' clarifying that critical-area buffers reduced under the critical areas ordinance are not part of a building site, and fixing an incorrect reference for water-oriented storage vs. boat launches.

Glassman said two director's interpretations are candidates for codification: one addressing cell towers and related RCW provisions and one clarifying replacement rules for certain nonconforming (particularly older mobile) homes, where a standing interpretation allows a 10 percent increase in size if variance criteria are met. She said the county distributed the package through GovDelivery and intends to post a SEPA notice and begin a 14-day comment period when the newspaper notice runs next week.

Staff proposed a tight schedule to reflect the administrative nature of the edits: a work study with the commission on June 2, a public hearing on June 16, a finding of fact on July 7, and a briefing and work study to the Board of County Commissioners later in the summer with adoption targeted for October. Commissioners asked procedural questions about when to submit comments (work study vs. later), outreach to stakeholder groups (including the organization that helped craft the master planning chapter), and suggested reaching out to local utilities such as Silverdale Water for practical input on cell-tower language. Glassman said staff will continue stakeholder outreach and bring more detailed language to the June work study.

The commission received the briefing; no formal action was taken that evening. The work study and hearing dates provide the first formal public opportunities to comment on the proposed edits.