Dear Bainbridge Islanders,
I hope you are all recovering from the significant impacts of our winter storms and power outages. I want to share my sincere appreciation for the extra effort provided by City staff over the past two weeks, in particular the Public Works O&M team and our Police Department. We activated the City's Emergency Operations Center twice, which allowed Public Works, Police, BIFD and other key partners to coordinate our response. The City's new Emergency Management Coordinator, Anne LeSage, was instrumental in leading our communications and connecting with Kitsap County resources.
I know that many island neighbors reached out to help one other and to share information. This element of street-level cooperation is fundamental to our community resiliency. Thanks to everyone for doing your part to make the best of a very challenging week.
This week at the City Council meeting, I shared two important reports about the City's workplan priorities. First, the report on
2018 Workplan Results provided year-end status on our key projects and initiatives from last year. You'll see that we continued to demonstrate significant progress on priority tasks, many of which were related to land use initiatives and capital plans. Looking ahead for 2019, the City will continue to emphasize implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, plan for a replacement for the Police and Court facilities, and launch a range of new communications initiatives. A list of our 2019 priority initiatives can be found in the report on
2019 Workplan Priorities.
Our first new communication tool will be a monthly publication of important City news, which we will mail to all Island households. We hope this will help more island residents learn about where and how they can get involved with City projects and initiatives. While we are launching this monthly communication, the City will continue to expand our use of online communication tools and will also make ongoing improvements to our City website. If you'd like to help us choose a name for our monthly mailer, please see below for information on how to submit your ideas.
Best wishes,
Morgan Smith
City Manager
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Waterfront Bridge Upgrades Complete
If you've walked near Waterfront Park this week, you might have noticed that the Waterfront Bridge is now open -- and looks great!
Crews replaced the
deteriorated wood decking and guardrails with fiberglass reinforced plastic components that are durable in the marine environment, provide a smoother surface with better traction, and bring the bridge into compliance with current building codes. The contractor also cleaned and preserved the wood structure below.
"This is a major improvement to a heavily used segment of the Waterfront Trail, linking the ferry terminal with Waterfront Park," said Public Works Project Manager Mark Epstein.
New
light fixtures on the bridge and along the trail will be installed at the end of the month.
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Join the Discussion: What says Bainbridge Island?
Do you have any examples of development that you think are representative of what Bainbridge Island should strive for? Please take a minute to let us know by uploading a photo in an online survey. Examples may show site design, buildings, sustainable design elements, pedestrian design, landscape and other features. The images submitted will be compiled into an image book.
The survey is part of the City's Design Guidelines Update project.
Learn more
here
.
Questions? Please contact Senior Planner Christy Carr at 206.780.3719 or [email protected].
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Reminder: Delays Expected when Agate Pass Bridge Work Begins Next Week
WSDOT crews will begin daytime work on the Agate Pass Bridge Tuesday, Feb. 19 and drivers should expect delays of 30 minutes or longer.
During the work, which is expected to last through Friday, March 1, the SR 305 Agate Pass Bridge will be reduced to one alternating lane of traffic at the following times:
- 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays
- 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 23-24 (Chilly Hilly is Sunday, Feb. 24)
During those times, WSDOT crews will be doing an in-depth bridge inspection. This regular checkup helps identify potential maintenance needs early.
For advance information about roadwork on state highways in Kitsap County, please check the WSDOT construction updates
here.
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Council Seeking More Information on Options for Open Water Marina
The City Council is continuing its consideration of options to increase the capacity for residential vessels i
n the Dave Ullin Open Water Marina (DUOWM) from the current 11 to 16.
The
Marine Access Committee (MAC) presented a recommendation to Council earlier this month, but the Council decided this week it would like more time to consider how to achieve a layout that can address the needs of both the liveaboard community and recreational rowers. The Council requested for the next discussion at the Feb. 26 meeting, City staff provide additional information about privately-owned buoys that are located near the southern boundary of the DUOWM. The Council hopes to better understand how the presence of private buoys in this area might be adjusted to allow a better "fairway" through this section of Eagle Harbor.
In 2018, the City Council voted to provide funding to expand the number of moorage sites in the DUOWM to 16, as allowed under the terms of the City's lease with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. The Council directed the MAC to make a recommendation on the placement of the 16 residential buoys.
You can learn more about the MAC recommendation
here. Watch t
he Feb. 12 City Council discussion here.
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Get Involved:
Association of Bainbridge Communities Environmental Conference
Several City staff will be participating in the Association of Bainbridge Communities (ABC) Environmental Conference at Islandwood.
This year's topic: Wells to Whales: Protecting our Waters.
The Sunday, March 10 conference will explore issues of sustainability of water quality and quantity and examine the science, impact and infrastructure in local and global systems. Resident experts will lead breakout groups so you can choose to deep-dive on topics that interest you most.
As part of the event, conference participants will also have the opportunity on Saturday, March 9 to tour the City's wastewater treatment plant, walk the stormwater and stream system of Lynwood Center, and/or walk to learn more about the stormwater outfall in Winslow.
Read more about the conference
here
.
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Bainbridge Island Featured in Where to Retire Magazine
It's likely no surprise to those of us who live here, but Bainbridge Island was selected as a top retirement destination by Where to Retire, a magazine geared toward helping people with retirement relocation decisions.
Bainbridge Island is profiled in a feature titled "8 Cities on (or Near) the Beach" in the March/April 2019 issue.
"These eight cities beckon retirees with sunny shores, water vistas and plenty of aquatic activities," said
Where to Retire
Editor Annette Fuller. "Bainbridge Island retirees sail on Puget Sound's calm waters and hunt for clams along the shore.The town boasts an impressive number of art outlets for a community of its size, too."
The other cities that made the list include: Carlsbad, CA; Florence, OR; Hudson, FL; Orange Beach, AL; Picayune, MS; Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; and Washington, NC.
The Where to Retire issue is available now nationwide.
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We Need Your Help: Name the Newsletter
We're looking for a name for a printed newsletter - and we need your help! We'd love to hear your suggestions. We'd like a name that is catchy, energetic, and reflects the Island character.
Submit your ideas by sending an email to Communications Coordinator Kristen Drew: [email protected]
Thank you in advance for your ideas!
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Upcoming Events
- Monday, Feb. 18: City Hall Closed in Observance of Presidents Day
- Tuesday, Feb. 19: City Council Study Session; 6 p.m.
- Sunday, Feb. 24: Chilly Hilly; 8 a.m.
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