POULSBO — When the Poulsbo City Council extends two citywide ordinances tonight, the expectation of the development and real estate communities is that neither will impact the 2008 construction season.
The council enacted moratoriums on any development within 200 feet of any critical areas and on planned unit developments at its Sept. 10, 2006 meeting. The prohibitions are set to expire on March 10.
According to the latest timeline released by city officials, the Critical Areas Ordinance should be adopted by May 2 and the Planned Unit Development Ordinance is expected to be adopted by June 6. Once those two ordinances are in effect, both moratoriums will automatically be lifted.
“If they’re going to extend it to June, they need to make a good faith effort to get it completed by June,” said Kitsap Realtors Association governmental affairs director Mike Eliason.
So far, the city has failed to meet its publicly stated timelines for adopting both ordinances, which has been a source of concern within the development community, Eliason said.
“It’s been extension after extension,” he said. “It’s kind of like dealing with the IRS. At some point the work needs to get done.”
Since the 2007 construction season is a loss, city officials must ensure the moratoriums don’t impact the 2008 season, Eliason said.
While frustrated by the continued delays, Eliason praised the city for its inclusion of property owners and special interest groups on its critical areas working group.
The working group, which was formed in response to concerns raised about the CAO, released its recommendations at the Feb. 21 council meeting.
Noll Road Association president Becky Erickson and Johnson Creek Association members John and Molly Lee will give two additional reports from the working group at tonight’s council meeting.
From the home builders’ perspective, at some point the city must make a decision regarding both the CAO and PUD ordinance, said Kitsap Home Builders Association executive director Art Castle.
With the 2007 construction season lost, the moratoriums must be lifted in time to allow proposed development for 2008 to go through the planning process, Castle said.
Councilwoman Connie Lord, who has expressed reservations about extending the moratoriums for another six months, said she hopes the CAO will be adopted by the end of the month and the PUD ordinance will follow shortly.
“We have enough information. We just need time to deliberate and make a decision,” Lord said of the CAO.
As the Planning Commission reviews the PUD ordinance, Lord said she expects the council to be well-informed of those discussions and be able to make a decision on that regulation without going through as lengthy of a process as it did with the CAO.
“It is not my intention to extend the moratoriums another six months,” Lord said. “I could see two months, but not six months.”
