Volume 2: Draft Gorst Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement

GORST PLANNED ACTION EIS | ALTERNATIVES2.5 Study AlternativesThis Draft EIS evaluates three alternatives that set a range of land use patterns and mix of residential andemployment growth:• Alternative 1 – Gorst is a relatively small highway-oriented commercial and industrial center. This is a SEPArequiredalternative. It represents No Action and continuing with the current Comprehensive Plan.• Alternative 2 – Gorst is a well-designed regional commercial center.• Alternative 3 - Gorst becomes a complete community.Each alternative proposes a different mix of land use, growth, policies, and regulations described below.Alternative 1 – No Action, Current Plan: Gorst is a relatively small highway-orientedcommercial and industrial centerThe No Action Alternative would retain current Kitsap County and City of Bremerton Comprehensive Plans. TheWatershed Characterization & Framework Plan would not be adopted. New LID and stormwater standards wouldnot be adopted throughout the watershed; however, portions of the watershed would continue to be subject toNPDES standards that are intended to reduce water quality impacts and promote improved stormwatermanagement.Reflecting the current Comprehensive Plan vision for the Gorst UGA, Gorst would be a relatively small highwayorientedcommercial and industrial center. Within the UGA, Alternative 1 would allow greater employment growthof 742 jobs and a smaller population growth of 82 persons over the next 20-30 years. No planned action ordinancewould be adopted.No new capital facility improvements, stormwater, or habitat regulations would be implemented beyond adoptedCapital Facility Plans.Alternative 2 – Gorst is a well-designed regional commercial centerUnder Alternative 2, the Watershed Characterization & Framework Plan would be adopted. While rural land useand zoning would be retained, amended LID and stormwater standards would be applied throughout thewatershed.Under Alternative 2, the Gorst UGA is envisioned as a regional commercial corridor along the waterfront providinglocations for the Bremerton community and Kitsap County residents to shop. Gateway and boulevard treatments,shoreline access, green infrastructure, and habitat BMPs provide for a more well designed sustainabledevelopment pattern. More medium density clustered residential development would occur in the northwestportion of the UGA, and infill single-family residential development would occur in the western portion of the UGA.Alternative 2 would allow a moderate increase in employment of 606 jobs and a more substantial increase inresidents of 985 persons. A Planned Action would be designated for most of the UGA except waterward of SR 16and SR 3, along Sinclair Inlet.Capital facility improvements and amended stormwater and habitat regulations would be implemented.Alternative 3 - Gorst becomes a complete communityUnder Alternative 3, the Watershed Characterization & Framework Plan would be adopted along with LID andstormwater standards throughout the watershed. Under Alternative 3, the Gorst UGA would be guided by aSubarea Plan intended to ensure Gorst evolves into a complete community with places to live, play, shop, andwork, in a waterfront setting. Mixed uses would be predominate. Along the waterfront a lower intensitycommercial land use pattern develops with smaller impervious footprints interspersed by trails, parks, andreclaimed shoreline habitat. Central Gorst allows more intensive regional commercial, office, hotel, and mixed useDraft | June 2013 2-11