OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Bainbridge Island City Council Regular Business Meeting - September 23, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, September 23, 2025
BodyBainbridge Island, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, September 23, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:22:26

Transcript — Verbatim
5:02

Okay, good evening, everyone.

5:04

Thank you for being here.

5:06

I'd like to call the city council regular business meeting for Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025 to order.

5:12

Um, here this evening with me, our city attorney James Haney, we have our city manager Blair King.

5:19

So yes, we have our city clerk Christine Brown, Van helping over with IT, and uh City Clerk, would you please take the role?

5:26

Yes, thank you, Mayor.

5:27

Christine Brown, City Clerk.

5:28

Please state for the record of your present after I call your name.

5:31

Mayor Matthews.

5:32

Present, Deputy Mayor Quitsland.

5:34

Present.

5:35

Councilmember Deeds.

5:37

Present.

5:37

Councilmember Fentra Johnson.

5:39

Present.

5:39

Councilmember Hytopolis.

5:41

Present.

5:42

Councilmember Morwaki.

5:44

Present.

5:44

Councilmember Schneider.

5:46

President.

5:46

Thank you.

5:48

Thank you.

5:48

And now let's say the Pledge of Allegiance.

5:57

And I'd also like to read the Sequamish land acknowledgement.

6:11

Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people.

6:15

Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished.

6:22

Chief Seattle, 1854.

6:24

We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is within the ancestral territory of the Suquab, people of clear saltwater, Suquamish people, expert fishermen, canoe builders, and basket weavers, the Suquab live in harmony with the land and waterways along Washington's central Salish Sea as they have for thousands of years.

6:42

Here the Sequab live and protect the land and waters of their ancestors for future generations, as promised by the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855.

6:53

Okay.

6:54

And we'll do our approval of agenda.

6:59

Thank you, Mayor Matthews.

7:00

I move approval of tonight's agenda as presented.

7:04

A second.

7:05

Great.

7:05

Motion made by Councilmember Morwaki, seconded by Councilmember Fantro Johnson.

7:09

All those in favor?

7:10

Aye.

7:11

Aye.

7:12

Okay, and seeing no opposition, we'll move to conflicts of interests.

7:17

Council, do we have any conflicts of interest this evening?

7:20

Okay.

7:21

None there.

7:22

All right, now we are on to presentations.

7:25

Um declaring September 29th to October 5th, 2025 as a week without driving.

7:34

Councilmember Schneider.

7:36

Thank you, Mayor, and I will make the motion.

7:40

Great.

7:41

I move to approve the proclamation declaring September 29th through October 5th, 2025 as the week without driving, and add it to the annual proclamations that may be signed by the mayor without further council action.

7:55

Second.

7:55

Great count uh motion made by Councilmember Schneider and seconded by Councilmember Morowaki.

8:00

All those in favor?

8:02

Okay.

8:03

Councilmember Schneider.

8:05

A proclamation by the City Council and the City of Bainbridge Island, Washington, by the City Council of the City of Bainbridge Island, Washington, declaring September 29th through October 5th as a week without driving.

8:18

Whereas, as the U.S.

8:20

Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates, the cost of owning a car is approximately 72 cents a mile, with average household spending on transportation reaching 12,296 a year in 2024.

8:45

And whereas access to mobility is a fundamental part of health and community connection, allowing islanders to reach education and employment opportunities, medical services, shopping, recreation, and to visit family and friends, and is one of the state's six transportation system policy goals, including investing public dollars to improve the movement of people throughout the region, and whereas transportation represents the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and is the second largest source of emissions on Bainbridge Island.

9:20

And in order to meet our state and city's greenhouse gas emission reduction goals, we must reduce emissions in our transportation sector.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing███████████████████████████████████████████43%
Community Engagement██████████10%
Budget Equity Analysis█████████9%
Procedural███████7%
Public Engagement██████6%
Public Comment████4%
Water And Wastewater Management███3%
Land Use Planning███3%
Public Safety███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Bainbridge Island City Council Regular Business Meeting - September 23, 2025

The Bainbridge Island City Council held a regular business meeting on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 9:17 PM in Council Chambers and via Zoom. The meeting included two proclamations, extensive public comment (28 speakers), a consent agenda of 13 routine items, and six regular business items. Key discussions centered on a proposed affordable housing development at 625 Winslow Way, a related zoning ordinance (No. 2025-21), a review of affordable housing definitions, the 2026 mid-biennium budget update, the 2026 property tax levy, a wait period for low-income priority at the Dave Ullin Open Water Marina, and the appointment of a councilmember to a public art selection jury.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved payroll for periods ending September 5 and September 20, 2025.
  • Approved meeting minutes for September 9, 2025 (special and regular) and September 16, 2025 (study session).
  • Authorized the City Manager to execute project acceptances for Madison Avenue Bundled Project (non-motorized), Country Club Road Reconstruction, and Hawley/Irene Grinder Pumps, all with Sound Pacific Construction and Seton Construction respectively.
  • Authorized Amendment No. 2 to the Kitsap Law Group contract for indigent defense services ($54,500) and a related 2026 budget adjustment.
  • Authorized Amendment No. 13 to the Perteet, Inc. agreement for Eagle Harbor/Wyatt Way Non-Motorized Improvement Project construction engineering services ($119,300 from Capital Construction Fund).
  • Ratified pre-approved purchase orders for a replacement dump truck ($384,269.91) and an asphalt patch truck ($322,881.83) as part of the 2025 Capital Improvement Plan fleet purchases.
  • Authorized an interlocal agreement with Kitsap County for the West Sound Stormwater Outreach Group ($42,000 from Stormwater and Surface Water Management Fund).
  • Canceled the October 7, 2025, City Council Study Session.
  • Authorized a contract amendment with Transpo Group for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan (increase of $20,900).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Twenty-eight members of the public spoke, the majority addressing the proposed affordable housing project at 625 Winslow Way and the related Ordinance No. 2025-21. Speakers expressed a range of positions: several (including union representative Scott Pattison, business owners, and residents) strongly supported the project, citing the dire need for workforce housing and the benefits of walkable, dense development near transit. Others (including Sarah Blossom, Nancy Nolan, David Schutz, Mary Clare Kersten, and Priscilla Zimmerman) urged a pause or alternative site selection, raising concerns about the site's suitability (busy intersection, sole-source aquifer capacity, traffic, parking, building height, and process fairness). A few commenters (April Ness, Becca Guillote) spoke about the liveaboard community at the Dave Ullin Open Water Marina, advocating for no vacancy period or a short wait for low-income priority. One speaker (Ron Peltier) advocated for a robust groundwater management plan. Several speakers (John Flodin, Bevan Taylor, Chloe Josten) recounted personal experiences and urged the council to move forward to avoid repeating past delays.

Discussion Items

  • Ordinance No. 2025-21 – Development Standards for Affordable Housing Projects: Senior Planner Sutton presented the ordinance, which would increase floor area ratio (FAR) to 2.5 and building height to 55 feet for 100% affordable housing projects in the Central Core and Ferry Terminal districts east of SR 305, with a nine-month sunset. Councilmember Hytopoulos offered an alternative motion to not schedule a public hearing and instead study alternative sites (including 251 Winslow Way), but it failed for lack of a second. After debate, Councilmember Fantroy-Johnson moved to schedule a public hearing on October 14, 2025. The motion passed 6-1, with Hytopoulos opposed. The council will receive a staff report on comprehensive plan consistency before the hearing.
  • Review of City's Standard Definitions for Affordable Housing: Deputy Mayor Quitslund proposed forwarding a policy statement to broaden affordable housing definitions to include households up to 120% of area median income (AMI), encouraging mixed-income projects. Councilmember Hytopoulos and Moriwaki opposed, citing planning commission workload and potential unintended consequences. Councilmember Schneider suggested creating a local AMI translation table. The motion failed 3-4 (Fantroy-Johnson, Quitslund, Mathews in favor; Deets, Hytopoulos, Moriwaki, Schneider opposed). The discussion remains available for future planning commission consideration.
  • Ordinance No. 2025-28 – 2026 Mid-Biennium Budget Update: Finance Director Pitts presented a $59.5 million adopted budget for 2026 with proposed changes of about $350,000 (a decrease). Key adjustments include filling 2.5 of 3.5 held-vacant positions (police officer, accountant, half-time court specialist), reductions in sales tax and real estate excise tax forecasts, and modest increases in utility rates. Councilmember Moriwaki praised the city's fiscal prudence. A public hearing was set for November 12, 2025 (unanimous).
  • Ordinance No. 2025-27 – Property Tax Levy for Collection in 2026: City Manager King noted the property tax is the largest general fund revenue source (over $8 million), with Bainbridge Island receiving only eight cents of every dollar paid. The council set a public hearing for November 12, 2025, on a levy limited to the statutory increase (unanimous).
  • Wait Period for Low Income Priority at Dave Ullin Open Water Marina: After hearing public comment from liveaboards, the council discussed the appropriate wait period to hold a buoy vacant for income-qualified applicants (60% AMI) when no waiting list exists. Councilmember Fantroy-Johnson moved for a 30-day wait period, which carried unanimously. Staff will draft a policy manual amendment.
  • Designation for Public Art Selection Jury: Councilmember Moriwaki was appointed unanimously to represent the city on the jury for new public art in the City Hall Engineering Conference Room.

Key Outcomes

  • Two proclamations approved unanimously: "Week Without Driving" (Sep 29–Oct 5, 2025) and "Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month" (Sep 15–Oct 15, 2025).
  • Consent agenda approved 7-0.
  • Ordinance No. 2025-21: public hearing scheduled for October 14, 2025 (6-1).
  • Affordable housing definitions motion failed 3-4.
  • Ordinance No. 2025-28 (budget) public hearing set for November 12, 2025 (7-0).
  • Ordinance No. 2025-27 (property tax levy) public hearing set for November 12, 2025 (7-0).
  • Marina low-income wait period set at 30 days in absence of a waiting list (7-0).
  • Councilmember Moriwaki appointed to public art selection jury (7-0).

Meeting Transcript

Okay, good evening, everyone. Thank you for being here. I'd like to call the city council regular business meeting for Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025 to order. Um, here this evening with me, our city attorney James Haney, we have our city manager Blair King. So yes, we have our city clerk Christine Brown, Van helping over with IT, and uh City Clerk, would you please take the role? Yes, thank you, Mayor. Christine Brown, City Clerk. Please state for the record of your present after I call your name. Mayor Matthews. Present, Deputy Mayor Quitsland. Present. Councilmember Deeds. Present. Councilmember Fentra Johnson. Present. Councilmember Hytopolis. Present. Councilmember Morwaki. Present. Councilmember Schneider. President. Thank you. Thank you. And now let's say the Pledge of Allegiance. And I'd also like to read the Sequamish land acknowledgement. Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Chief Seattle, 1854. We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is within the ancestral territory of the Suquab, people of clear saltwater, Suquamish people, expert fishermen, canoe builders, and basket weavers, the Suquab live in harmony with the land and waterways along Washington's central Salish Sea as they have for thousands of years. Here the Sequab live and protect the land and waters of their ancestors for future generations, as promised by the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855. Okay. And we'll do our approval of agenda. Thank you, Mayor Matthews. I move approval of tonight's agenda as presented. A second. Great. Motion made by Councilmember Morwaki, seconded by Councilmember Fantro Johnson. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Okay, and seeing no opposition, we'll move to conflicts of interests. Council, do we have any conflicts of interest this evening? Okay. None there. All right, now we are on to presentations. Um declaring September 29th to October 5th, 2025 as a week without driving. Councilmember Schneider. Thank you, Mayor, and I will make the motion. Great. I move to approve the proclamation declaring September 29th through October 5th, 2025 as the week without driving, and add it to the annual proclamations that may be signed by the mayor without further council action.

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