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Kitsap County to update stormwater code and manual to meet Ecology NPDES changes; residents press for stronger enforcement
Summary
DCD staff told the Planning Commission June 16 the county must adopt changes to its stormwater design manual to align with Department of Ecology updates by June 30, 2027; public commenters urged early attention to enforcement after citing recent construction‑site failures.
Cecilia Olson, assistant director for Kitsap County Department of Community Development, told the Planning Commission June 16 that county code (Title 12) and the county stormwater design manual will be updated to align with the Department of Ecology’s 2024 manual and the county’s NPDES obligations.
"We are a phase 2 permittee... Our new permit was issued in 2024 and it requires us to adopt all of the changes to the ecology manual by 06/30/2027," Olson told commissioners, explaining the federal Clean Water Act has delegated permitting authority to the state and that Ecology’s manuals and permits drive local standards.
Olson said the county plans a technical advisory group of local engineers and development professionals, a survey to gauge familiarity, agency coordination (including tribes) and drafting in the fall, followed by SEPA and public comment early in 2027 with a target adoption in spring 2027 to meet the June 30 deadline.
Public concern over enforcement
During the second public comment period Joe Lubisher detailed several recent stormwater failures at construction sites (Arborwood in south Kingston, cottages near Island Lake and lengthy problems at Royal Valley off SR‑303) and urged the county to include enforcement of BMPs at the outset of the update process. "We had some rains... the contractor wasn't even on-site, the site was running heavily with mud," Lubisher said, calling for state‑level expertise on the technical advisory group.
Commissioners asked how stormwater code changes affect project vesting and SDAP approvals; Olson said vesting rules tie permit approvals to construction start timelines and that staff would follow up with exact vesting dates and details. Commissioners also asked about green infrastructure: Olson said low‑impact development BMPs are already in the manual (adopted into county code around 2012) and staff could explore expanding options.
Next steps
Olson said the county is executing a consultant contract to help with the update and will coordinate with Public Works and tribes; she will notify commissioners when the contract is final. The timeline calls for technical outreach in summer 2026, drafting in fall 2026, public comment and SEPA in early 2027, and targeted adoption before the Ecology deadline in mid‑2027.
