INTRODUCTION and BACKGROUND
1.1 The
Beginning of the Illahee Community Plan
The Illahee Community Plan, hereafter referred to as the Plan, was developed in response to relatively recent community improvements in the area (a new culvert to enhance salmon runs and the acquisition of nearly 500 acres for the Illahee Preserve) and an awakened community spirit. The community was first settled in 1885 and, though relatively small in size, has maintained its identity and character. Over 90-years ago, in 1916, Illahee was officially chartered as a recognized community in Kitsap County.
The Illahee area was previously overlooked or ignored in the Comprehensive Plan of 1998 and found itself included as part of the urban growth area between the city of Bremerton and unincorporated Silverdale. This blanket zoning for higher density housing did not consider the area’s natural, geologic features, which restrict urban densities, the history of the Illahee community, or the semi-rural setting of this unique area.
With the advent of the Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan 2006 Update, community members came together to request this previous oversight be corrected, if possible, and the Illahee community be recognized as a unique community in accordance with Growth Management Act guidelines. The community resolution requesting this action is noted as Appendix A.
When the said resolution (Appendix A) was presented to Kitsap County, the community was advised the development of a community plan is an arduous and time consuming process, and that the request came too late for a plan to be developed or be considered for the Comprehensive Plan 2006 Update. Furthermore, county staff support to help prepare the plan would not be available in 2006.
Community representatives decided the issues were too important to wait until 2007, and a citizens’ grassroots effort was conceived with the goal of developing a community plan for inclusion in Kitsap County’s Comprehensive Plan 2006 Update. With support from then Central Kitsap County Commissioner Patty Lent, county staff assisted the community effort by providing map and document support, attending a community meeting, and offering helpful assistance when asked.
The initial volume of community questions and concerns necessitated the preparation of a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet (Appendix B). Additionally, a questionnaire (Appendix C) was developed and distributed within the community to ensure all citizens had an opportunity to respond to key questions, including whether or not they supported the development of a community plan, and to express any concerns.
In order that writers of the Plan “not reinvent the wheel,” community members used the Manchester Community Plan as a template. The Manchester Plan was a relatively recent Plan approved by the Planning Commission and the County Commissioners in 2003. (Note that, to date, certain aspects (clarifications) of the Manchester Plan are still being finalized; those approved are factored into the Illahee Community Plan.)
To enlist help to prepare the Plan, community members were asked in the questionnaire (Appendix C) if they would consider being members of a Citizens Advisory Group (CAG). Over 70 volunteers responded initially, with the final list of CAG members totaling over 90 (Appendix D). Using questionnaire comments and the Manchester template, the Plan outline was developed, and individuals and groups prepared assigned chapters or sections of the Plan. The Plan would go through three major stages of development – initial research, preparation of an initial draft, and incorporation of comments and corrections into a final draft – before it was considered complete.
The Illahee Community Plan is the culmination of over 18 months of effort that began when the initial community citizens’ group met with county representatives in March 2006. The effort continued through organization of the Citizens Advisory Group (CAG) and the development of draft documents, which resulted in an Initial Draft that was presented to the county on July 10, 2006. During the following six months (July – December 2006), Illahee zoning issues were the subject of discussions with the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners. In 2007, the Plan began a second edit toward a final version and completed product for presentation to the Illahee community in September 2007, and a subsequent presentation to the Kitsap County Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners.
1.2 A Brief
History of Illahee
The first people to spend time in Illahee were Native North Americans, probably Suquamish. Discovered remains of a campground indicated they likely came often to hunt and dig for clams in the area. The name “Illahee” is a Native American word that has a number of meanings related to “land” or “place” and has also been used to denote “a place of rest.” The meaning “place of rest” was used in early writings about Illahee and is still in use by the community.
The first white person known to settle in this area was William Christianson, who took up the first homestead at the center of Illahee in 1885. He did not “prove up” in the allotted time, meaning he did not complete the homesteading requirements on time, so he relinquished the property to his nephew, Samuel Anderson, who proved up the property in 1895. This property was near where the community dock is located. Anderson brought cattle here, which were sold for food to logging camps and sawmills. He sold the property in 1903 when he returned to Sweden, but returned later to buy the property now known as Rue Villa, the area between Illahee State Park and the mouth of Illahee Creek.
Around the turn of the century the area began to attract attention as a resort, and The Homestead Inn was built to provide needed lodging. This substantial structure is still in existence after serving as a home for the Palbitska family, who operated the Inn, and several others through the years. After additional renovations, it is now a private residence at 5432 Illahee Road. Another historical landmark building during this time was the Bergh Ranch, which was built in 1898. It was a two story structure surrounded by a large orchard. It later became the Post Office for the area when mail was brought in by boat. The structure was torn down to build what are now residences at 5940 and 5944 Illahee Road. The surrounding area is often referred to as the Bergh Plat.
In 1903, the Palbitska family, who had moved to the University Point area, established a ranch in the Derek Drive area. Oscar Applegren, who had a ranch on the top of the hill in the Sunset area, built a path to the Palbitska’s to have access to boat transportation. Oscar Applegren, with blasting powder supplied by the county, established the first road into the area from Gilberton.
As years went by, families grew and the need for a school developed. At first, family members rowed across the water to Crystal Springs on Bainbridge Island. Later, in 1907, a school was built on Ocean View. Over the next 22 years, 9 to 30 children were in attendance until the school closed in 1929. A list of the school’s 11 teachers is part of the area’s historical record. When roads became more passable, Hugh Kane drove the local school bus. When large buses were finally able to come to Illahee, the children entered the Sheridan school system in Bremerton.
Ole Hanson of Seattle built the Illahee Community Dock in 1910 for his Land Development Company. Even though the dock has been upgraded several times over the last nearly one hundred years, it remains essentially as designed.
In 1916, Ole Hanson circulated a vigorous sales folder highlighting the water and forest views and the three existing houses. Ole’s efforts resulted in increased building and the beginning of a flourishing resort and household area. Without roads, access to the area was by water only. The depression of 1929 forced a number of out-of-work Seattle homeowners to leave their Seattle residences and live in their Illahee vacation homes. The record shows that some of them worked here for wages as little as 5 to 25 cents an hour. Many Illahee homes were also abandoned, as well as the beautiful community club house next to the Illahee Community Dock, which is now a residence at 5480 Illahee Road. Some of these homes were not reoccupied until the outbreak of World War II.
An early covenant agreement included a specification that no businesses except for one store would be allowed in Illahee. The first store was across the street from the Illahee Community Dock and was replaced in the early 1970s by a new Illahee store (which is currently closed). A second store run by Hugh Kane started out as a car repair garage and evolved to include a small grocery store. His store was located across the road from the residence at 5321 Illahee Road. Hugh also repaired and drove the Illahee/Gilberton buses. One of those buses was used as the school bus for Manette and later Sheridan schools. Several years after Mr. Kane’s death, his store was torn down.
In the early years, Illahee was accessible only by water; citizens rowed to Bremerton or to Bainbridge Island. Later, the power boats Vashonia and Chickaree made daily trips. As more small boats were added, they came to be called the Mosquito Fleet. The cost for getting to Bremerton or to Seattle was small, and these boats were the main means of travel for some time. See Figure 1.1 for additional information on the Mosquito Fleet and the Illahee community.
Eventually, local residents began to push the county for a better road for vehicles to get up the very steep and muddy Illahee slope and into Bremerton. The only road, Fir Drive, went past the Avery and Byer homesteads and was considered barely useable in the 1930s. Kitsap County Commissioner Walter Rue had Illahee Road built in its present location in 1938/9. The Mosquito Fleet vanished once cars had a reliable road system into Bremerton. Commissioner Rue built his residence in Illahee and named it Rue Villa, a name still used to describe the surrounding area.
At the bottom of the hill at 5171 Illahee Road is one of the first and finest houses built in the Illahee area. It was built circa 1900 by Major Henry LaMotte, who was a medical officer with Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War. Dr. Ray Schutt bought the house in 1929. A log cabin was later built on the property in the 1930s by a grateful patient. Dr. Schutt also owned the adjacent beach and had a small dam installed upstream along Illahee Creek where he raised trout.
Water was scarce for all of these people, so local residents worked out a water system by using the pools on the upper hill and Illahee Creek. When problems developed, such as dislocated pipes, the houses uphill would lose water first, and repairs would then be made. The telephone system was the first utility to be reliable. A consistent supply of electricity came only after Puget Power began to manage the system.
In the 1930s, Kitsap County Commissioner Walter Rue contacted the East Bremerton Improvement Club (EBIC) to look over the present site of the Illahee State Park to see if they thought it suitable for a county or state park. The EBIC formed a committee and eventually invited the state’s park board to look over the area. The state liked the site and purchased 13 acres of waterfront property from Kitsap County in 1934 for one dollar. The park opened in 1938, with subsequent additions of 45 acres and 11 acres obtained in 1946 and 1949, respectively. Other smaller pieces were later added, and the park presently comprises 75 acres and nearly 1,800 feet of waterfront on Port Orchard Bay.
At the center of the community, which extends from Illahee State Park to University Point, is a tall flagpole with a sign announcing “Illahee Community since 1916.” The flagpole, located at the Illahee Community Dock, is one of the distinguishing landmarks of the area today. The Port of Illahee was established in 1922, primarily to maintain the dock, and continues that work to this day. The Port is also involved with many other areas of interest within the Port District boundaries. The dock is a constant attraction for all ages. Fishing, crabbing, squidding, SCUBA diving, kayaking, and boating represent some of the more active uses of the dock. It also is a destination point for residents to enjoy the natural beauty of Port Orchard Bay, Mount Rainier, and the many vessels that navigate these waters.
In April 1941, the U.S. Navy took advantage of the area’s sheltered deep water and assigned a small crew of four men from the Naval Degaussing Station in San Diego to establish a station. The crew initially moored a small deperming (degaussing) barge at the end of the dock and later placed six mooring buoys out in the middle of the bay. The purpose of the Degaussing Station was to reduce the permanent magnetism of the steel of a ship in order to protect it from attracting magnetic mine explosives.
At the outbreak of World War II, the Navy took control of the community dock and established a larger presence in the community by stationing three large barges, many launches, and two Coast Guard patrol boats. One huge ship after another was degaussed in this area. Each ship was wrapped with several thousand feet of electric cable as it floated quietly between the buoys. These cables went down the side and many times around the hull making a 674-foot electromagnet that neutralized (or degaussed) each ship. When the war ended, the Navy left the community dock, but continued to use the degaussing area at mid-channel until the buoys were removed in the 1970s.
In 2001, Kitsap County took a monumental step to preserve the natural resources of the area by purchasing 352 acres of the remaining Department of Natural Resources (DNR) School Trust forest lands and primary watershed for use as open space and parks. In 2003, the Illahee Preserve was established, which not only included the old DNR acres, but also a nearly like amount of private land. The Preserve’s land along with the Illahee State Park land form a significant open space and recreation greenbelt, which will be lauded by future generations when the surrounding area between Bremerton and Silverdale becomes totally urban. It will literally satisfy the meaning of the word “Illahee” as “a place of rest.”
For more than a century, residents of Illahee have felt a sense of community. Often people would buy a house in the area with the idea of moving to somewhere else later. Quickly developing an appreciation for the water, lush greenery, and unique characteristics, they stay for years. Community spirit is active and strong, as evidenced by many community groups in the history of Illahee coming together for different purposes, all of them successful. With this enduring spirit of community, Illahee, this beautiful “place of rest,” will remain a special place for residents and visitors for generations to come.
Figure 1.1 Mosquito Fleet Historical
Monument at the Foot of Illahee Community Dock
1.3 Visions
for the Illahee Community
The Illahee Community Plan is a statement reflecting the
civic pride and community involvement that has existed for more than 120 years.
The community shares a proud sense of accomplishment in all the current
happenings: salmon restoration
projects (1994-98), a new culvert (1999), the recent establishment of the
Illahee Preserve (2003), and grants to improve conditions in the Illahee Creek
watershed (2005/6/7). More importantly, many residents share a real concern for
the future of Illahee if they and their neighbors are not actively and
materially involved in the planning process. Many of the local citizens recognize
that what originally attracted them to this area and what keeps them here is
now threatened. This planning process allows them to continue to make
improvements to further enhance the atmosphere and character of the area,
ensuring that it remains the unique community they know and love.
When posed with the question, “What would you like to see addressed in a community plan?” residents envisioned a community centered around and amongst the abundance of natural resources in the area, which include Illahee State Park, Illahee Creek, and the Illahee Preserve; three miles of pristine waterfront; two major docks; and much more. Citizens want to maintain the community charm and quaintness that Illahee currently offers. Residents wish to protect the unique quality of the natural environment, park areas, wetlands, streams, and wildlife habitat. Residents also recognize the need to sustain the community connectedness and to accommodate reasonable growth in the area. These visions and dreams can be accomplished by permitting growth in those areas where infrastructure enhancements already exist and environmental protections are ensured. This also means securing open space designations for the natural resources that need protection and, especially, those already specified as park or preserve. It is this mix of land uses that makes the Illahee area a unique blend of natural resources and open space surrounded by semi-rural areas, urban areas, and a short perimeter of a commercial business strip along State Highway 303.
Illahee is an area blessed with a diversity of natural and man-made resources. Residents desire a community plan that blends the best of these worlds into a place where they can continue to live in harmony with nature and their fellow citizens.
1.4 Public
Participation
The success or failure of any community plan depends on whether it reflects the sentiments and desires of the local community. Each step of this process, from questionnaires to public meetings, was designed to solicit input and determine the will and feelings of the community. Additionally, when the Initial Draft of the Illahee Community Plan was completed, it was posted on the Illahee Community Website (www.illaheecommunity.com) to give the Illahee community and others further public access.
The initial questionnaire (Appendix C) provided the necessary supporting quantitative data indicating that the Illahee community desired a community plan, and a significant number of residents were also willing to help with the process. Many residents responded affirmatively that they would “consider being a member of the Citizens Advisory Group working on the Plan.” This group began work in March 2006 and completed an Initial Draft July 5, 2006. This Initial Draft was distributed to the Kitsap County Commissioners and the Planning Commission on July 10, 2006.
No further revisions to the Plan were initiated in 2006 because it was completed too late for consideration at the Planning Commission’s public meetings or the Board of County Commissioners’ public meetings for the 2006 Comprehensive Plan Update. Nevertheless, from July through much of December 2006, the Illahee community worked with county planners, the Planning Commission, and the County Commissioners to enact much of the Illahee zoning recommendations into the final version of the 2006 Comprehensive Plan Update. Community participation in the public meetings held by the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners was significant and commendable. Illahee citizens were visible, concerned, and materially involved with the Comprehensive Plan land use decisions affecting the Illahee community.
During the time of the public meetings, frequent Illahee Community Updates were distributed via email to approximately 200 email recipients, with periodic mailings to the approximately 50 citizens who did not have email, to apprise them of the issues being considered. Additionally, coverage of the proceedings was available in the Kitsap Sun and the Kitsap Reporter Group newspapers.
Subsequent to all the activities in 2006, minor revisions and updates were needed to the Community Plan, and the Citizens Advisory Group (CAG) began a final review process in 2007. Public meetings were again held, and Illahee Community Updates were distributed via email to over 250 email recipients and posted on the Illahee Community Website. Periodic mailings to the by then nearly 100 citizens without email were less frequent due to mailing costs and the availability of the information on the website.
1.5 Plan
Implementation
This sub-area plan concurrently amends and becomes functionally part of the Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan. The county has reviewed the goals and policies contained in this sub-area plan for consistency with the Washington State Growth Management Act of 1990 (GMA), the County-Wide Planning Policies, and the 2006 Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan, and considers them to be compliant with those documents.
1.6 Goals
and Policies
Each chapter of the Illahee Community Plan concludes with a Goals and Policies section, a standard feature of land use planning documents. The objective of a Goals and Policies section is to provide a summary of the pertinent issues in the various subsections in the chapter that have specific issues that need to be carried forward into actions. The definitions associated with these terms are as follows:
Goals are ends toward which the plan is directed. They are usually somewhat general in form and express ideals.
Policies are intermediate milestones on the way to reaching goals. They are expressed in a form that is measurable and achievable.
The format for the goals and policies statements is to list the subsection of the chapter most associated with the goal, followed by a sequential numbering system for the policies. For Chapter One, the Goals and Policies are:
Goal 1.4 The
community will establish a public process environment that supports the active
and meaningful involvement of the community in local, county-wide, and regional
issues.
Policy 1.4-1 Ensure that Illahee residents have access in the community to information regarding community events, activities, and land use decisions.
Policy 1.4-2 Encourage and support the continuation of the Illahee Community Citizens Advisory Group (CAG) to represent the citizens of Illahee in furthering the Plan’s goals and policies.
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