Volume 2: Draft Gorst Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement

2.0 ALTERNATIVES2.1 IntroductionThe City of Bremerton, in partnership with Kitsap County and other state, federal, and tribal agencies, is planningthe future of the Gorst Creek Watershed and Gorst UGA. These coordinated efforts are intended to:• Make Gorst a place where people want to live, shop and recreate,• Protect water quality, habitat and fish while fostering economic development,• Identify areas for development, restoration and protection based on science,• Adopt a land use plan for Gorst, and• Implement a long-range capital improvement plan to provide for future utility services, public services andtransportation needs.Products of the planning effort to date include a Draft Gorst Creek Watershed Characterization & Framework Planfor the 6,000-acre watershed as a whole and a Draft Gorst Subarea Plan for the 335-acre Gorst UGA. This Draft EISevaluates possible environmental impacts of the draft plans and alternatives. In addition to these plans anddevelopment regulations, the City of Bremerton and Kitsap County are considering designating a planned actionfor some or all of the Gorst UGA. A planned action provides more detailed environmental analysis during an areawideplanning stage rather than at the project permit review stage. Designating a planned action streamlinesenvironmental review for development proposals consistent with EIS mitigation measures that are adopted in aplanned action ordinance.To illustrate a range of possible futures in Gorst, the following alternatives are evaluated in the Draft GorstSubarea Plan and this Draft EIS:• Alternative 1 (No Action) – Gorst is a relatively small highway-oriented commercial and industrial center• Alternative 2 – Gorst is a well-designed regional commercial center• Alternative 3 – Gorst becomes a complete communityAlternative 1 is a required alternative under the SEPA. It represents a continuation of the current ComprehensivePlan and regulations. Action alternatives represent a range of land use, growth, policies, and regulations and weredeveloped as part of a public outreach process. These alternatives are discussed more fully in this Chapter.2.2 BackgroundStudy AreaThe Gorst Creek Watershed (Figure 2-1 Gorst Creek Watershed Aerial) and Gorst UGA (Figure 2-2 Gorst UGA)together comprise the study area, and encompass over 6,000 acres in the southwestern portion of Kitsap County.• About 3,597 acres comprise Bremerton city limits.• The unincorporated Gorst UGA is approximately 335 gross acres in area (about half of which are in thewatershed).• Approximately 178 acres are in the McCormick Woods area of the City of Port Orchard.• The balance of the watershed, about 1,941 acres, consists of rural unincorporated land.Draft | June 2013 2-1