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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Bainbridge Island Planning Commission Regular Meeting – October 8, 2026

Planning Commission — Thursday, October 8, 2026

BodyBainbridge Island, Washington

SessionPlanning Commission

DateThursday, October 8, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 33:31

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

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Unassigned speaker

1:11

All

Speaker 1

1:11

right, I'm gonna call the order the planning commission regular meeting uh for Thursday, October 8th, 2026.

1:18

Uh the commissioners present are Alex Brudholm, Sarah Blossom, John Sandage, Chris Garcia, and we have both of our council liaison, Ashley Matthews and Laura Lant in the audience.

1:36

I start with the land acknowledgement.

1:38

We'd 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 the Washington's Central Salish Sea, as they have for thousands of years.

Unassigned speaker

1:58

Here

Speaker 1

1:58

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

2:08

All right.

2:09

Item two on our agenda, approval of the agenda.

Speaker 2

2:13

Move to approve the agenda as presented.

Unassigned speaker

2:16

We

Speaker 1

2:16

have a motion and a second.

2:20

Blossom Bruno, uh, to approve the agenda.

2:23

Any discussion?

2:25

Seeing none, um all those in favor of the approving the agenda, say aye.

2:32

Any opposed?

2:33

Say nay, seeing none, it is approved unanimously.

2:38

And uh conflicts of interests.

2:42

Any conflicts of interest to disclose this evening?

2:45

Matters before us, uh none are stated.

2:49

Item three, the planning commission meeting minutes from September twenty-fourth, I want to say.

2:57

Yep.

2:58

I

Speaker 2

2:58

move to approve the minutes from September twenty-fourth, twenty twenty-six as presented.

Speaker 1

3:03

Second.

3:05

Motion and a second, same motioner and seconder as our agenda.

3:10

Uh any discussion or corrections to the minutes as presented.

3:15

All those in favor of approving the minutes from September 24th, say aye.

3:18

Aye.

3:19

All those opposed saying none.

3:23

The minutes are approved unanimously.

3:27

All right.

3:28

So public comment item four on our agenda.

3:31

Do we have anyone online?

3:34

We have no one in the audience, so with uh everyone's permission, we'll skip the the reading of the declaration and move to item five, planning director's report.

Unassigned speaker

3:46

Uh

Speaker 1

3:46

we do have interim planning director Emily Terrell here uh via Zoom or its uh equivalent.

3:54

Emily, do you have a planning report?

Unassigned speaker

3:59

You

Speaker 1

3:59

are on mute if you

Unassigned speaker

4:01

do.

Speaker 3

4:04

I do have a report to put up, although now I have just lost the thing because I uh had to go to the zoom.

4:14

Okay.

4:14

So I have uh two items which I've been on my post to you so I don't forget.

4:20

The first one is long, but I think it will um interest to the planning commission, so I want to give it to

Unassigned speaker

4:25

you.

Speaker 3

4:26

Uh next week we have updates to the council on progress for the comprehensive plan, the Winslow sub-area plan, the environmental review, and all the associated development ordinance regulations type stuff.

4:41

So that will look mighty familiar by the end of this meeting because that's one of the things that we

Speaker 4

4:47

are going to talk

Unassigned speaker

4:48

about.

Speaker 3

4:48

But I am essentially gonna summarize and move quickly if you're if you'd like to discuss, I'm perfectly happy to do that, but this one's a little bit long.

Unassigned speaker

5:00

Let me begin with for the comprehensive plan, Winslow Sub-area Plan, and the Development Regulations Environmental Impact Statement.

Speaker 3

5:06

We have received as of today the final determination from EA, our environmental consultants, and their consultation as well with Fairin Pierce or a transportation consultant.

5:19

We have under any alternative thus far, including February's interim development ordinance that's currently in place, and the September assumptions that the council had us model are all within the three preferred alternatives under the draft environmental impact statement, which means we officially do not have to create a supplemental environmental impact statement.

5:43

We have a memo for that that covers the where's and whys by subject category.

5:48

They looked at all of the recently approved things, mobility plan, groundwater plan, all that stuff.

5:54

And thank God, because that would have added four or five months or so to the comprehensive plan approval process beyond the end of this year.

6:01

We're in the clear on that one, and we um we have done the work to prove

Unassigned speaker

6:05

it.

Speaker 3

6:06

The final environmental impact statement is on track and it does appear to be pretty straightforward.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Comprehensive Planning███████████████████████████████31%

Procedural████████████████████20%

Design Standards████████████12%

Zoning Regulations████████████12%

Indigenous People's Day████████8%

Housing████████8%

Code Enforcement██████6%

Inclusionary Zoning███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Bainbridge Island Planning Commission Regular Meeting – October 8, 2026

The Bainbridge Island Planning Commission met in regular session on Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 6:36 PM in Council Chambers at 280 Madison Ave N and via Zoom. Commissioners present were Alex Brudholm, Sarah Blossom, John Sandage, and Chris Garcia; council liaisons Ashley Matthews and Laura Lant were in the audience. Interim Planning Director Emily Terrell attended remotely. The meeting opened with a land acknowledgement recognizing the Suquamish people and the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855. No public commenters were present. The commission approved the agenda and prior meeting minutes, received a detailed update on the comprehensive plan and environmental review, and scheduled a public hearing for Ordinance 2026-15.

Consent Calendar

The agenda was approved unanimously as presented, and no conflicts of interest were disclosed.
The Planning Commission meeting minutes of September 24, 2026, were approved unanimously as presented.

Discussion Items

Planning Director’s Report

Emily Terrell reported that the city received the final determination from environmental consultant EA and transportation consultant Fehr & Peers. All modeled alternatives—including the February 2026 interim development ordinance and the September land capacity assumptions—fall within the three preferred alternatives under the draft environmental impact statement, so no supplemental environmental impact statement is required. Terrell said avoiding that step saved roughly four to five months.
The draft final environmental impact statement is expected by November 6, 2026. The council is expected to choose a preferred alternative on October 13, 2026.
Terrell reported that the September assumptions, when paired with mandatory inclusionary zoning (MIZ), produce the most residential units and jobs of any assumption set modeled. The February assumptions produce more jobs and residents than the September assumptions without MIZ; adding MIZ produces more affordable housing, more total units, and more jobs overall.
The adoption target is December 8, 2026, and the Housing Accountability Act compliance deadline is December 19, 2026.
The Winslow Sub-area Plan draft is being updated by consultant LMN, with a draft final document due by October 31, 2026, city review within two weeks, and the final draft due by December 1, 2026, for council adoption on December 8.
Terrell explained the relationship among three ordinances: Ordinance 2026-15 covers state legislative land-use updates enacted after the DEIS; Ordinance 2026-05 is the comprehensive-plan-related development code update already reviewed by the Department of Commerce; and Ordinance 2026-04 is the comprehensive plan/Winslow Sub-area Plan adoption itself.
A SEPA determination of nonsignificance (DNS) for Ordinance 2026-15 is expected next week, and the ordinance has been submitted to the Department of Commerce. Terrell said the city has been in communication with Commerce to ensure it meets housing targets and avoids the state builders’ remedy.
Terrell expressed her opinion that the builders’ remedy will be difficult for the state to impose because the state guidance lacks quantitative standards. She also cited recent growth board decisions, including Port Townsend’s $170 million affordable housing funding gap, as a concern for cities. She said the city is working to make the plan appeal-proof.
The Design Review Board has requested a joint workshop with the Planning Commission. Several commissioners expressed support for holding one.

Ordinance 2026-15 – BIMC Updates for State Land Use Law

The commission discussed Ordinance 2026-15, which updates the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code for consistency with state land use law. Terrell said the changes are required by state law and include four exhibits.
Exhibit A addresses permit-processing time frames. Exhibits B and C allow conversion of existing commercial buildings in residential zones into dwelling units with minimal local requirements, including no parking or impact fee requirements, provided building code is met. Exhibit C also updates the definition of wetland to match the state. Exhibit D changes the definition of family to any group of people living together in one unit, without requiring a familial relationship.
Terrell said similar state rules for child care centers will be brought forward later; they are not due until 2027 and were intentionally left out to keep this ordinance focused.
Commissioner Alex Brudholm asked whether the text was essentially state-provided language being inserted into city code; Terrell confirmed it was and said state reviewers will want to see it reflected.
Commissioner Sarah Blossom asked about the interaction between the conversion rules and ground-floor retail requirements in the Winslow Way Overlay District and the Neighborhood Commercial district. Terrell said she would check the relevant code section and follow up before the first reading.
A commissioner asked why estuaries were removed from the wetland definitions. Terrell responded that the state redefined wetlands and that estuaries are likely covered by the Shoreline Master Program.

Key Outcomes

The commission voted unanimously to schedule Ordinance 2026-15 for a public hearing on October 22, 2026. Commissioner Alex Brudholm made the motion; Commissioner Sarah Blossom seconded it.
The commission indicated interest in scheduling a joint workshop with the Design Review Board.
The first reading of the final draft comprehensive plan and Winslow Sub-area Plan is scheduled for November 9, 2026, with adoption targeted for December 8, 2026.
The meeting adjourned at 6:36 PM.

Meeting Transcript

All right, I'm gonna call the order the planning commission regular meeting uh for Thursday, October 8th, 2026. Uh the commissioners present are Alex Brudholm, Sarah Blossom, John Sandage, Chris Garcia, and we have both of our council liaison, Ashley Matthews and Laura Lant in the audience. I start with the land acknowledgement. We'd 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 the Washington's Central Salish Sea, as they have for thousands of years. Here the Sequamers live and protect the land and waters of their ancestors for future generations, as promised by the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855. All right. Item two on our agenda, approval of the agenda. Move to approve the agenda as presented. We have a motion and a second. Blossom Bruno, uh, to approve the agenda. Any discussion? Seeing none, um all those in favor of the approving the agenda, say aye. Any opposed? Say nay, seeing none, it is approved unanimously. And uh conflicts of interests. Any conflicts of interest to disclose this evening? Matters before us, uh none are stated. Item three, the planning commission meeting minutes from September twenty-fourth, I want to say. Yep. I move to approve the minutes from September twenty-fourth, twenty twenty-six as presented. Second. Motion and a second, same motioner and seconder as our agenda. Uh any discussion or corrections to the minutes as presented. All those in favor of approving the minutes from September 24th, say aye. Aye. All those opposed saying none. The minutes are approved unanimously. All right. So public comment item four on our agenda. Do we have anyone online? We have no one in the audience, so with uh everyone's permission, we'll skip the the reading of the declaration and move to item five, planning director's report. Uh we do have interim planning director Emily Terrell here uh via Zoom or its uh equivalent. Emily, do you have a planning report? You are on mute if you do. I do have a report to put up, although now I have just lost the thing because I uh had to go to the zoom. Okay. So I have uh two items which I've been on my post to you so I don't forget. The first one is long, but I think it will um interest to the planning commission, so I want to give it to you. Uh next week we have updates to the council on progress for the comprehensive plan, the Winslow sub-area plan, the environmental review, and all the associated development ordinance regulations type stuff. So that will look mighty familiar by the end of this meeting because that's one of the things that we are going to talk about.

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