OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Planning Commission Regular Meeting - April 23, 2026: Study Session on Winslow Subarea Plan and Code Updates

Planning Commission — Thursday, April 23, 2026
BodyBainbridge Island, Washington
SessionPlanning Commission
DateThursday, April 23, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:00:04

Transcript — Verbatim
1:23

Calling to order the steering committee regular business meeting for Monday, April 27th, 2000.

1:30

Oh my god, reading the wrong agenda.

1:37

I have two agendas on my computer.

1:40

Calling to order the planning commission regular meeting for Thursday, April 23rd, 2026.

1:47

We have four commissioners present present, Commissioners Shaw Prudholm Blossom and Garcia.

1:54

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 Saltwater.

2:02

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.

2:11

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.

2:20

Has everyone had a chance to review the agenda?

2:24

Is there a motion to approve?

2:26

I move to approve the agenda as presented.

2:30

Second.

2:31

Okay.

2:32

As a motion and a second.

2:34

Uh all those in favor.

2:36

Aye.

2:36

Aye.

2:36

Aye.

2:37

Any opposed?

2:38

Motion passes unanimously.

2:40

Any conflicts of interest to disclose?

2:43

No.

2:43

Seeing none.

2:45

We'll move on to the planning commission meeting minutes for April 9th and April 16th.

2:53

I move to approve the Planning Commission meeting minutes from April 9th, 2026.

3:00

Second.

3:00

Okay, there's a motion and a second for the April 9th meeting minutes.

3:04

All those in favor?

3:05

One, one second.

3:06

I had one correction though.

3:07

Okay.

3:08

Is I do not believe that Commissioner Sullivan and Dinas excused themselves from the meeting simultaneously at 819.

3:16

No, probably not.

3:22

Sullivan excused himself first, and then Dynas left at nine o'clock or nine ten, somewhere in that area right now.

3:28

Okay.

3:28

Can we note that please?

3:30

Thank you.

3:32

Okay, so motion to approve with the um note to make correct the correction to make is noted by Commissioner Garcia.

3:44

All those in favor?

3:45

Aye.

3:46

Aye.

3:46

Any opposed?

3:47

Motion passes unanimously.

3:49

And April 16th.

3:52

I move to approve the planning commission meeting minutes from April 16th, 2026 as presented.

3:58

Second.

3:59

All right.

4:00

Motion and a second.

4:00

All those in favor.

4:02

Aye.

4:03

Any opposed?

4:04

Motion passes unanimously.

4:06

We'll move on to public comment.

4:08

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

4:16

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

4:24

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.

4:31

Please speak directly into the microphone, which is adjustable.

4:34

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

4:39

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

4:47

Guidelines for public comment are provided.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.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning Regulations███████████████████████████████31%
Mixed Use Development█████████████████████21%
Affordable Housing████████████████16%
Procedural███████7%
Housing█████5%
Design Standards█████5%
Incentive Based Zoning█████5%
Comprehensive Planning████4%
Personnel Matters██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Planning Commission Regular Meeting - April 23, 2026: Study Session on Winslow Subarea Plan and Code Updates

The Bainbridge Island Planning Commission held a regular meeting on Thursday, April 23, 2026, starting at 6:00 PM and adjourning at 9:58 PM. The main agenda item was a study session to review draft updates to the Winslow Subarea Plan, the periodic Comprehensive Plan update, and draft amendments to the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code (BIMC). The meeting also included public comment, the Planning Director’s farewell, and a series of motions to refine the preferred alternative for the Comprehensive Plan and code updates.

Consent Calendar

  • Agenda Approval: Motion to approve the agenda carried unanimously 4–0 (Commissioner Birtley absent).
  • Minutes – April 9, 2026: Approved as amended (noting Commissioner Sullivan left at 8:19 PM and Commissioner Deines left closer to 9:00 PM); motion carried 4–0.
  • Minutes – April 16, 2026: Approved as presented; motion carried 4–0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Matt Keogh (Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park District) expressed the park district’s support for the park overlay zoning district concept, as reflected in a letter from park board chair Ken DeWitt. He encouraged the Commission to move from “considering” an overlay to committing to its implementation, noting that the overlay would enable specific development standards that respect the public interest and the district’s cooperative jurisdictional expertise.

Discussion Items

  • Planning Director’s Report: Patty Charnas (Planning & Community Development Director) announced this was her final meeting before retiring. She recommended that the Commission finish its work on the preferred alternative and code recommendations, hold a public hearing, and pass the outcomes to the City Council for final decision, rather than waiting for further direction from Council or the Department of Commerce.
  • Study Session – Draft Updates to Winslow Subarea Plan, Comprehensive Plan, and BIMC:
    • The Commission adopted the Guiding Principles as presented in the agenda packet into the preferred alternative recommendation for the Comprehensive Plan (motion carried 5–0).
    • Use Table (Table 18.09.020): A motion to eliminate the entire row “Institutional/Commercial/Residential-Mixed-Use Developments” from the Residential section carried 5–0. A subsequent motion directed staff to locate language in Title 18 enabling projects with several different uses (Permitted or Conditional) to proceed based on their individual use status; motion carried 5–0.
    • Mixed-Use Commercial Percentage: A motion to add a row setting a maximum percentage of mixed-use that can be commercial carried 5–0. Later, a motion to strike the max commercial percent and retain the strikethrough of footnote 2 was withdrawn after extensive discussion. The Commission instead approved a motion to retain existing code for the three rows under Basic Maximum, except consolidating the Madison Avenue, Erickson Avenue, and Gateway overlays into the Connection Zone with the base FAR numbers shown on screen, and no percentage maximums; motion carried 5–0.
    • Removal of Restriction on New Commercial Buildings: A motion to remove section 18.09.030.B.4.b (restricting new buildings from being strictly commercial) carried 4–0, with Commissioner Preudhomme abstaining.
    • Maximum Bonus FAR: Following City Council direction, a motion to amend Table 18.12.020-3 to set the maximum bonus FAR in the Winslow Town Center (Central Core, Ferry, and High School Road Districts) to 2.5 carried 4–0, with Commissioner Schaab abstaining.
    • Residential Bonus Density Clarification: A motion to clarify that the 50% residential bonus density (Table 18.12.030.B.8) is based on the underlying R-2 zoning carried 5–0.
    • Bonus FAR Program for Smaller Units: A motion to postpone adoption of a bonus FAR program encouraging a mix of smaller units in the High School Road and Ferry Districts to Phase 2 (after Comprehensive Plan completion) carried 5–0.
    • Bonus FAR and Height for Affordable Housing: A motion to clarify that the max bonus FAR is available for projects providing only Affordable Housing (as referenced in Table 18.12.030-2) and not in addition to underbuilding parking, that one extra story of building height is available for Affordable Housing as an alternative to underbuilding parking, and that the max available bonus FAR is “available” rather than “achievable”; motion carried 5–0.
    • 100% Low-Income Affordable Housing Projects: A motion to amend section 18.12.030.C.3 so that development projects providing 100% low-income affordable housing may have available the maximum bonus FAR and max building height without underbuilding parking; motion carried 4–0 (Commissioner Birtley absent).
    • Affordability Incentive Program for R Zones: A motion was made to create an affordability incentive program for all R zones within the Winslow Subarea, allowing a bonus density of 2.0 (base density) if at least 50% of the additional units are affordable to 110% AMI and below. After discussion, the motion was withdrawn due to time constraints and the complexity of the proposal.

Key Outcomes

  • Adopted Guiding Principles into the Comprehensive Plan preferred alternative (5–0).
  • Use Table Modified: Eliminated the Institutional/Commercial/Residential-Mixed-Use row and directed staff to enable mixed-use projects based on individual use permissions (5–0).
  • Mixed-Use Percentage Row added to clarify commercial cap (5–0); later replaced by retaining existing code with consolidated Connection Zone FAR and no percentage maximums (5–0).
  • Restriction on New Commercial Buildings removed (4–0, one abstention).
  • Maximum Bonus FAR reduced to 2.5 in Central Core, Ferry, and High School Road Districts per Council direction (4–0, one abstention).
  • 50% Residential Bonus Density clarified as based on underlying R-2 zoning (5–0).
  • Bonus FAR Program for Smaller Units deferred to Phase 2 (5–0).
  • Affordable Housing Bonus FAR and Height clarified: max bonus FAR for Affordable Housing projects, one extra story for Affordable Housing without underbuilding parking, and language changed from “achievable” to “available” (5–0).
  • 100% Affordable Housing Projects may access max bonus FAR and max height without underbuilding parking (4–0, one absent).
  • Affordability Incentive Program for R Zones withdrawn; to be revisited at a later meeting.
  • Public Hearing Scheduled: The Commission intends to hold a public hearing on the preferred alternative and code recommendations on May 14, 2026, subject to noticing timelines. Staff will incorporate all adopted motions, along with required changes from the Department of Commerce letter, into a revised packet to be published by the following week.

Meeting Transcript

Calling to order the steering committee regular business meeting for Monday, April 27th, 2000. Oh my god, reading the wrong agenda. I have two agendas on my computer. Calling to order the planning commission regular meeting for Thursday, April 23rd, 2026. We have four commissioners present present, Commissioners Shaw Prudholm Blossom and Garcia. 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 Saltwater. 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? Is there a motion to approve? I move to approve the agenda as presented. Second. Okay. As a motion and a second. Uh all those in favor. Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion passes unanimously. Any conflicts of interest to disclose? No. Seeing none. We'll move on to the planning commission meeting minutes for April 9th and April 16th. I move to approve the Planning Commission meeting minutes from April 9th, 2026. Second. Okay, there's a motion and a second for the April 9th meeting minutes. All those in favor? One, one second. I had one correction though. Okay. Is I do not believe that Commissioner Sullivan and Dinas excused themselves from the meeting simultaneously at 819. No, probably not. Sullivan excused himself first, and then Dynas left at nine o'clock or nine ten, somewhere in that area right now. Okay. Can we note that please? Thank you. Okay, so motion to approve with the um note to make correct the correction to make is noted by Commissioner Garcia. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion passes unanimously. And April 16th. I move to approve the planning commission meeting minutes from April 16th, 2026 as presented. Second. All right. Motion and a second. All those in favor. Aye.

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