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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date:
September 21, 2007
Contact: Larry Keeton
Phone: (360) 337-5683
No. 07-66
County commissioners to consider moratorium on some new
development in expanded Urban Growth Areas
PORT
ORCHARD, WA— Responding to a recent ruling by the Central Puget Sound
Growth Management Hearings Board concerning questions over providing sewer
service to recently added urban growth areas, on Monday, September 24, the
Kitsap County Board of Commissioners will consider adoption of an emergency
ordinance imposing a moratorium on new development in some urban growth
areas expanded in the county’s updated 2006 comprehensive plan.
The 180 day moratorium would only apply to the expanded urban growth areas
of Silverdale, Port Orchard, Gorst, West Bremerton and Central Kitsap. (Maps
of the affected locations are available at the front counter of Kitsap
County Department of Community Development in Port Orchard, by calling
337-7181 or on line at www.kitsapgov.com/dcd/ )
“Moratoriums are a tool of last resort but given this recent ruling, we are
considering a moratorium to ensure that people do not make investments on
projects that might not be allowed to be vested until we receive resolution
from the hearings board,” Kitsap County Board of Commissioners Chair Josh
Brown said. “Since we won’t know what the hearings board’s outcome will be
for several months, a moratorium may reduce confusion among the public and
our permitting staff about what can and cannot move forward to completion
right now. We have an obligation to the public to be forthcoming and upfront
about the recent ruling and provide clarification at the earliest stage
possible.”
Individual owners wishing to build a house for their own use on existing
lots or who plan to improve and remodel existing structures would not be
affected by the proposed moratorium, if adopted, but it would effectively
prohibit all new development on properties that require subdivisions for
urban residential development or commercial and industrial projects.
The county’s action stems from the hearings board’s September 13 ruling that
until the county provided sufficient plans for future sewer service to the
expanded urban growth areas, projects in these areas could not be vested
under the existing development rules. The hearing board determined that
without plans to provide public sewers in the expanded urban growth areas,
installing them in the future may not be possible and thus could jeopardize
their urban designation.
The county has until February 11, 2008 to submit plans to the hearings board
to resolve the unresolved sewer issues. In the meantime, the Kitsap County
Department of Public Works will continue planning for sewer provisions in
its service areas and the county will work with other sewer utilities to
confirm their sewer service capabilities in cities and other urban areas.
“It’s unfortunate that the hearings board’s ruling drives us to make these
decisions when as a county we have begun to look at ways to not just plan
for sewers, but work with other community partners to get the appropriate
infrastructure in the ground,” Commissioner Angel said.
“Doing this right is critical not just to satisfy the hearings board, but
the cities and a whole host of other partners have a stake in how we
collectively plan for all urban services, such as sewage and other vital
needs,” Commissioner Steve Bauer said.
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