Over the past few years, the City has been very successful in receiving Ecology funding for stormwater projects. Currently there are three separate Ecology funded design projects which are all nearing completion. These design projects will provide future funding opportunities for construction projects with the overall goal of improving water quality in Liberty Bay and our local streams. The three design projects are: Noll Road Stormwater Retrofit, South Fork Dogfish Creek Basin Storm Retrofit, and the West Poulsbo Stormwater Park.

This month, the Planning and Economic Development Department presented their draft annual work plan to both the Planning Commission and the Planning and Economic Development Committee. The work plan highlighted the legislative work the department will be engaged in for the year. An item that will begin this year and continue until 2024 is the 2024 Comprehensive Plan update. A Comprehensive Plan envision’s a city’s future for the next 20 years. Like a business plan, the Comprehensive Plan provides the framework for how our community will grow. The most recent version of Poulsbo’s Comprehensive Plan was updated in 2016. While the plan is not due until June 2024, in 2021, the City was actively engaged in preparing for the plan with the following reports that will serve as the foundation for the 2024 Comprehensive Plan:

 

Kitsap Countywide Planning Policies: Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council (KRCC) began a process to update the Kitsap Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs) in 2020 to ensure consistency with Puget Sound Regional Council’s Vision 2050. The CPPs supports the PSRC Vision 2050 - a four-county regional plan. All of the jurisdiction’s comprehensive plan updates must be consistent with both Vision 2050 and the CPPs. 

Kitsap Buildable Lands Report: The Review & Evaluation Program, commonly referred to as the Buildable Lands Program, is an integral part of Washington State's Growth Management Act (GMA). The BLR looks at the City of Bainbridge Island, City of Bremerton, City of Poulsbo, City of Port Orchard, and unincorporated areas of Kitsap County to review if they are growing as planned. In addition to the reviewing growth trends, the report also evaluates urban areas to determine if there is sufficient land remaining to accommodate growth targets in local policies and plans. The report offers government agencies across Kitsap County an opportunity to collect and evaluate data using a common framework.

Commercial Land Analysis: Beckwith Consulting Group (and subcontractor E.D. Hovee and Company) completed a technical memorandum - Commercial Land Market Analysis for City of Poulsbo. The Market Analysis key elements 1) reviewed demographic and commercial market trends; 2) addressed future commercial employment potentials; and 3) identified and evaluated alternative scenarios of prospective commercial demand space. 

Housing Action Plan (HAP): The City received a grant from Washington State Department of Commerce for a consultant to assist the City with developing a Housing Action Plan (HAP). The HAP is a high-level policy document with substantial technical analysis found in the Housing Needs Assessment (Appendix A). The HAP identifies strategies that can help improve housing supply and affordability, through four key objectives. 

Best Available Science Gap Analysis and Recommendations: The City’s environmental consultant, Grette Associates, is finalizing a first draft evaluating updates to Best Available Science and new regulatory requirements regarding environmental protection of Wetlands and Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas (FWHCAs). The document will provide the technical analysis necessary for a future update to the City’s Critical Areas Ordinance. The document includes 1) gap analysis and best available science review; 2) an existing conditions analysis of all FWHCAs in the city limits; and 3) recommended protection measures.

 

A joint special meeting between the Planning Commission and the City Council to kick off the 2024 Comprehensive Plan is planned for Wednesday, February 26, 2022. PED is committed to public participation and involvement and will be sharing their plan to promote and provide public input at that meeting and in the months ahead.

The City of Poulsbo is currently hiring for the following position: Police Officer (Lateral and Entry Level), and Public Works Seasonal Employee. Click here to learn more details about the open positions.

The Poulsbo Garden Club is pleased to be able to again make grants to local organizations for their gardening, horticultural or landscaping projects in North Kitsap. Grants typically range from $300 to $500 and cover a wide range of projects. Please email the Poulsbo Garden Club at PGCgrants@gmail.com and request an application. The submission deadline is February 28, 2022 and grants will be awarded the first week of March. The Poulsbo Gardening Club raises money for the grants at their annual Plant Sale which will be held this spring on the first Saturday of May, May 7. Get your application now for your organization's gardening project!