Bainbridge Island City Council Regular Business Meeting - September 8, 2026

The Bainbridge Island City Council met in Council Chambers and remotely on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 6:00 pm. All seven council members were present: Mayor Morwaki, Deputy Mayor Hytopolis, and Councilmembers Matthews, Fantroy-Johnson, Nelson, Land, and Schneider. The council approved the agenda 7-0, heard a land acknowledgement, and reported no conflicts of interest.

Presentations

• Welcome to City Manager John Mauro: The council welcomed John Mauro, who was in his first day in the role. Mauro previously served in Port Townsend and was recently elected chair of the Washington City County Managers Association. He expressed gratitude and eagerness to learn about the community.
• Christy Shipman Retirement Proclamation: The council recognized Senior Accounting Technician Christy Shipman for 30 years of city service, including utility billing, support for audits without findings, and 11 years leading the wellness committee, achieving a 2% health insurance cost savings. The proclamation was approved unanimously. Shipman gave brief remarks thanking city staff.
• Community Preparedness Month: The council proclaimed September 2026 as Community Preparedness Month. Emergency Manager Anne Lesage accepted the proclamation and encouraged residents to prepare for earthquakes, tsunami, severe storms, wildfire, and power outages. She invited the community to the annual Day of Preparedness on September 19 at Fire Station 21.
• Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month: The council proclaimed September 15 through October 15, 2026 as Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month. The proclamation was presented to the Spanish immersion program teaching team from Ordway Elementary. Speakers highlighted the value of dual-language education and honoring diverse histories and contributions.
• September 11 Day of Service and Remembrance: Councilmember Matthews read a proclamation designating September 11, 2026 as a Day of Service and Remembrance. She shared personal reflections on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The proclamation was accepted by American Legion Commander Matt Klauss, Police Chief Joe Clark, and Fire Chief Jared Moravec. A remembrance ceremony will be held at Fire Station 21 at 11:00 am on September 11.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved the consent agenda unanimously, including accounts payable and payroll, meeting minutes, project acceptance for the 2025 Annual Roads Project, the Ethics Board 2025 annual report and 2026 workplan, and Ordinance No. 2026-11 extending the Bonus Floor Area Ratio program sunset until June 30, 2027.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Hakuye Karen Vargas thanked the council and announced a September 13 emergency preparedness event at the Marvin Williams Center focused on public safety and emergency response for underserved, marginalized, and immigrant communities.
• Stephen Hoskins, speaking remotely, welcomed City Manager Mauro and expressed support for Councilmember Nelson's leadership on upzoning High School Road to a base floor area ratio of 1.0. He cautioned against trimming the bonus FAR down to the functional maximum, saying it could repeat an April mistake and reduce capacity from voluntary inclusionary zoning. He urged the council to retain the Planning Commission's bonus FAR levels or use the safer full-extrusion FAR figures.
• Ron, an audience member who did not give a last name, welcomed the new city manager but reminded the council about the groundwater management plan and Bainbridge Island's finite water resources. He said the current plan did not estimate water use from unused zoning capacity, expressed disappointment that the council did not more forcefully oppose Washington State Department of Commerce demands, and suggested that ADUs, as discussed on Vashon Island, would be a more appropriate approach.

City Manager's Report

• City Manager John Mauro gave a brief inaugural report, saying he felt grateful, inspired, eager to learn, and joked that he was sore from playing pickleball.

Discussion Items

Council Budget Priorities and Areas of Emphasis

• Deputy City Manager Ellen presented the draft budget priorities and areas of emphasis. She asked the council to confirm the final language, clarify whether the utility infrastructure bullet should include wastewater or stormwater, and decide whether to add language on equity and climate lenses and implementation of the updated comprehensive plan.
• Councilmember Fantroy-Johnson moved to add documented use of the equity lens and climate lens in city decision making toward these priorities. The motion passed 6-1, with Councilmember Nelson dissenting.
• After extended discussion, the council voted to add the word implement before groundwater management plan, passing 6-1 with Councilmember Fantroy-Johnson dissenting.
• The council removed a proposed separate item on implementation of the updated comprehensive plan and directed staff to continue prioritizing the post-adoption/parking-lot list.
• The council also amended the infrastructure priority to read water, stormwater, wastewater, and sewer infrastructure, retaining wastewater and adding stormwater. After a voice vote and vote-count clarification, the amendment passed with one abstention from Councilmember Land.
• The council then adopted the amended list of budget priorities and areas of emphasis on a final 7-0 vote.

Land Capacity Analysis and Comprehensive Plan Update

• Interim Planning Director Emily presented the assumptions, consultant scope, and schedule for the land capacity analysis and comprehensive plan update. She corrected several items in the assumptions table and noted that the mandatory inclusionary zoning program is currently more favorable to developers than voluntary inclusionary zoning, so most developers are expected to use the MIZ.
• Staff asked consultants LMN and Strategic Economics to model High School Road with a base FAR of 1.0 and bonus FAR alternatives of 2.0 and 3.0, with the 3.0 alternative tied to the higher 85% lot coverage allowed under the MIZ. The Planning Commission had recommended a 3.0 bonus FAR and 85% lot coverage in both High School Road and Ferry.
• Staff also requested that environmental review begin using February data to determine whether a supplemental environmental impact statement is needed, because the February assumptions had more units and would help meet the critical path for adoption by the end of the year.
• Councilmember Nelson moved to set the maximum bonus FAR in High School Road at 2.0, with 3.0 available only for mandatory inclusionary zoning projects, in both residential and mixed-use projects. Staff confirmed this matched the Planning Commission's intent, and the motion passed 7-0.
• The council then directed the city manager to obtain the land capacity analysis and associated information based on the assumptions approved by the council as amended. That motion passed 7-0.

Kitsap County Solid Waste Advisory Committee Appointment

• The council confirmed Laura Ryser as the city representative to the Kitsap County Solid Waste Advisory Committee, with Adam Nebenzahl as the voting alternate. The motion passed 7-0.

Announcements

• Councilmember Land reported that the utility advisory committee subcommittee for the KPUD intertie is making progress and scheduled another Friday meeting.
• Councilmember Matthews invited the public to the city booth at the farmers market on Saturday, where council members will play a budget game with residents to gather budget priorities.
• The mayor reminded the community about the September 11 remembrance ceremony at Fire Station 21 at 11:00 am.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda, including Ordinance No. 2026-11 extending the Bonus FAR program sunset.
• Approved proclamations honoring Christy Shipman, Community Preparedness Month, Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month, and September 11 as a Day of Service and Remembrance.
• Adopted council budget priorities and areas of emphasis as amended, including an equity and climate lens commitment, implement groundwater management plan, and the infrastructure priority water, stormwater, wastewater, and sewer infrastructure.
• Directed the city manager to obtain a land capacity analysis based on the amended assumptions, with a 2.0 maximum bonus FAR and a 3.0 bonus FAR limited to mandatory inclusionary zoning projects.
• Confirmed Laura Ryser and Adam Nebenzahl to the Kitsap County Solid Waste Advisory Committee.