Volume 2: Draft Gorst Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement

GORST PLANNED ACTION EIS | AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT, SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION MEASURES• In Kitsap, urban communities are closely linked to water and natural amenities and provide openspace links to the natural environment.oThe role of Kitsap County in the countywide growth pattern is to:• Keep regional vision in mind when making local decisions.• Promote stewardship of unincorporated urban areas and promote annexation into cities orincorporation.• Maintain/enhance natural systems and rural character.• Include a variety of low density rural communities, densities, and uses.• UGAs. Includes the outline of the land capacity analysis program, which serves as the basis for UGA expansion,establishes policies on population increments, and establishes process and criteria for expanding and adjustingUGAs. These criteria include:oooooooooUGAs are areas “within which urban growth shall be encouraged”Unincorporated UGAs shall be associated with an existing or future city.All UGAs shall be reflected in County and respective city comprehensive plans.Sufficient area must be included in the UGAs to accommodate the adopted 20-year populationdistribution as adopted by the KRCC and consistent with OFM projections.A jurisdiction may focus public and/or private investment where growth is desired and can phase utilities.Any jurisdiction seeking to expand its UGA shall achieve densities consistent with the GMA and the City ofBremerton’s adopted Comprehensive Plan and any interlocal agreement between the City of Bremertonand the County.If an adopted or proposed 20-year projected population distribution requires expansion of its UGA, therespective jurisdiction shall conduct planning and analysis, including a land capacity analysis, assessmentof present zoning; consideration of reasonable measures; and ability to provide services.A jurisdiction, as part of its Comprehensive Plan amendment or sub-area plan process that proposes anexpansion of the UGA, shall prepare or update a comparison of potential areas for expansion.Early and continuous public involvement must be carried out when establishing, expanding, or adjustingUGAs.• Centers for Growth. Identifies a hierarchy of areas of the county within which population and employmentshould be concentrated consistent with VISION 2040.• Rural Land Uses and Development Patterns. Seeks to preserve and enhance the rural character of areasoutside of the UGAs, by protecting the natural environment, open space and recreation, scenic and historicareas, and supporting small scale farming, low density residential living and cluster development at anappropriate scale, and with appropriate rural levels of service.• Countywide Strategies for Open Space Preservation, Resource Protection and Critical Areas, Air Quality, andWater Quality/Quantity. Defines these areas and establishes the importance of maintaining, protecting andenhancing these areas.Draft | June 2013 3-244