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Record of Proceedings

Planning Commission Special Meeting – November 6, 2025: Winslow Subarea Plan Update and Work Schedule

Planning Commission — Thursday, November 6, 2025

BodyBainbridge Island, Washington

SessionPlanning Commission

DateThursday, November 6, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:49:28

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:04

Calling to order the planning commission special meeting for Thursday, November 6, 2025.

0:11

We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is within the ancestral territory of the Sequamish people of clear salt water, expert fishermen, canoe builders, and basket weavers.

0:20

The Sequamish live in harmony with the lands and waterways along Washington's central Salish Sea as they have for thousands of years.

0:27

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

0:36

Has everyone had a chance to review the agenda?

0:42

Um I would like to add an item, and I'd like it to be our first item.

0:47

So we can get uh I just think it's a good thing to talk about before the items and to make sure we do while Joe is still here, and that is the um draft resolution that he provided to us earlier today.

0:58

And for maybe just a half hour discussion, if that's all right with everyone.

1:06

Um I can I move to amend it.

1:11

I know the chair's not a good question.

1:13

I'll move to amend our agenda to place Joe Tovar's draft memo as a 30-minute discussion preceding item 4A.

1:25

Yes.

1:28

Second second, okay.

1:30

Um so there's a motion and a second to add that agenda item.

1:35

Any discussion?

1:36

All those in favor?

1:38

Aye.

1:39

Uh that motion passes unanimously.

1:44

Um the other um, I guess not necessarily suggestion but question is I think it may might make sense as well to talk about the remaining work plan and schedule prior to getting into all the work.

1:57

Um agreed.

2:04

Okay.

2:04

Is that a separate enough item that it requires a motion?

2:09

Yeah, I was can you yeah, just a motion to move 4B up to the second item under unfinished business?

2:18

Sure.

2:18

So I move to move for item 4b to our first item in in unfinished business before 4A.

2:27

Second okay.

2:31

Uh there's a motion and second.

2:33

All those in favor?

2:34

I that motion passes unanimously.

2:38

Um I add one thing since I know we're right at quorum, and um I get a sick kiddo at home, and so I really uh like 8:30, 99.

2:49

I know I always say hardstop nine, and then I I've go on.

2:52

But um Chris is watching our time for those first two items tonight.

2:56

Nice.

2:56

Okay.

2:58

Um do we need to do a motion to approve the agenda as amended, Renee.

3:10

No, I think not.

3:13

Yeah.

3:15

Yes.

3:16

Okay.

3:16

Is there a motion to approve the agenda as amended?

3:21

Move to approve the agenda as amended.

3:24

Second.

3:26

Motion and a second.

3:27

All those in favor?

3:28

Aye.

3:29

That motion passes unanimously.

3:31

Any conflicts of interest to disclose.

3:34

Seeing none.

3:35

Okay, on to public comment.

3:37

Members of the public are encouraged to submit written public comment to the planning commission at any time by emailing PCD at Bainbridge WA.gov.

3:44

Members of the public who wish to provide public comment in person at a planning commission meeting should sign up to speak on a sign-in sheet by the chamber doors.

3:51

The planning commission chair will call the people signed up on the sign-in sheet, and speakers will have up to three minutes to speak from the podium.

3:57

Please speak directly into the microphone, which is adjustable.

4:00

A timer on the screen will indicate when three minutes or such other times set by the chair has elapsed.

4:06

Orderly behavior and civility in remarks is expected, no clapping or booing and no yielding of one person's time to another.

4:12

Guidelines for public comment are provided.

4:15

Remote public comment is allowed with advanced notice to the planning and community development department by noon on the date of the meeting at PCD at Bainbridge Wa.gov, provided that all remote commenters shall be required to display their true name and to keep their camera turned on to show their true uncovered face while delivering their comments.

4:33

Public comment is not accepted during the balance of the planning commission meeting unless a public hearing or public participation meeting is on the agenda.

4:41

The first to speak is Malcolm Gander.

5:04

Yeah.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Comprehensive Planning████████████████████████████████████████████44%

Affordable Housing█████████████13%

Community Engagement████████████12%

Zoning Regulations███████████11%

Procedural████████8%

Water And Wastewater Management████████8%

Land Use Planning██2%

Housing█1%

Incentive Based Zoning█1%

Summary of Proceedings

Planning Commission Special Meeting – November 6, 2025: Winslow Subarea Plan Update and Work Schedule

The Bainbridge Island Planning Commission held a special meeting on November 6, 2025, to discuss the draft Resolution 2025-18, the remaining work plan and schedule for the Winslow Subarea Plan (WSP) update, and to receive public comment. The meeting was attended by Chair Sarah Blossom and Commissioners Criss Garcia, Alex Preudhomme, and Ben Deines, along with PCD Director Patty Charnas, Senior Planner Jennifer Sutton, Consultant Joe Tovar, and Council Liaison Jon Quitslund. The meeting adjourned at 8:56 PM after Commissioner Deines left, breaking quorum.

Public Comments & Testimony

Malcolm Gander, a resident, commented on water and sewer infrastructure. He stated that the city's water system plan from 2017 shows water usage at approximately 260 million gallons per year in 2015, with projections nearly doubling by 2035. He argued that the city's 10 wells cannot increase production by more than 10%, citing past experiences with well drawdown. He also noted that water and sewer issues are not being discussed alongside proposed upzoning in Winslow. He indicated he would speak about wastewater treatment and conservation at a future meeting.

Discussion Items

Draft Resolution 2025-18: Consultant Joe Tovar presented a draft resolution to the City Council that outlines a structured work program for the Winslow Subarea Plan update and other comprehensive plan elements. The resolution proposes a deadline of June 30, 2026, to comply with a Department of Ecology grant requirement of $725,000 for aquifer recharge improvements. Tovar recommended that the Commission finish its draft of the subarea plan by December 18, 2025, after which staff and consultants would prepare a more complete version for review in March 2026. The resolution also calls for two council liaisons to attend 2026 planning commission meetings and for the council to refrain from assigning non-periodic update tasks to the commission during the first six months of 2026.
Commissioner Reactions: Commissioner Garcia expressed reservations about back-timing from a deadline and questioned the feasibility of completing substantive work by December 18 given only three remaining meetings. Commissioner Preudhomme supported a hard deadline, arguing that it would force prioritization and allow staff to take over. Commissioner Blossom criticized the lack of earlier direction from the City Council and expressed concerns that the resolution's scope might limit the commission's ability to address important issues like the water resources element. Commissioner Deines advocated for relying more on staff and consultants to produce draft materials for the commission to review, rather than the commission itself crafting detailed policy.
Remaining Work Plan and Schedule: Senior Planner Jennifer Sutton reviewed the 2025 work plan, identifying key deliverables needed by December 18: finalizing zoning boundaries (including the Ferncliffe zone), basic intensity standards, and a recommendation on mandatory or voluntary inclusionary zoning. She also proposed an additional extended meeting on December 3 or 4 to make progress.
Inclusionary Zoning and Affordable Housing: The commission discussed strategies for meeting Housing Element requirements, particularly for households at 50% area median income (AMI) and below. Commissioner Blossom noted that the Environmental Impact Statement showed inclusionary zoning would not produce units at that income level, while others argued that density bonuses and partnerships could support deeper affordability. No consensus was reached.
Zoning and Outreach: A contentious discussion arose regarding outreach to neighborhoods potentially affected by rezoning, specifically the Ferncliffe area. Commissioner Blossom argued that residents in that area deserve direct notification because the proposed change from units-per-acre to form-based coding is significant and was not analyzed in the DEIS. Other commissioners countered that all communities should be treated equally and that the city has provided public notice through meetings and the website.

Key Outcomes

The commission voted unanimously (4-0) to amend the agenda, adding discussion of the draft resolution and moving item 4b ahead of 4a.
No formal votes were taken on the draft resolution or subarea plan content. Discussion is expected to continue at the next meetings.
The meeting adjourned early at 8:56 PM due to loss of quorum after Commissioner Deines left.

Meeting Transcript

Calling to order the planning commission special meeting for Thursday, November 6, 2025. We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is within the ancestral territory of the Sequamish people of clear salt water, expert fishermen, canoe builders, and basket weavers. The Sequamish live in harmony with the lands and waterways along Washington's central Salish Sea as they have for thousands of years. Here the Sequamish live and protect the land and waters of their ancestors for future generations as promised by the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855. Has everyone had a chance to review the agenda? Um I would like to add an item, and I'd like it to be our first item. So we can get uh I just think it's a good thing to talk about before the items and to make sure we do while Joe is still here, and that is the um draft resolution that he provided to us earlier today. And for maybe just a half hour discussion, if that's all right with everyone. Um I can I move to amend it. I know the chair's not a good question. I'll move to amend our agenda to place Joe Tovar's draft memo as a 30-minute discussion preceding item 4A. Yes. Second second, okay. Um so there's a motion and a second to add that agenda item. Any discussion? All those in favor? Aye. Uh that motion passes unanimously. Um the other um, I guess not necessarily suggestion but question is I think it may might make sense as well to talk about the remaining work plan and schedule prior to getting into all the work. Um agreed. Okay. Is that a separate enough item that it requires a motion? Yeah, I was can you yeah, just a motion to move 4B up to the second item under unfinished business? Sure. So I move to move for item 4b to our first item in in unfinished business before 4A. Second okay. Uh there's a motion and second. All those in favor? I that motion passes unanimously. Um I add one thing since I know we're right at quorum, and um I get a sick kiddo at home, and so I really uh like 8:30, 99. I know I always say hardstop nine, and then I I've go on. But um Chris is watching our time for those first two items tonight. Nice. Okay. Um do we need to do a motion to approve the agenda as amended, Renee. No, I think not. Yeah. Yes. Okay. Is there a motion to approve the agenda as amended? Move to approve the agenda as amended. Second. Motion and a second. All those in favor? Aye. That motion passes unanimously. Any conflicts of interest to disclose. Seeing none. Okay, on to public comment. Members of the public are encouraged to submit written public comment to the planning commission at any time by emailing PCD at Bainbridge WA.gov.

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