Community Comments

"How about this: Overall we are asking that the Board of County Commissioners hold the line on any rezonings that would create more density in rural areas. No rezoning of the Raydient property is consistent with the requests of the Pt. Gamble S’Klallam and Suquamish sovereign nations that are near this land. We can summarize from the many previous messages a list of basic reasons that this is better for the overall health of the land and people.

Let’s go beyond this and create an image of a different vision of that land instead of a sports complex and the opening for continually expanding commercial development and denser housing. 

Can we create a positive vision of what Raydient can do with the zoning they have that are related to natural resources. In this case Raydient (or previous owners) has had many benefits from their current zoning. If they are leaving, they have the right to sell their land in 20 acre parcels. Those 20 acre parcels could be of benefit to the well-being of the county if they are marketed to people who are willing to protect the land and/or in some way use it for rejuvenation of nature that has been degraded through the clearcutting timber practice. 

What if those parcels were sold to people who would restore the land in a way that it can be used for agriculture, certain types of small scale farming, etc.? What about agroforestry? What about someone or several people buying adjacent lots, positioning their houses for minimal environmental impact and putting the rest of their acreage in a conservation easement? 

Can we think of more such ideas to generate a competing image of what the property can be that would help turn the curve toward protecting our planet? We could call on the national commitment of moving us toward the 30 x 30 goal (30% of the earth’s surface left to our wild cousins by 2030) and other commitments toward rejuvenation of nature, toward creating “net ecological gain” from our practices. We need public messages that creates a vision for the property than can compete with the sports complex around which we can create public enthusiasm and support. Maybe included in there is some land purchases that can be some type of recreational space that a new generation of youth want that restores health, well-being and different ways of thinking about recreation. Anyway, do you think we could do something with this?

Thanks for all the work to stop unhealthy rezoning."

By Beverly Parsons

"Jon Rose has said that Raydient doesn’t need the rezone to profitably develop the land, and that the zoning allows recreation. At the last public meeting, when I asked why, then, do they need the rezone, no one gave us a clear answer. This leads to me to assume that, 

1.     Raydient is not content with the profits they can make under the current rules that everyone else must play by. 

2.     The backers want commercial development. (By the way, I find the proposition that they need this for the convenience of families using the sports complex preposterous – a concession stand benefitting the sports teams could do that.)

In effect, they aren’t just asking to quadruple the number of houses, they are requesting carte blanche for as-yet-undefined commercial development and an equally undefined sports complex, both of which would drastically alter the character of a large portion of rural, natural North Kitsap County, and which are in direct opposition to the letter and intent of the comprehensive plan. 

What worries us most, though, is that it won’t stop there. Once there’s a concentrated residential development, commercial development, and a major sports complex, the rezoned plot will become a magnet, attracting more development. And once the county has allowed one rezone – and changed the character of the area – it will be very difficult to say no to the next request, and the one after, and one after, until Bond Road and its tributaries are developed to the edge of the county. 

In short, the question is not about rezoning this one parcel. The question is: Do we want a county comprised of diverse land uses as provided for in the comprehensive plan, or do we want to turn all North Kitsap into housing tracts and shopping centers? And that is something that affects the whole county."

By Joseph Forsthoffer