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Residents tell council to protect Winslow character, groundwater and parking during public comment on 625 Winslow and upzoning
Summary
During a lengthy public-comment period at the Feb. 3 special meeting, residents, business representatives and an architect urged the council to preserve downtown character, maintain parking minimums, finish the Groundwater Management Plan and consider alternatives to large-scale market-rate upzoning, with multiple callers urging more transparency and ward meetings.
Dozens of residents and business owners used the Feb. 3 public-comment period at Bainbridge Island’s special City Council meeting to press the council on development, parking, groundwater and trust in city processes.
Kim McCormick, representing Town and Country Market and speaking for chairman Larry Nakata, asked the council not to reduce downtown parking requirements or the parking ratios proposed for the Ferry District 625 Winslow site. "Please do not reduce parking requirements downtown," McCormick said, saying insufficient parking already harms downtown businesses.
Other commenters urged broader review of the proposed 625 Winslow project and more community engagement. Lisa Neil asked the council to consider taking the project back under its oversight and, if possible, to withdraw the DNS (determination of nonsignificance) tied to the SEPA appeal to terminate that appeal. "My 2nd ask is regarding the SEPA appeal ... to direct that the DNS be withdrawn," she said.
Speakers repeatedly raised concerns about infrastructure capacity and process. Malcolm Gander, a hydrogeologist, urged the council to finish the Groundwater Management Plan, hold public meetings on its findings and incorporate the plan into the comprehensive plan and capital facilities planning before expanding downtown. "Let's finish the groundwater management plan, have a public meeting about it, get some feedback, then incorporate the findings ... into the comp plan," he said.
Several callers, including Mary Claire Kirsten and Nora Masters, said public trust in city government has eroded and asked the council to restore community institutions such as ward meetings, design-review bodies and historical-preservation forums so residents’ input is heard. "If you are listening to the community, you will hear citizens don't want development over four floors downtown," Kirsten said.
Some speakers proposed near-term policy alternatives aimed at affordability without heavy building. Mary Rain urged immediate inventory-management measures such as temporary property-tax relief for qualified local buyers and changes to short-term rental tax rates to fund rental subsidies. "We could offer a five-year property tax relief to qualified new buyers who work on Bainbridge Island," she said.
The public-comment period closed after 15 sign-ups and the council moved on to the evening’s single business item — consideration of the Haskoning contract for a WSDOT-related design workshop.
The council did not vote on any zoning changes that night; the speakers’ requests and appeals remain pending items for future action or separate procedures such as the SEPA appeal process.
