 May 2025
Happy Spring, Central Kitsap!
As the days get warmer and everything begins to bloom, it’s a great time to reconnect and look ahead to the future of our community.
Thank you to everyone who joined me for the recent Bucklin/Tracyton Regional Stormwater Facility charrette. Your input is helping shape a project that will not only manage stormwater more effectively, but also serve as a community park—a space for both environmental stewardship and neighborhood connection. If you'd like to stay updated as plans take shape, you can sign up for project notifications here.
This season offers several more opportunities to get involved—from ferry service discussions to sea level rise planning, rural land use, and the future of Silverdale. Read ahead to learn how you can help shape what’s next for Central Kitsap.
Thank you for being such an engaged part of our community—I hope to see you at an upcoming meeting or event!
Warmly,
Katie
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You're invited to a community visioning workshop to help guide the future of Silverdale Center! Join neighbors, planners, and local leaders to learn about the planning process, share your ideas, and explore ways to create a more vibrant and welcoming community.
- Meet the planning team and take part in interactive polls.
- Get an overview of the project timeline and goals.
- Learn about current trends shaping Silverdale today.
- Participate in small group discussions to share your vision for housing, jobs, infrastructure, and more.
This is your chance to talk about what’s working, what could improve, and where we should go next. Bold ideas welcome — we want to hear from you!
We hope to see you there!
Help Keep Kitsap Litter Free
In the very early hours of April 13, the Kitsap County Board of County Commissioners teamed up with representatives from Public Works, the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office, and the Washington State Department of Transportation to tackle a year's worth of litter along the heavily traveled Gorst corridor on State Route 3. Together, we spent five hours picking up fast food wrappers, cigarette butts, bottles, and other debris from the roadside.
If you have an interest in helping keep Kitsap litter-free, please take the car litter bag pledge and get a free car litter bag by signing the pledge.
Individuals, households, businesses, and organizations are invited to join our community effort to pick up litter by adopting a road or park to keep clean and litter-free. Learn how to Adopt a Spot here.
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Protect Our Roads: Secure Your Load Day is June 6
The Kitsap County Board of Commissioners proclaimed June 6, 2025, as Secure Your Load Day!
On this day we commemorate people whose lives were impacted or taken by unsecured vehicle loads, and we encourage drivers to properly secure their cargo every time they drive.
Thank you to the employees of Kitsap County solid waste facilities for their important role in educating others about the importance of load securement. Securing vehicle loads is vital to improving road safety and reducing roadside litter.
Join us later this summer for upcoming Secure Your Load events!
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Planning for a Resilient Coastline: Sea Level Rise Assessment Nears Completion
 Since June 2024, Kitsap County’s Department of Community Development has been conducting a comprehensive Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Risk Assessment to better understand how rising seas may impact our communities. With more than 200 miles of marine shoreline, Kitsap County is already experiencing the effects of coastal erosion, flooding, and storm-driven inundation—threats that pose growing risks to infrastructure, public safety, and the environment.
This assessment has gathered critical data on potential flooding areas and the vulnerabilities of key assets, helping inform future planning efforts to build long-term resilience.
As the project wraps up next month, residents are invited to learn more and share feedback at a public meeting on June 17 at 5:30 p.m. For details and to see areas mapped as having a higher level of exposure, visit the Sea Level Rise webpage.
Help Shape the Future of Kitsap’s Rural and Resource Lands
 This June, the Department of Community Development invites you to take part in two upcoming opportunities to learn about and engage with updates to the Rural and Resource Lands section of Kitsap County’s Comprehensive Plan.
Join a community meeting (with hybrid options) or attend an in-person-only workshop to:
- Hear what the county has learned from community input so far.
- Learn how policies are being shaped to reflect current and future needs.
- Get an update on requests to reclassify certain rural properties.
- Explore potential changes to development codes.
Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Kitsap County Admin Building, Commissioner Chambers, 619 Division St. Port Orchard.
Virtual Option for Presentation: (registration link: bit.ly/YOTRWorkshop, password: 801423)
Please visit the project page http://kcowa.us/YOTR to get more information about the survey results and read through the comment summaries.
All Aboard: Summer Ferry Updates and Q & A
Washington State Ferries (WSF) is gearing up for the busy summer season and invites you to two online community meetings to hear what’s ahead. WSF leaders will share updates on summer service, fare proposals, and new ferry construction—and answer your questions live.
Meetings are scheduled for noon on Wednesday, May 21, and 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 22. Prior registration is required to attend these virtual meetings. Once registered, you'll receive a Zoom link and have the option to submit questions in advance. To register for the meeting, go to Community participation | WSDOT and select your preferred time.
Art + Civic Pride: ‘I Voted’ Contest Returns
The Kitsap County Auditor is encouraging residents to submit art for consideration for the “I Voted” stickers that will be included in ballots for the 2025 General Election and 2026 Special Elections.
For the third year, all Kitsap County residents, including students, are invited to submit designs. The deadline is 8 a.m., Tuesday, May 27, the day after Memorial Day.
Art should be designed to fit a 2-inch circle, and elements must be original, free to use, and not restricted by copyright. Standard photo formats (e.g., jpg or png) will be accepted. Entries must be accompanied by a signed Art Release form.
For questions, email auditor@kitsap.gov.
Puget Sound Regional Council - Summer Planning Academy 2025
If you’re a high school student interested in learning about how cities grow, change, and develop, the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Summer Planning Academy, might be for you. This planning academy offers a unique opportunity, for students under 18, to explore how cities grow and change. Explore and learn about urban planning, transportation, housing, equity, and environmental sustainability while engaging in interactive workshops, site visits, and discussions with regional planning professionals.
If you are a teen curious about how decisions shape the places we live, this is a great opportunity for you!
Session Dates:
- July 30, August 1, August 6, August 8 (9 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
- Optional graduation: August 12 (noon – 1 p.m.) PSRC Office, Seattle
- Lunch is included.
- Students are eligible to receive a $500 scholarship.
Learn more and apply to attend here.
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Get involved by volunteering!
District 3 residents needed to serve on County advisory groups
If you live in District 3, consider applying to serve on a Kitsap County advisory group! Share your experience and insights to help support our communities; create plans and strategies to accommodate growth and development; and implement programs that ensure and improve quality of life.
Advisory group members are appointed by County Commissioners and play an essential role in local government, serving as conduits between residents, businesses, communities, County staff and Commissioners.
Learn more about County advisory groups and find position descriptions for current vacancies at kcowa.us/advisorygroups.
Advisory groups with vacancies for Central Kitsap residents include:
- Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council (at-large position)
- Bremerton-Kitsap Access Television (BKAT) Advisory Committee
- Grant Recommendation Committees for Community Development Block Grants, HOME Investment Partnerships and Community Investments in Affordable Housing
- Veterans Advisory Board (at-large position)
- Non-Motorized Facilities Community Advisory Committee
Questions? Contact Volunteer Services in the Kitsap County Commissioners' Office at rpirtle@kitsap.gov or call 360.337.4650.
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Speak Up, Central Kitsap!
Join us for the next Central Kitsap Community Council (CKCC) meeting on Wednesday, June 4, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue Headquarters, located at 5300 NW Newberry Hill Road in Silverdale.
This is your opportunity to connect with local leaders, stay informed about County projects, and share your thoughts on issues that matter to you. The meeting is open to all community members, and public comment is encouraged.
For more details, click here.
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A Look at Upcoming Board of Commissioners Meeting Topics: June Highlights
I encourage residents to join meetings of the County Commissioners either in person or virtually. Next month we will be reviewing several important updates.
- June 2 - PM Briefing: Short Term Vacation Rentals
- June 4 - Work Session: Emergency Management Update
- June 9 - PM Briefing: Year of the Rural Update
- June 16 - PM Briefing: Planning Commission Update
- June 18 - Work Session: Parks June Update
- June 23 - PM Briefing: Sea Level Rise Update
- June 25 - Work Session: Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan Deliberations
For a full list of current Commissioner meetings, topics, and attendance options, check out our eAgenda search page.
Connect with the County
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