Countywide Planning Policies

Updated 04-03-2008

To view the adopted
2007 Countywide Planning Policies Click here

The Kitsap Countywide Planning Policy is the framework for growth management in Kitsap County. Under the WA State Growth Management Act, the Puget Sound Region is defined as King, Kitsap, Snohomish and Pierce Counties. The Puget Sound Regional Council is responsible for developing the four-county regional transportation and land use vision.

The Kitsap Countywide Planning Policy tailors the Puget Sound Regional Council's regional growth management guidelines to Kitsap County and are the policy framework for the County's and the Cities' comprehensive plans.

The Kitsap Countywide Planning Policy addresses 15 separate elements, ranging from urban growth areas to affordable housing.

The Countywide Planning Policy is required by the Growth Management Act and may be appealed (only) by Cities and the Governor of Washington. The original Kitsap Countywide Planning Policy (adopted by Kitsap County in 1992) and subsequent revisions (August 2001, December 2003, and November, 2004) were developed through a multi-jurisdictional collaboration sponsored by KRCC among: Kitsap County, the Cities of Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Port Orchard, and Poulsbo, the Suquamish & Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribes, Naval Base Kitsap, the Port of Bremerton, and Kitsap Transit.

Kitsap County is lead agency for its environmental review.

The entire Countywide Planning Policy document (49 pages) can be downloaded from the link below. The document includes:

• INTRODUCTION
• POLICY ELEMENTS
  1. Countywide Growth Pattern
  2. Urban Growth Areas
  3. Centers of Growth
  4. Rural Land Uses and Development Patterns
  5. Countywide Strategies for Open Space Preservation, Resource Protection and Critical Areas
  6. Contiguous and Orderly Development
  7. Siting Public Capital Facilities of a Countywide or Statewide Nature
  8. Transportation
  9. Affordable Housing
  10. Countywide Economic Development
  11. An Anlysis of the Fiscal Impact
  12. Coordination with Tribal Governments
  13. Coordination with Federal Government including Navy
  14. Roles & Responsibilties
• APPENDIX
  1. Ratification Process
  2. Population Distribution
  3. Urban Growth Area Management Agreements
  4. Revenue Sharing Interlocal Agreement (adopted December 2001)
  5. Interlocal Agreement Establishing the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council

2007 Adopted Countywide Planning Policies

Regional & Kitsap-Designated Centers List

Centers and Limited Areas of More Intensive Development (LAMIRD) Matrix

2004 Regional & Kitsap-Designated Centers

Annexation Progress Chart (July 1, 2006)