CHAPTER 2
2.1 The Washington State Growth Management Act
The Washington State Legislature adopted the Growth Management Act (GMA)
on
July 1, 1990. This Act set specific standards for local jurisdictionsÕ future
planning efforts. Many jurisdictions needed to revise their gradient scale of
zoning designations, combining them into two distinct classifications, rural
and urban. Newly created rural lots were to be five acres or greater in size
and urban lots four dwelling units per acre or more in density. The Act allowed
for some lot sizes between these two classifications under special
circumstances.
Through the development of a Comprehensive Plan, each jurisdiction would reconcile its existing zoning patterns with the new urban/rural requirement. For many jurisdictions, including Kitsap County, this reconciliation was extremely difficult.
2.2 The Kitsap County 1998 Comprehensive Plan
Over the course of the next ten years, Kitsap County developed three separate Comprehensive Plans for consideration by the State of Washington. The Growth Management Hearings Board validated the third Plan in 1999. This Plan designated urban areas around Port Orchard, Bremerton, Silverdale, Poulsbo, and Kingston. Other areas with many urban characteristics (lot sizes and some infrastructure) were designated rural (one dwelling unit per five acres). Two of these areas included the communities of Suquamish and Manchester. These areas faced urban problems such as traffic, a commercial section, and increased storm water runoff but, nevertheless, were given a rural designation.
2.3Â Â Â Â Â Â The County's 1998 Comprehensive Plan and the Illahee Community
During the considerations for the 1998 Comprehensive Plan, the community of Illahee was included in the area urban designation given for the region between Bremerton and Silverdale. Illahee is a relatively small, historic community, essentially defined as the predominately scenic, waterfront, forested, open space area in and around Illahee Creek and Illahee State Park and extending north to University Point. The geological features of the stream and steep slopes, with much of the land in its natural state, result in a more open space type of setting. The community has no industry and only peripheral commercial areas adjacent to a bordering state highway. Just one major internal roadway, Illahee Road, runs through the length of the community. The only internal commercial establishment is a vacant community convenience store, which has been unoccupied since approximately 2003. There are no schools and limited bus service.
2.4 Subsequent to the 1998 Comprehensive Plan
Many changes were in progress in Illahee during the time the 1998 Comprehensive Plan was being considered. The community had been plagued by storm water discharges for 40 years from upstream developments before mitigation requirements were established. Additionally, salmon raising efforts along Illahee Creek were failing due to the storm surges and older, undersized culverts. These problems were addressed and partially resolved with the installation of a new bridge culvert under Illahee Road in 1999. Unfortunately, loss of habitat and environmental damage continue to this day from storm water runoff.
In 2001, Kitsap County purchased 352 acres of Department of Natural Resources (DNR) land, and in 2003 the County Commissioners established the Illahee Preserve as a Kitsap County Heritage Park. The Preserve is a substantial holding of natural resources and represents approximately 600 acres of public and private lands, most of which is pristine forest and watershed lands. This major purchase and designation, along with Illahee State Park, further contributed to the open space character of the area and Illahee community.
Additionally, the state and environmental groups have recognized the environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) of Illahee Creek and its watershed with grants totaling over one million dollars. The Port of Illahee is working with the Washington State Department of Ecology to study methods to control the storm water surges resulting from previous and future developments. Two salmon recovery grants have been completed, and there is a renewed sense in the community and surrounding area that the environmentally sensitive areas in Illahee need to be protected and preserved.
2.5 Urban Open Space and Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs)
Illahee has an urban designation because is located in the Urban Growth Area (UGA) between Bremerton and Silverdale. That urban designation brings with it the impetus and authority to infill the community to the maximum extent possible.
The tension comes when the natural features of the area do not support the desired urban infrastructure nor the maximum infill desires. Illahee is predominately open space and environmentally sensitive areas and its residents wish to retain and protect these features.
Therefore, Illahee is requesting it be given a community status consistent with GMA guidelines, which allow unique communities to establish themselves and the features and land uses appropriate for their community. In the absence of known criteria to define this unique community, Illahee is using the basic criteria established by the legislature for designating subarea plans.
2.6 Unique Communities and Their Boundaries
Establishing Illahee Community Boundaries
In order to determine IllaheeÕs community boundary, guidance was taken from the GMA, the Office of Community Development, and the Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan. The applicable guidelines are:
- Address:
a. The need to preserve and enhance the character of existing natural neighborhoods, habitats, and communities;
b. Physical boundaries such as bodies of water, streets and highways, and land forms and contours;
c. The prevention of abnormally irregular boundaries.
- Identify any logical governmental or public jurisdictions.
The Illahee Community Boundary
The Illahee Community CitizenÕs Advisory Group (CAG) applied these criteria and established several Illahee boundary maps. The basic boundary map agreed upon is represented in Figure 2.1. This map notes the Illahee community border as the Port of Illahee boundary lines, with two logical extensions. The first extension was to establish the southern-most border to be consistent with a major street rather than meander through lot lines. It merely shifted the border several hundred feet to the south to 30th Avenue.
The second boundary shift was needed to take in the South Fork of Illahee Creek. This required shifting the western border from an extension of Trenton Avenue to a Perry Avenue extension. This was a logical extension that takes into account the natural lay of the land, which includes the southern-most watershed lands of Illahee Creek, and at the same time more closely corresponds to the established roadways in the area.
Figure 2.1 Illahee Community Outer Boundary Map
2.7 Washington State Growth Management Planning Goals
The Growth Management Act set 13 goals for any comprehensive planning process. These 13 goals must be addressed and followed by the Illahee Community Plan. The goals are identified in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 36.70A.020), which reads as follows:
RCW 36.70A.020 PLANNING GOALS. The following goals are adopted to guide the development and adoption of comprehensive plans and development regulations of those counties and cities that are required or choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040. The following goals are not listed in order of priority and shall be used exclusively for the purpose of guiding the development of comprehensive plans and development regulations:
(1) Urban Growth
Encourage development in urban areas where adequate public facilities and services exist or can be provided in an efficient manner.
(2) Reduce Sprawl
Reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low-density development.
(3) Transportation
Encourage efficient multimodal transportation systems that are based on regional priorities and coordinated with county and city comprehensive plans.
(4) Housing
Encourage the availability of affordable housing to all economic segments of the population of this state, promote a variety of residential densities and housing types, and encourage preservation of existing housing stock.
(5) Economic Development
Encourage economic development throughout the state that is consistent with adopted comprehensive plans, promote economic opportunity for all citizens of this state, especially for unemployed and for disadvantaged persons, promote the retention and expansion of existing businesses and recruitment of new businesses, recognize regional differences impacting economic development opportunities, and encourage growth in areas experiencing insufficient economic growth, all within the capacities of the state's natural resources, public services, and public facilities.
(6) Property Rights
Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation having been made. The property rights of landowners shall be protected from arbitrary and discriminatory actions.
(7) Permits
Applications for both state and local government permits should be processed in a timely and fair manner to ensure predictability.
(8) Natural Resource Industries
Maintain and enhance natural resource-based industries, including productive timber, agricultural, and fisheries industries. Encourage the conservation of productive forest lands and productive agricultural lands, and discourage incompatible uses.
(9) Open Space and Recreation
Retain open space, enhance recreational opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop parks and recreation facilities.
(10) Environment
Protect the environment and enhance the state's high quality of life, including air and water quality, and the availability of water.
(11) Citizen Participation and Coordination
Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts.
(12) Public Facilities and Services
Ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service levels below locally established minimum standards.
(13) Historic Preservation
Identify and encourage the preservation of lands, sites, and structures that have historical or archaeological significance.
2.8Â Â Â Â Â Â Illahee's Compliance with the Growth Management Act Goals
The Illahee Community Plan will achieve the goals required by the Growth Management Act (GMA) in the following ways:
Urban Growth (GMA Goal 1)
The Illahee community is predominately open space and environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs), and it supports urban growth outside of these areas. Areas outside the ESA are more suitable for urban densities, and those areas retain many of the urban zoning designations given them in the 1998 Comprehensive Plan. Additionally, in order to help accommodate future growth to the region, the Illahee community has requested zoning densities outside of the ESA that exceed those in the 1998 Comprehensive Plan.
Reduce Sprawl (GMA Goal 2)
The Illahee community is attempting to help reduce sprawl by requesting increased zoning densities where services and infrastructure exist or will likely exist in the future.
Transportation (GMA Goal 3)
Illahee has a limited road system primarily due to the steep slopes of Illahee Creek. There is only one north-south road going through Illahee, Illahee Road, which extends from Bremerton to Brownsville and crosses Illahee Creek near its mouth. The next north-south road, Wheaton Way (State Highway 303), is one and one-half miles to the west. This means the road system essentially detours one and one-half miles to avoid Illahee Creek and the Illahee Preserve. This creates a significant open space area and benefits Illahee Creek, but limits transportation options.
Scheduled bus service is limited by the lack of through roads, and service currently is provided only along the perimeter of the community. There have been no requests submitted as part of the Community Plan to expand service further into the community. Nevertheless, as urbanization increases in the Bremerton and Silverdale areas, bus service will likely be run through Illahee and appropriate stops should be provided.
More and better walking paths were a common request from the questionnaires completed by Illahee residents. To increase pedestrian safety, roadway shoulders should be widened to accommodate walking paths, and paths or sidewalks should be mandated for any new developments within the Illahee community boundary.
Housing (GMA Goal 4)
The Illahee community supports the current zoning designations which provide for affordable housing. The community further promoted designated areas outside the open space and ESA that can support higher density, increased building heights, and a variety of housing types including senior and affordable housing.
Economic Development (GMA Goal 5)
Illahee is predominantly open space, environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs), and recreation areas surrounded by residences. Along the Wheaton Way border, 120 acres of commercial highway businesses constitute IllaheeÕs primary contribution to the GMA economic development goal. Additionally, a few cottage industries exist as non-conforming uses. Because of the overabundance of natural resources, open space, and recreational areas, the communityÕs second primary contribution to the economic development goal is the recreational opportunities provided by these areas, and the resultant income they bring to the area.
Property Rights (GMA Goal 6)
The Plan balances new regulations with private property rights through the provisions of the Kitsap County Code.
Permits (GMA Goal 7)
All permits for development within the Illahee community will meet the requirements of Kitsap County.
Natural Resource Industries (GMA Goal 8)
There are no natural resource industries, such as timber, agriculture, or fisheries, in Illahee.
Open Space and Recreation (GMA Goal 9)
The Illahee community satisfies open space and recreation goals not only for the Illahee area but also for Kitsap County, the nearby city of Bremerton, and the State of Washington. The Illahee community is an open space and recreation paradise sandwiched between two highly urban locales, the city of Bremerton and the unincorporated Silverdale area.
The Illahee community is distinguished by the amount of open space areas and the recreation possibilities offered. At the center of Illahee are Illahee Creek, a salmon stream, and the Illahee Creek corridor, which is surrounded by deeply incised canyons and heavily forested areas. The bulk of the Illahee Creek watershed is still in its natural state. Comprising and surrounding the creek is the Illahee Preserve. At one end of the waterfront is Illahee State Park and at the other end is University Point, both areas of steep and unstable slopes. Recreation opportunities abound at the State Park, which enjoys a major dock area, and at the Illahee Community Dock, approximately one mile to the north. Rolling Hills Golf Course is a regional golf course open to the general public.
Environment (GMA Goal 10)
Illahee is predominately an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). As a salmon bearing stream, Illahee Creek has been devastated by unmitigated storm water flows emanating from developments put in during the 1970s prior to storm water mitigation requirements. Increasing sediment and obstruction to salmon passage required installation of a larger culvert for Illahee Creek in 1999. These problems have not been resolved and require continued monitoring and a permanent solution if Illahee Creek is to become a viable salmon and trout stream.
Additionally, Illahee Creek has been plagued by high levels of fecal coliform in the stream. Kitsap County Health Department personnel are working with Illahee Forest Preserve personnel to increase stream monitoring to help determine the source of the problem.
The Illahee Creek watershed is classified as both a Category 1 and Category 2 Aquifer Recharge area. Studies have noted this as an area of porous substrata, which allows water to flow readily from the shallow aquifer feeding Illahee Creek to deeper aquifers, possibly affecting the baseflow of the stream. This may affect well water rights in the watershed and possibly development densities.
The steep and unstable slopes and banks along the waterfront and along Illahee Creek create geological hazard zones. Additionally, the 2001 Seattle earthquake revealed a fault line extending through the southern tip of Bainbridge Island into the Illahee area. The impact of this finding needs to be investigated further so community members will know if they are at an increased earthquake risk.
The Kitsap County Critical Areas Ordinance and Shoreline Management Master Program outline the primary governmental protections for the natural systems and habitat. These ordinances are complimented by the Kitsap County Health District water quality monitoring program. Locally, the Port of Illahee, the Illahee Preserve Stewardship Committee, the Illahee Community Club, the Illahee Forest Preserve, and community service groups also monitor the environmental conditions of the community and support community clean-up efforts.
Citizen Participation and Coordination (GMA Goal 11)
To develop the Illahee Community Plan, a CitizenÕs Advisory Group (CAG) was established to research and begin the process. Four public meetings were held to gather ideas from the community and to begin forming a strategy. Additionally, over a thousand questionnaires were distributed to determine community wishes and desires. An Initial Draft Plan was completed on July 5, 2006, and distributed to the Illahee Community, posted on the Illahee Community Website (www.illaheecommunity.com), and distributed to Kitsap County officials and the Planning Commission. When county zoning changes were proposed, door-to-door contacts were made to determine the communityÕs wishes. Whenever at least 70 percent approved a different zoning density, the proposed zoning changes were challenged.
Public Facilities and Services (GMA Goal 12)
The major public facilities and services available in Illahee are nearly all associated with open spaces and recreational opportunities. Rolling Hills Golf Course is a privately owned 18-hole golf course open to the public. The Illahee Preserve is a recently established Kitsap County Heritage Park comprised of wildlife habitat conservation areas, a stream corridor, trails, and an old growth forest. Illahee State Park is a major recreation area supporting camping and saltwater activities. The Illahee Community Dock supports year-round fishing and boating activities. The only other public facility is the Kitsap County Fire Station #45 located at the top of Illahee hill off of Trenton Avenue.
Historic Preservation (GMA Goal 13)
Illahee is an archeological area from earlier centuries when Native Americans inhabited the area, as verified from various archeological findings, including a registered archeological site at SchuttÕs Point. The preservation of portions of these lands began with the establishment of Illahee State Park in the 1930s and the Illahee Preserve in 2001.
With the coming of non-natives, the Illahee community was inhabited by homesteaders. Soon after, the area became a resort and second home community for Seattle residents. The community has been in existence for over 120 years and continues to function as a close-knit and involved group of citizens.
Historic home preservation is being considered for homes near the Illahee Community Dock and the mouth of Illahee Creek, where existing turn-of-the-century homes still exist. To preserve these historical homes, the Plan recommends the development of restoration and preservation standards.
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