Volume 2: Draft Gorst Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement

GORST PLANNED ACTION EIS | ALTERNATIVES• Scoping comment period and workshop. Public and agency comment was solicited by the City of Bremertonas lead agency in a 21-day written scoping period from October 15 to November 5, 2012. Scoping notices anda meeting announcement were sent by mail to each property owner in the Gorst UGA, and to a list of federal,state, and local agencies and tribes. The City of Bremerton and Kitsap County also sent these documents byemail to lists of persons interested in planning issues in the City of Bremerton and Kitsap County. The scopingnotice was published in the Kitsap Sun on October 15, 2012 to notify any other persons having an interest inthe project. The City of Bremerton, in coordination with the Kitsap County, also held a public meeting onOctober 29, 2012 to ask about the vision for Gorst and about the EIS scope. A table exercise askingparticipants to identify Gorst’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) was conducted. Ascoping summary is provided in Appendix A Scoping Summary.• Preliminary alternatives workshop. At a February 12, 2013 workshop, the City of Bremerton and KitsapCounty asked public input about preliminary land use alternatives that should be evaluated in a Draft SubareaPlan and EIS. A postcard meeting announcement was sent by mail to each property owner in the Gorst UGA. Aflier was emailed to persons who had participated in prior Gorst scoping events in fall 2012, and also topersons indicating a general interest in Kitsap County and City of Bremerton planning efforts. An article waspublished in the Kitsap Sun on February 7, 2013. As a result of the public workshop input, the preliminaryalternatives were modified for analysis, including further emphasizing mixed uses in Alternative 3, furtherextending low density residential along Gorst Creek in both Alternatives 2 and 3, and recognizing additionalKitsap County-owned property as open space/recreation on the north side of Sinclair Inlet in both Alternatives2 and 3.• Legislative meetings. On February 19, 2013, the Bremerton Planning Commission and Kitsap County PlanningCommission met separately at their regular meetings to review the preliminary alternatives. AdditionalPlanning Commission, City of Bremerton Council, and Kitsap County BOCC meetings are planned later in theprocess to help identify a preferred alternative, refine and deliberate on the framework and subarea plans,and consider a planned action ordinance. A project schedule is available at http://www.gorstwatershed.com/.• Draft EIS Comment Period. This Draft EIS allows for a 45-day public comment period (see Fact Sheet) duringwhich time the City of Bremerton will accept written comments regarding the alternatives and environmentalimpacts and mitigation measures. The City of Bremerton will issue a Final EIS providing responses tocomments and may address a Preferred Alternative. The Preferred Alternative may include elements from oneor more alternative studied in this Draft EIS.Draft | June 2013 2-9