Kingston Citizen Advisory Council notes
Published 10:08 am Friday, April 24, 2009
To open the April meeting of the Kingston Citizens Advisory Committee, Greg Platz welcomed Tom Waggoner as an official member to KCAC representing the Chamber of Commerce as he was approved by Kitsap County Board of Commissioners in March.
Open House: Platz estimated 250 people attended the March event and called it “very positive.” While the number of presenters was larger than in years passed, the community attendance was down a bit. He suggested that the group come up with more issue-centered topics to discuss at next year’s open house to help attract more people. Platz thanked Kingston Lumber and the Community Center for posting the event information on their reader boards. He also thanked Rick Lanning and his company, Sound Stoneworks Inc., for helping set up, take down and permanently store the new tables that the Recreation and Parks Department gave to KCAC; Annie Humiston and her staff at Grassroots Gardening for assisting in unloading the tables and setting them up; and members Clint Boxman, Alex Thomsen, and Liz Hendon for their help.
County Report
Associate Planner Pete Sullivan said the county is considering policy direction as it relates to the Rural Wooded Incentive Program and how it will affect trail systems and development. “I think this is going to be one of the more thoughtful discussions the county is going to see because of the implications,” Sullivan said. “In the North End we have a fairly unique set of circumstances, and we’ll have to see how the program fits with the Growth Management Act.”
Sullivan said “North End Updates” would continue.
He circulated a map of areas where there are applications for site-specific rezones, noting that there are currently six applications between Kingston and Hansville and a number of others farther away. KCAC member Steve Heacock said that one of those applications involves an 18-hole mini golf development across from Gamblewood. “It’s coming up,” he said. “It will be awesome.”
Guest Presentation
John Willett of the North Kitsap Trails Association said one of the group’s long-term goals is to have a elaborate system of trials, from Western Washington east to the Idaho border, using water, old railroad tracks, pavement and dirt trails. “In ten years,” he said, “we hope to have trails from Idaho to the Pacific Coast. It is very exciting.”
Willett showed KCAC members a conceptual map of trails and noted that volunteers have logged more than 3,000 hours of research and planning to identify and create potential trails. “Connecting trails with bridges and ferries and connecting them to communities could create a big economic draw,” Willett said. The association envisions trails for pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians, and paddlers.
He said part of that vision includes lobbying to have paved trails for wheelchair accessibility and to have wider shoulders on roads and highways for bikes.
The North Kitsap Trails Association was founded less than two years ago, Willetts explained. Members come from diverse backgrounds and recreational interests. The group believes a trail system is a “win-win” for citizens, developers, and wildlife, he added.
Annie Humiston asked if the White Horse Trail is open. Willett answered yes, adding, “It is beautiful.”
Sullivan asked, “How much of the trail system work is dependent on the county?” Willett said the county would have to be very involved because easements and money are needed as well as guidelines to work with property owners.
“We’re planning for the future,” said Willett. “We have to ready to make things happen when the economy come back so we have to have details lined up now. We are looking forward.”
Subcommittee Reports
Parks – Platz, speaking on Walt Elliott’s behalf, said that some things have changed regarding the Village Green project. Rather than having the county spend money on grading and park space now when the future of the Community Center is unclear, the committee is considering volunteer efforts and perhaps a small portion of park money to make the old Navy housing property a usable and temporary green space. That way, Platz said, most of the money could be saved now and used in the future for the Village Green project as a whole. The Kingston community would have to maintain the site. “There is no word about what we would do for restroom facilities or in relation to garbage,” he said.
Roads – Humiston reported the roads division of the Kitsap County Public Works is taking input and requests for projects for its 2010-15 transportation improvement plan. She suggested people look at the website, http://www.kitsapgov.com/pw/sixyear_tip.htm, for details.
KCAC discussed the importance of having the California Avenue extension put on the project list. It was moved, seconded and passed to have Humiston write a request and post it to the website and also to have Platz write a formal letter encouraging the county to include the extension in its improvement plan. Platz said, “All KCAC members should reach out to all their Kingston organizations and ask them to write letters to have the county roads add California Avenue to the TIP.”
Communications – Platz said this committee will meet in the next few weeks to discuss future speakers as there is nothing on books scheduled at this time. He said the council might allocate time for discussion about the Rural Wooded Incentive Program next month if the county is ready.
Downtown Kingston Master Plan – The committee will meet in May and discuss, among other things, the role Highway 104 plays downtown.
Community Reports
Carpenter Lake/Creek – Steve Heacock said there is a “mad dash” to provide a funding mechanism to get the South Kingston Road Bridge sanctioned as a project for stimulus money. As that is happening, he said, the county continues to work with the Army Corps of Engineers too.
New Business
Citizens Advisory Councils meet – Denise Lietz said representatives from the North End’s community groups, including Kingston, Hansville, Suquamish advisory councils, met and discussed open public records. She asked Kingston KCAC members to think about where their group should publish and publicize its information, meeting minutes, and other notices. She said there will another such meeting in June and that it is open to the public.
Summarized from notes provided by Mary Kulish, KCAC secretary.
