City Manager Morgan Smith is out of the office.

The Kitsap Public Health District received notification yesterday morning (Thursday, May 28) that Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman approved Kitsap County’s request for a variance to move from Phase 1 to Phase 2 under the state’s Safe Start plan for COVID-19 recovery.

Approval is effective immediately, meaning Kitsap County is now in Phase 2.

Washington’s Safe Start plan outlines a four-phase approach to gradually resuming business and social activities that have been restricted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Phase 2 of the plan allows some new business sectors and activities to resume, with limitations and safety measures in place.

Businesses and activities authorized under Phase 2 include (full list here ):

Per the Secretary of Health's approval letter, "an individual business is only allowed to reopen after it can implement the state guidelines for a safe start."

Guidance for businesses and additional resources can be found in the Kitsap County Pathway to Recovery Playbook at the Kitsap County Coronavirus Resources and Information page and on the governor’s Safe Start page.

Read the full Kitsap Public Health District update here.

The City has reopened its dock to recreational guest moorage, including overnight stays, as part of Kitsap County’s transition into Phase 2 of the Safe Start plan for COVID-19 recovery. 

What guests need to know:

All City dock visitors are urged to follow public health guidance, which includes wearing a face covering and maintaining six feet of distance from others in public 

whenever possible. 

The launch ramp and boat trailer parking at Waterfront Park reopened May 5.

Information on the Waterfront Park & City dock, located at 301 Shannon Drive SE, can be found here.

Please visit the City's COVID-19 page for the latest updates on the City's response and status of City operations.

The City Council plans to formally approve the creation of an Economic Recovery Ad Hoc Committee to support an economic recovery plan for Bainbridge Island due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ad hoc committee will consist of Mayor Leslie Schneider (a small business owner) and Councilmembers Joe Deets and Kol Medina. The group will work with the business community to identify ways to help the business community recover from the economic losses suffered throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I believe it’s imperative that we, as a City, do what we can do to roll up our sleeves and provide some plans to help our businesses recover…,” said Councilmember Deets who proposed the idea to form a committee during the May 26 Council meeting.

The City Council is expected to consider formal approval of the committee during its June 9 meeting. Watch the May 26 discussion here.

The City Council has declared the month of June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Pride Month with an annual proclamation.

The proclamation is a way for the City to commemorate the Stonewall events that happened in June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBTQ Americans.

In previous years, Bainbridge Pride has organized a large festival at Waterfront Park to celebrate Pride Month and the LGBTQ community, but it was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I'm just so sad that we're not going to have this pride celebration this (year). I went last year and it was just so much fun. The spirit was amazing," said Mayor Leslie Schneider after reading the proclamation during the May 26 City Council meeting. "I will miss it."

The City Council will hold a public hearing June 9 to consider extending the Landmark Tree Ordinance (LTO) for six months. The LTO, set to expire June 26, has been in effect since June 26, 2018, and the extension is proposed until Dec. 26, 2020. The six-month extension will allow staff time to work on code revisions that were delayed due to COVID-19.

Currently, the landmark tree regulations apply only to the Winslow Master Plan Study Area (WMPSA), which includes the downtown core and nearby residential areas. The Council narrowed the ordinance in June 2019 to apply only in the WMPSA in response to public comment from property owners and Puget Sound Energy about the difficulty meeting the requirements of the regulations. Overall, the WMPSA is more urbanized and less forested than the rest of the island.

The Council adopted the regulations in 2018 to protect landmark trees after hearing from concerned residents about the loss of landmark trees on Bainbridge Island due to land clearing and development activities. The ordinance designates landmark trees based on size and species, requires a permit to remove any landmark tree, and imposes fines if a landmark tree is removed without a permit.

The ordinance only allows the removal of a landmark tree in limited circumstances --- if the tree is dead or hazardous, if removal is necessary to maintain utilities, or to allow construction when there's no feasible alternative.

Applicants whose landmark tree permits are approved for removal will be required to replant trees and possibly pay a fee to the City's tree fund.

Learn more here.

Below are the topics to be discussed during the June 2 meeting.

If you would like to receive the City Council agenda by email when it's published, click  here to sign up on the Council Agendas webpage.

The meetings are live-streamed on the City website. Visit the Agendas & Minutes section, then click on "In Progress" when the meeting starts. You can also watch the meetings on BKAT (Ch. 12 on Comcast & Ch. 3 on WAVE).

Climate Change Advisory Committee (CCAC) Co-Chair Mike Cox delivered a briefing on the goals and strategies of the draft Climate Action Plan (CAP) to the City Council at the May 26 business meeting.

The CAP provides specific goals and approaches to guide the City as it works towards the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions on the island in 2045 by 90% as compared to 2014 levels. The briefing stepped through six focus areas related to climate change, with specific goals and identified strategies for each. The Council approved the goals and strategies by motion.

Next steps will include the finalization of the draft CAP by the CCAC, likely in June. When the draft is final, City staff will review the draft document and provide feedback about the cost, code and other implications of the implementation of the plan. The CCAC and staff can then review the plan together and provide a final draft to Council. Delivery of the final draft is expected later in 2020.

Watch the May 26 presentation here.

Please see the message below from the Bainbridge Island Fire Department regarding its improved fire protection classification rating. 

The Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau (WSRB) notified the Bainbridge Island Fire Department that the Fire Protection Class rating for Bainbridge Island has improved from a Class 5 to a Class 4, effective June 1, 2020. Fire Protection Class ratings are used by insurance companies to help determine fire insurance premiums for properties. This improved rating is great news for our community, as it may reduce insurance rates for businesses and homeowners. It is recommended that parties contact their insurance company to determine the effect of this new protection classification and the potential impact on their insurance premiums.

The WSRB determines the Protection Class of communities and fire protection districts by evaluating their fire protection and suppression capabilities using a schedule approved by the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

“The Bainbridge Island Fire Department has significantly improved its Fire Protection Class ratings over the last thirteen years from a Fire Protection Class 7 to a Class 4. Thanks to the community’s support, the Bainbridge Island Fire Department has made significant improvements to enhance staffing, facilities, operations, training, and fire prevention programs. The Department is pleased to announce that Island residents and business owners may benefit from our new rating classification," said Fire Chief Hank Teran.