Kitsap takes comment on Silverdale growth plan before Nov. 9 hearing

KITSAP COUNTY — Kitsap County commissioners will hold a public hearing Nov. 9 on Comprehensive Plan amendments that would set a more detailed blueprint for growth in Silverdale, including mixed-use development, housing, public gathering spaces and transportation connections.

The hearing starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Chambers at the Kitsap County Administration Building, 619 Division St., Port Orchard. Written comments are being accepted through the day of the hearing. Commissioners could adopt the changes as soon as Nov. 23, according to a county staff report.

The refreshed Silverdale Regional Center Subarea Plan identifies potential sites for new public spaces and adds design concepts and multimodal connections. County planners wrote that the goal is to help transform the center “into an active and vibrant 24/7 community.”

Regional funding is part of the picture. To keep its status as a Puget Sound Regional Council regional growth center, Silverdale must have at least 18 “activity units” — residents plus jobs — per acre today and plan for 45 per acre by 2044. Keeping that designation “is essential for accessing regional transportation and infrastructure funding,” the staff report said.

The county Planning Commission recommended approval Oct. 20 with minor edits, including a call for partnerships with the Tribes, the Navy, the Port of Silverdale and the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance. The amendments also update the county’s parks, recreation and open space policies.

Draft documents and an online comment form are on the county’s Comprehensive Plan page. Questions can go to long-range senior planner Heather Cleveland at hcleveland@kitsap.gov or 360-337-5777.