Stop Bond ReZone News Blog

Executive Summary for the “Year of the Rural”, there is some good information- especially the consolidated public comment from the Comp Plan work last year. 
Executive Summary for the “Year of the Rural”

Letter submitted to Kingston Community News to counter previously published Rotary articles about the Raydient Rezone. It was refused by Kingston Community News.

My Take
Twice now I have read here comments that would like to invite comparison of the plan to site a sports complex on Pope (now Rayonier) land .. . with the popular Village Green project in Kingston.
Having lived in Kingston for 40 years and been involved in the evolution of the VG, I would like to object to this comparison and point out how these are two very different animals. To review ... the need for a new community center was an issue 35 years ago when several Kingston visionaries began looking at the prime parcel downtown that had been acquired by the federal government during the cold war era and used for military housing .. . and which was becoming obsolete 35 years ago. Volunteers (and yes, some of the same folks now trying to find a place for more athletic fields) worked with the powers that be to get the land "surplussed" so the county could purchase and then community volunteers went to work first developing the park, then the senior housing and finally fund raising over a number of years to build the facility for the library, Boys & Girls Club and the community center. This has been a wildly inspiring story that still continues today.
Now contrast the proposal to build new recreational facilities by obtaining land from a private corporation with a long history of extracting wealth from North Kitsap. By definition it needs to make a profit. It can't make this contribution without finding a way to also extract more profit from the land ... hence the re-zone.
There is a troubling history associated with this land and its corporate owners. First, Pope and Talbot extracted millions over about 150 years on land that was obtained unjustly. They took timber and when that was exhausted they turned to land development and sales. New owners whose headquarters and most shareholders reside out of state continue the same philosophy of extracting profit from the land.
If the arc of history truly bends toward justice then Pope (now Rayonier) would explore ways to divest themselves from the business of profiteering off land with a painful past. We need to ask "How much is enough taking?" How much of the wealth has gone toward the public good or reparations to the indigenous peoples? Couldn't the land be turned over to some public/private coalition to manage the land in the interest of all residents (including animals, trees and fish).
The good folks trying to locate new sports fields need to find a different site or convince Rayonier to make a more forward thinking offer to benefit future generations.
Alan Chessman Kingston (former board member Village Green Foundation)

Tuesday, APRIL 8th is an IMPORTANT DATE! Put it on your calendar-

Board of Commissioners Meeting and Public Hearing about the Comprehensive Plan, 5:30 on Zoom, or in person in Port Orchard.

This is when the Commissioners will make the decision about zoning, including the Bond Road Rezone . 

Public Comments will be taken, 3 minutes each. 

More info to come but please save the date! 

It would be great to have a strong showing of people making public comment. Zoom makes it easy ! 

You can also send in a written comment for the hearing, even if you commented earlier.

Upcoming important date to make public comment about the Comprehensive plan and the Raydient rezoning proposal. 

The County Planning Commission will be making recommendations to the Commissioners about the Comprehensive plan, 

and there is a hearing scheduled on Tuesday March 5^th at 5:30. Public comment will be part of the hearing. 

-The Board of County Commissioners have the final decision ( April 8^th). but this Planning Commission recommendation is important as well. 

-You may want to think about saying something about overall preservation of Kitsap’s remaining forestlands, as there are other rezoning requests in the comprehensive plan similar to Raydient’s such as the Island Lake proposed development in Silverdale. 

You can attend by Zoom and make a three-minute comment at the hearing. 

Public comment by Zoom is easy to do and very effective, well worth the time. 

https://www.kitsap.gov/dcd/Pages/PlanningCommission.aspx

Here is the agenda for the meeting on March 5^th.

Thanks everyone! It takes us all to protect Kitsap’s natural environment. 

Beth Nichols 

Here are stories of other communities like ours, who experienced Raydient leading development, often leaving the taxpayer community stuck with expenses. Raydient is using the same playbook with us.

We can say no to what they are offering!

“Contrary to the usual way of doing things, it didn’t just start with houses. Gig Harbor North began with neighborhoods. “We brought in the YMCA, partnered with the school district, and built two parks,” says Raydient Places + Properties Vice President Jon Rose. “

https://www.gigharborlivinglocal.com/post/gig-harbor-north

 https://www.gigharborwa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3012/Amendment-to-Settlement-Agreement-with-OPG?fbclid=IwAR08pbsq1ZLqmWnsEL5DtrBEA8uxNJs97k3gJeHzaiLoLUF8T1Lv2mupfrw

And in this community, Raydient partnered with a healthcare non-profit to grease the wheel for getting their development approved. Raydient said “The trick is to do this on the front end of the development.”

St. Joseph's/Candler partners with Raydient for 27-acre campus in Heartwood at Richmond Hill

https://news.yahoo.com/st-josephs-candler-partners...

“Judge denies motion to dismiss lawsuit filed by Wildlight developer against Nassau County Dispute is over who will pay for park construction and maintenance.”

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/.../judge-denies-motion.../

And Nassau County, FL fought Raydient unsuccessfully for years.

Nassau County taxpayers stuck with bill for lengthy legal battle between county and Raydient – Action News Jax

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/.../A4XJLFLQBRAFBCTDNZE7SS.../

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/.../A4XJLFLQBRAFBCTDNZE.../...

St. Mary’s, GA - another community where Raydient got a rezone on forest land and taxpayers are on the hook for $millions in roadway improvements to support Raydient’s development.

https://cms3.revize.com/.../Public%20Information...

“The city, county, Raydient and buyers who purchase homes in the development will be responsible for funding new roads or improvements to them. Cunningham said Greater Ogeechee Parkway will be expanded.”

https://www.savannahnow.com/.../richmond-hill.../7703006001/

“Be that as it may, we disagree with the manner in which the fees were calculated and have turned to the court system to help settle the disagreement” said Jon Rose.

https://amp.thenewstribune.com/.../article224544110.html

The city of Poulsbo website has a very good recap of the PERC. https://cityofpoulsbo.com/perc-updated/ . We expect to be building the first phase in the fall of 2025 or spring of 2026. Phase 1 is funded (or will be funded with the passage of the Public Facility District agreement at the end of February- next month). The matching portion required by the Public Facility District is included in the city of Poulsbo budget. Phase 1 includes 2 tournament fields, numerous sports courts, walking pathways and a splash pad. All these facilities will be open to the public. I would also hope we will have Phase 2 and 3 completed before 2030-2032. Phase 2 is the YMCA structure and Phase 3 is an outdoor recreational pool. The YMCA structure is very important as Olympic College moves forward with their Allied Health Center for training medical professionals. The YMCA will be similar to the YMCA at the Tacoma campus of the University of Washington. We have toured the Tacoma YMCA twice and learned a lot from our tours. It will be for students and the public, including childcare facilities for the campus (or this is my initial expectation) and potentially operated by the Poulsbo Parks and Recreational Department. Phase 3 is an outdoor recreational pool. An outdoor pool is much less expensive to operate, and as our climate changes, will be a welcome addition to our summertime heat. There is not another facility like this in the county.

The important point of the PERC- we are very close to complete funding for Phase 1. We have a initial plan and timeline for Phase 2 (the YMCA structure) and Phase 3 (the outdoor pool). All these phases should be completed in the next 7-8 years. The infrastructure is in (roads, water, sewer), it will be surrounded by the colleges (OC and Western), restaurants, hotels, and multi-family residential, connected to large, concentrated neighborhoods who can access the facilities through walking pathways. There is land available at the Olhava location, to construct the entire project.  My expectation is Phase 2 and Phase 3 will be paid for by voted debt, grants, and partnership funding. It is the only way something of this scale can be paid for by local government, by forming partnerships and seeking several revenue sources. Funding is the key factor on when and how Phase 2 and Phase 3 will be constructed.

We have been working on this type of facility since 2006 (then called the North Kitsap Regional Event Center- see attached photo). It’s been a very long time. Our greater community, all Kitsap, deserves this type of facility. It is the right facility located in the right place. It is time to build it.

Rebecca (Becky) Erickson 

Mayor, City of Poulsbo 

200 Moe Street 

Poulsbo, WA 98370 

360-394-9700 

President- Puget Sound Regional Council, Boardmember- Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council, Kitsap Economic Development Alliance, Kitsap Transit, Housing Kitsap 

Open office hours, Saturday mornings, 9:00 to noon, City Hall, no appointment required.