County Hosts Shoreline Update Outreach Meetings

(Port Orchard) - Kitsap County is required to update its Shoreline Management Master Program (SMP) by 2012. The Washington Department of Ecology is providing funding to conduct the update. The SMP is a comprehensive land and water use management plan that includes policies and regulations for use and development of Kitsap’s shoreline. Kitsap County has about 230 miles of saltwater, stream and lakefront shorelines that support diverse environmental, economic, and recreational uses. The Department of Ecology ultimately approves the updated plan, but citizens and County government cooperatively develop an updated plan that is proposed to Ecology. We planned several information outreach meetings to kick-off this effort, and encourage stakeholder participation in an advisory group to guide these efforts. The meetings start at 6:30 PM and wrap-up at 8:00PM. Meetings are scheduled at these locations:

• Tuesday, September 15, 2009
  Kingston Fire Station
  26642 Miller Bay Rd NE, Kingston

• Monday, September 21, 2009 
  Keyport Bible Church
  15270 Washington Ave NE, Keyport

• Thursday, September 24, 2009
  Kitsap County Fairgrounds, The Eagle’s Nest
  1200 NW Fairgrounds Rd, Bremerton

• Tuesday, September 29, 2009 
  Seabeck Christian Conf. Center “Dining Hall”
  15395 Seabeck Hwy NW, Seabeck

• Monday, October 5, 2009 at the
  Kitsap County Administration Building, Chambers
  619 Division St., Port Orchard

If you are interested in attending an update outreach meetings, or want to be included on our informational mailing list, please call (360) 337-5777 or email openline@co.kitsap.wa.us.

“Our shorelines, some 230 miles of them, are an important asset in Kitsap County. We know local residents will bring valuable perspectives to the planning process. These meetings are an important first step to provide a basic understanding of the State update requirements. We welcome shoreline user groups to participate on a Shoreline Management Plan update advisory group,” noted Charlotte Garrido, Chair of the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners.

The County recently signed a formal $650,000 grant agreement with Ecology that spells out work products, maps and reports that must be done within the three-year SMP update effort. A public participation plan, which includes the advisory group effort, will be submitted to Ecology by December as one of the first work products.

For more information on Critical Areas Ordinance, contact Patty Charnas at 360.337.4558.

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To contact the Public Information Officer, 
call Doug Bear at 360-337-4598 or email: dbear@co.kitsap.wa.us