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 is the policy framework for the County's and the Cities' comprehensive plans. The 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, November 2004, and November 2007) 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 first link at the top of this page. This 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, Critical Areas, Air Quality, and Water Quality/Quantity
  6. Contiguous, Compatible and Orderly Development
  7. Siting Public Capital Facilities of a Countywide or Statewide Nature
  8. Transportation
  9. Housing
  10. Countywide Economic Development
  11. An Analysis of the Fiscal Impact
  12. Coordination with Tribal Governments
  13. Coordination with Federal Government including Navy
  14. Roles & Responsibilities
• 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
  6. Regional & Kitsap-Designated Centers List
  7. Centers and Limited Areas of More Intensive Rural Development (LAMIRD) Matrix