Chapter 2 - Land Use - FINAL 20141218Chapter 2. Land Use
2.1 Introduction
The Land Use element represents the nexus of the Comprehensive Plan, where land use goals, policies,
map designations, and decisions are created to connect and incorporate all other elements through a
future -looking lens as Port Orchard continues to develop. The purpose of this section is to provide a
framework to guide future land use to help Port Orchard grow in an orderly, rational, and efficient way
and help the community realize its potential during the 20-year planning horizon. The goals and policies
contained herein recognize that effectively planning for growth can result in lower taxes and fees to
fund and maintain infrastructure and services as unplanned growth can reduce efficiency and increase
the cost of utilities, roads, and other services, as well as consume valuable open space.
The Growth Management Act (GMA) requires Comprehensive Plans to contain land use elements that
describe the proposed distribution, location, and extent of land uses. Once adopted, land use goals and
policies will be functionally implemented through Port Orchard's development regulations. The Land
Use element must plan for the City's population and employment growth projections in accordance with
GMA requirements while balancing new development needs with the community's aspirations and
values.
2.2 Key Issues and Concepts
As a community, Port Orchard is growing due to a healthy birth rate, immigration, and annexation. This
plan accommodates Port Orchard's 2044 population and employment growth allocations, as distributed
through the VISION 2050 framework and agreed upon in coordination with other Kitsap County
jurisdictions in the Countywide Planning Policies. Port Orchard's land use and zoning designations
currently provide sufficient land capacity within City boundaries to accommodate the targeted 10,500
additional residents who will make Port Orchard their home (during the 2020-2044 planning period). In
conjunction with the findings of the Buildable Lands Report, the Future Land Use Map shows how the
additional 3,552 projected and allocated residents in the adjacent Urban Growth Area can be
accommodated.
A common theme heard throughout the public engagement process for this Comprehensive Plan
Update has been focused on how to manage growth in a way that protects the small-town character of
the community while allowing for new and innovative development that responds to changing
household needs and growth pressures. Figure 2-1 below shows the changes in age brackets from 2010
to 2021, with a noted increase in the 35-54 age bracket (+4% since 2010). As Port Orchard's population
ages, the City needs the flexibility to adapt to the changing needs and desires of the various age groups
and their unique needs and desires from a land -use perspective.
Page 2 -1 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
Figure 2-1. Age Distribution Comparison
14%
18%
12%
13%
14%
2%
Port Orchard (2010) Port Orchard (2021) Kitsap County
Washington
65 and older
55 to 64
45 to 54
35 to 44
20 to 34
19 and younger
The Land Use Element establishes the broad, general direction for the City's land use policies. These land
use policies are established not only in accordance with the forward -looking population and
employment growth projections allocated to the City but are also responsive to the existing population
changes that the City has experienced since the last major Comprehensive Plan update. This element
provides the City's policy plan for growth over the next 20 years. It also implements many of the goals
and objectives in the other plan elements through suggested land use designations and other action
recommendations. The Land Use Element specifically considers the general distribution and location of
land uses and the appropriate intensity and density of land use designations to accommodate allocated
population and employment growth projections. The City's development regulations and permitting
processes are used to establish adequate development standards for growth, to ensure it occurs in a
manner consistent with both the provisions of GMA and the community's vision for the future. To
accomplish this, the Land Use element establishes goals and policies that seek to:
• Accommodate changes in population and demographics
• Encourage development in urban areas, reduce sprawl, and deliver services efficiently
• Ensure land use designations reflect need and demand
• Minimize traffic congestion and encourage the development of a multimodal
transportation system
• Protect open spaces and the natural environment
• Promote physical activity
• Support a range of employment opportunities
• Allow middle housing types in areas predominantly characterized by single family detached
housing.
Page 2-2 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
2.3 Land Use Designations
The City's Comprehensive Plan Land Use Element
identifies seven different land use designations, the
distribution for which are shown in Figure 2-2 and
mapped in Figure 2-3. These land use designations are
implemented through the City's zoning regulations
contained in the Port Orchard Municipal Code. As
shown in Table 2-1, each land use designation may
correspond to one or more zoning designations for
implementation. As the City develops subarea plans for
its designated centers as described in section 2.7, new
zones and standards consistent with this Plan will be
created. In doing so, the City will ensure that the land
capacity can accommodate the population and
employment growth allocations adopted in the
countywide planning policies and take reasonable
measures to ensure that they are not surpassed.
Figure 2-3. Port Orchard Future Land Use Map
Figure 2-2. Future Land Use Designation Distribution
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517 acres
PCs 9%
1,274 acres
23% LDR
858 acres
15%
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Page 2-3 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
Table 2-1. Port Orchard Zone and Land Use Descriptions
Protection of critical areas,
habitat management areas,
Greenbelt
greenbelts, and designated
open space.
Allows for low density
residential development.
Low Density Residential
Allows for single-family
detached housing.
R2 allows single-family
detached and attached, ADUs,
- . -
Medium Density
duplexes, cottage courts, and
Residential
Residential
townhouses.
R3 allows all of the above plus
fourplexes and apartment
buildings.
Allows for cottage courts,
Residential 4 JHigh
Density Residential
fourplexes, townhouses, and
apartment buildings.
Residential• Use
Neighborhood Mixed Use
MU — Business Professional Mixed Use
Allows for commercial uses,
Commercial Mixed
D. . -•
Commercial
retail, office, mixed -use
commercial/residential, and
Mixed
professional services.
Corridor
H — Commercial Heavy
AN
— Industrial Flex
Allows for manufacturing and
Industrialassembly,
Urban Industrial
bulk storage and
I — Heavy Industrial
warehousing, and transfer and
AMA
trucking services.
Allows for government
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IF
Public and Community
services, utilities, parks,
. Parks
Spaces
schools, and other related
— Public Facilities
public facilities.
Page 2-4 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
2.4 Zoning and Current Land Use Characteristics
Most land in the City is devoted to housing. Figure 2-4. Zoning Designation Distribution —September 2024
Commercial areas throughout the City offer E,
a range of goods and services and provide 1443%res
employment for residents and those living in
surrounding rural areas as well as contribute 138 alcres
additional tax revenue to help fund and maintain 13a es 2%
public services and facilities. Industrial lands allow `1% 858 acres
for light manufacturing and warehousing it 15%
8 acres
businesses, which also provide job opportunities 1%
and support the area's economy. The zoning 35M es DMU
designation acreage distribution is shown in Figure 1% 48 acres
2-4 and is mapped in Figure 2-5, both of which are 1%
provided for reference only since zoning is a CFI R2
development regulation that may be amended 214%fey 639 acres
R3 29%
through a quasi-judicial rezone process as defined cc 289 acres
182 acres 5%
by the City's code. The Official Zoning Map is kept 3% RPMU R4
53 acres 61 acres
on file with the City of Port Orchard City Clerk. 1% 1%
Figure 2-5. Port Orchard Zoning Map — September 2024
Zoning Districts a OW Commercial Mixed Use (CMU)
Greenbelt (GH) 77 Downtown Mixed Use (DMU)
Residential 1 (R1) Gateway Mixed Use (GMU)
Residential (R2) Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU)
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Residential 4(R4} Light Industrial (LI) y l
Commercial Corridor (CC) Civic and Institutional (CI) KITSAP T J 'L'" �I�� Li
Commercial Heavy (CH) Public Facilities
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Page 2-5 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
2.5 Buildable Land Capacity
The Kitsap County 2021 Buildable Lands Report (BLR) found that the City of Port Orchard has room to
develop, through vacant or underutilized lands, a total of 6,659 dwelling units, or enough space for
16,250 residents using a variety of housing types, with the BLR basing these calculations on an assumed
average of 2.44 people per housing unit. This means that the City has sufficient capacity to
accommodate its growth allocation developed under the VISION 2050 framework, but also that it has
surplus capacity which could potentially allow the City to exceed its growth allocation. The City's
Population Capacity is shown in Table 2-2:
Table 2-2. Port Orchard Population Capacity and Demand
City of Port Orchard
Population Capacity and Demand
2044 Population Capacity
16,250
2020-2044 Allocated Population Growth
10,500
Net Population Capacity (+ or -)
5,750
UGA Pop. Capacity/Demand Ratio
1.55
2.5.1 Current and Projected Growth and Performance
Port Orchard's population growth allocation as found in Appendix B of the Countywide Planning Policies
provides a target of 10,500 people to be accommodated between 2020 and 2044. As part of the City's
2024 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update, the City has the benefit of reviewing historic population
growth data to evaluate its performance in accommodating population allocations.
Since the City's last Comprehensive Plan Update in 2016, the City grew at an average rate of 3.1%
annually as shown in Table 2-3 below. Port Orchard experienced a housing boom beginning in 2020 that
continues in 2024. Prior to 2019, growth rates averaged around 2% per year. Since 2020, growth rates
have been significantly higher averaging around 5%. The City projects that the current housing boom
will slow in the coming years and that growth rates will return to historic averages.
Table 2-3. Port Orchard Population Growth
OFM Intercensal Population Estimate (prior to
2020) and Postcensal Estimates (after 2020)
OFM Forecasting Year
Annual Growth Rate
14,240
2016
2.6%
14,497
2017
1.8%
14,746
2018
1.7%
15,064
2019
2.2 %
15,587
2020
3.5%
15,960
2021
2.4%
16,400
2022
2.8%
17,480
2023
6.6%
18,300
2024
4.7%
The City must maintain an average annual growth rate of 1.788% over the next 20 years to meet (and
not exceed) KRCC's growth allocation of an additional 10,500 population in 2044. Alternatively, the
City would need to add an average of 389 residents annually over the 20-year period to reach the
KRCC growth target.
Page 2-6 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
2.5.2 Employment Capacity
The 2021 Kitsap County BLR identifies that the City had an additional employment capacity of 5,243
jobs at the time of writing the BLR, which would result in a small employment deficit compared to the
5,400 allocated employment target established in association with the Kitsap County Countywide
Planning Policies. In order to eliminate this deficit, the City has taken multiple regulatory steps:
• Increased permitted development heights within the Ruby Creek Subarea
• Increased permitted development heights within the Downtown Subarea
• Developed new subarea plans for Bethel -Lund and Sedgwick-Bethel areas to apply appropriate
zoning for existing/planned transit and infrastructure availability
Based on the results of the Land Capacity Analysis conducted in association with this Update, the result
of these regulatory steps has created an anticipated employment capacity of 14,015. This exceeds the
allocated 2044 employment target of the Countywide Planning Policies by 53 jobs, demonstrating
adequate employment capacity for the allocated employment target over the 20-year planning horizon.
2.6 Overlay Districts
The City's development regulations include land use overlay districts which are applied in parts of the
City. Port Orchard's overlay districts accomplish varying objectives including implementing subarea
plans, providing regulations for the development in centers, regulating specific uses, and determining
building heights. The City currently utilizes the following overlay districts:
• Downtown Height Overlay District (DHOD)
• Self -Storage Overlay District (SSOD)
• Ruby Creek Overlay District (RCOD)
• View Protection Overlay District (VPOD)
• McCormick Urban Village Overlay District (MVOD)
• Bethel Lund Subarea Height Overlay District
• Sedgwick Bethel Subarea Height Overlay District
The creation of a new overlay district may be appropriate as the City continues to develop subarea plans
under the Centers approach to growth.
2.7 Land Use Goals & Policies
Goals are not listed in any particular order. Port Orchard strives to:
Goal I. Retain Port Orchard's small town commercial and
residential character while accommodating allocated growth
citywide.
Policy LU-1. Ensure that land use and zoning regulations maintain and enhance low density
residential neighborhoods, while encouraging that new development provides a mix
of housing types.
Policy LU-2. Limit industrial development to locations accessible from arterials or freeways and
discourage industrial access through residential areas.
Policy LU-3. Maintain building and site design standards that support an attractive and functional
Page 2-7 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
built environment in all areas of the City.
Policy LU-4. Encourage the subdivision of large parcels and, through private subdivisions and public
acquisitions, the creation of a continuous street grid similar in scale to the downtown's,
especially in designated centers.
Goal 2. Ensure that sufficient land is available for development to
accommodate allocated growth in population and
employment.
Policy LU-5. Ensure land use and development regulations enable a supply of housing units within
the City and adjacent UGA that will accommodate forecasted population growth.
Ensure land use and development regulations enable a supply of commercial retail and
office space within the City and adjacent UGA that will accommodate forecasted
employment growth.
Policy LU-6. Ensure adequate land is available for light industrial and commercial uses, including
high technology, medical, and office uses, in appropriate areas to diversify Port
Orchard's economic base and provide for the community's changing needs.
Policy LU-7. Monitor the rate of residential, light industrial and commercial growth against the 20-
year targets established in VISION 2050 and the Countywide Planning Policies, and if
growth appears to deviate from a rate that complies with these targets, consider
adopting reasonable measures such as reducing/increasing adopted transportation
levels of service or accelerating/delaying projects within the City's Capital
Improvement Program.
Policy LU-8. Allow for a variety of single-family, middle housing, and multi -family housing types
and employment opportunities that meet the needs of diverse socioeconomic
interests.
Policy LU-9. Notify adjacent military facilities of relevant local land use decisions.
Policy LU-10. Allow for the siting of organic materials (OM) management facilities to meet OM
reduction and diversion goals as identified in the Kitsap County Solid and Hazardous
Waste Management Plan.
Goal 3. Implement a strategy to develop centers.
Policy LU-11. In consultation with stakeholders and the general public, develop a comprehensive
strategy to implement centers as a means of directing and prioritizing residential and
commercial growth.
Policy LU-12. Within centers, set minimum building densities that enable lively and active streets and
commercial destinations. Such limits may take the form of: minimum floors or building
height, floor -area -ratios, and lot coverage; and maximum street setbacks and parking
spaces.
Goal 4. Ensure that both public services and infrastructure are
Page 2-8 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
developed in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Policy LU-13. Prioritize capital facilities and transportation investment in those locations targeted for
growth and higher land use densities.
Policy LU-14. Coordinate with Kitsap County to develop a plan and timeline to annex UGA land
adjacent to the City, consistent with the City's capability to provide municipal services
and applicable law.
Policy LU-15. Identify land in the UGA that is useful for public purposes, such as utility corridors,
transportation corridors, parks, schools, and other public uses.
Goal S. Protect, enhance, and maintain the values and functions of
Port Orchard's natural areas, open spaces, and critical areas.
Policy LU-16. Evaluate a range of incentives to encourage compact development to preserve open
space throughout the City, possibly to include density credits, incentive zoning,
and/or transfer of development rights.
Policy LU-17. Prioritize the development of new parks, open space, and passive and active
recreational opportunities in underserved neighborhoods and centers, especially
those that do not have a park within a 5-minute walk, as identified in the Port Orchard
Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan.
Policy LU-18. Incentivize infill development to preserve and protect open space, critical areas, and
natural resources.
PolicyLU-19. Protect the quality and quantity of groundwater usedforpublic water supplies through
zoning designations, development regulations, and the local critical areas ordinance.
Goal 6. Reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, promote
public health, reduce auto dependency, and increase
multimodal transportation opportunities for accessing retail
services, health care services, and places of employment.
Policy LU-20. Ensure orderly development, concurrency of infrastructure provision, and protection
of environmentally sensitive areas through an effective and predictable permitting
process.
Policy LU-21. Continue to review zoning, subdivision, and street regulations for barriers to low -
impact development. Encourage the minimization of impervious surface areas in
development.
Policy LU-22. Promote local food security and public health by enabling the establishment of urban
agriculture, community gardens, farmers markets, and food production and
distribution infrastructure.
Policy LU-23. Enable land use patterns that allow all residents to safely and efficiently access
commercial services, especially grocery stores and healthcare facilities, without an
automobile.
Page 2-9 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
Policy LU-24. Encourage the expansion of transit networks that enable both incorporated and
unincorporated neighborhoods outside of the City to access job centers within Port
Orchard.
Goal 7. Encourage the development of active, vibrant, and
attractive destinations throughout the community.
Policy LU-25. Incorporate the following principles in planning for commercial areas:
• Create lively and attractive places on a human scale.
• Support a mix of retail, office, and residential uses in multistory structures.
• Create transitions between commercial areas and surrounding residential
neighborhoods.
• Protect residential areas from excessive noise, exterior lighting, glare, visual
nuisances, and other conditions that detract from the quality of the living
environment.
• Encourage multi -modal transportation options, especially during peak traffic
periods.
• Promote an intensity and density of land uses sufficient to support effective
transit and pedestrian activity.
• Promote a street pattern that provides through connections, pedestrian and
vehicular access.
• Establish urban and architectural design standards that support an attractive
and functional pedestrian environment, such as block size limits and requiring
street- facing windows and doors.
• Encourage pedestrian travel to and within commercial areas by providing:
■ Safe and attractive walkways.
■ Close groupings of land uses.
■ Parking lot design that provides safe walking routes and pedestrian
connections between adjacent properties.
■ Off-street surface parking to the backs or sides of buildings to
maximize pedestrian access from the sidewalk(s).
Goal 8. Connect new and existing neighborhoods to each other, to
commercial and employment centers, and to public
facilities.
Policy LU-26. Require adequate transitions between different land uses to mitigate potential
negative impacts of noise, light, and air pollution.
Policy LU-27. Require new development to provide connections to and through -access for existing
and planned trails and roads. Explore strategies to encourage existing development to
provide the same as part of a City- and region -wide trail and open space network.
Page 2 -10 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
Goal 9. Encourage the ongoing development of downtown as an
active, vibrant community, commercial, social, and civic
center while respecting its historic character.
Policy LU-28. In conjunction with the Centers Strategy as provided in Section 2.7, enhance downtown
Port Orchard's role as the center of the South Kitsap region, reflecting the following
principles in development standards and land use plans:
• Encourage land uses that support transit centers and promote pedestrian
activity.
• Promote a mix of uses, including retail, office, and housing.
• Encourage uses that will provide both daytime and evening activities.
• Support civic, cultural, and entertainment activities.
• Provide sufficient public open space and recreational opportunities.
• Enhance, and provide access to, the waterfront.
• Develop enhanced design guidelines and design review requirements that
promote attractive, pedestrian -scale development and redevelopment within
the City's historic downtown area.
• Encourage and promote commercial building maintenance and occupancy to
enhance the downtown business core.
Policy LU-29. Consider conducting a downtown parking study to assess current and future parking
needs and develop solutions and strategies to address identified constraints or
oversupply.
Policy LU-30. Ensure land use designations and development support existing maritime industries,
promote creative uses of the waterfront, and facilitate the planning and construction
of waterfront parks and gathering places.
Goal 10. Collaborate with the County and nearby cities to develop a
comprehensive watershed plan that incorporates land use
strategies aimed at improving the health of Puget Sound.
Policy LU-31. Reduce stormwater impacts from development through watershed planning,
redevelopment and retrofit projects, and low -impact development.
Policy LU-32. Coordinate land use planning with the County and nearby cities to identify changes
that may occur to stream hydrology and water quality as a result of different land use
scenarios and under a full build -out of the City's designated land use classifications.
Policy LU-33. Implement the recommendations contained within the Downtown Basin Stormwater
Plan to ensure that development of the Downtown subarea does not result in
increased stormwater runoff and pollution to Puget Sound.
Policy LU-34. Implement the 2023 Port Orchard Stormwater and Watersheds Comprehensive Plan.
Page 2 -11 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
Goal 1 1. Ensure land use planning is equitable and does not worsen
environmental health disparities.
Policy LU-35. Integrate community health, equity, and displacement into appropriate planning
practices and decision -making processes.
Policy LU-36. Reduce impacts to vulnerable populations' and areas that have been
disproportionately affected by noise, air pollution, or other environmental impacts.
Goal 12. Establish land use patterns that increase the resilience of the
built environment, ecosystems, and community to climate
change.
Policy LU-37. Establish development regulations that incorporate best practices for reducing the
risk of wildfire, extreme heat, flooding, and other climate -exacerbated hazards.
Policy LU-38. Identify and implement strategies for reducing residential development pressure in
the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).
Policy LU-39. For areas within the Wildland Urban Interface, apply the requirements of the
Washington Wildland Urban Interface Code.
Policy LU-40. Develop regulations for elevating new and substantially improved structures that are
at demonstrated risk of damage caused by sea level rise.
Policy LU-41. Address rising sea water by siting and planning for relocation of hazardous industries
and essential public services away from the 500-year floodplain.
Goal 13. Monitor population growth rates to ensure that the City is
accommodating its share of regional growth as allocated in
the Countywide Planning Policies.
Policy LU-42. If the City's population growth rate varies from the rate needed to meet the 2044
population growth target, the City should consider adopting reasonable measures
such as assessing permitted structure height limits, assessing allowable densities in
areas with supporting infrastructure, assessing adopted transportation levels of
service or modifying the priority of growth -related projects within the City's Capital
Improvement Program.
Goal 14. Coordinate and collaborate with other cities, counties, ports,
special purpose districts, agencies, tribes, and the military in
furtherance of regional goals and policies.
Policy LU-43. Consider the potential impacts of development to culturally significant sites and tribal
treaty fishing, hunting, and gathering grounds.
1 See RCW 36.70A.030(47) for definition of vulnerable populations
Page 2 -12 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
2.8 The Centers Strategy
2.8.1 Introduction
Throughout the post-war housing booms of the 1920s and 1940s, suburban residential development has
become synonymous with the beginning of a development pattern known as urban sprawl. Sprawl
expands development over large amounts of land, resulting in long distances between homes, jobs, and
stores. It also significantly increases dependence on the automobile and traffic on neighborhood streets
and highways, as driving is required for nearly every activity. This development pattern also draws
economic resources away from existing communities and spreads them thinly and inefficiently, far away
from a community's historic core. This increases spending on new roads, new water and sewer lines,
and police and fire protection. This ultimately leads to the degradation of the older city, higher taxes,
and fewer available resources for already existing communities. In the early 1990s, Washington sought
to combat this adverse development style by adopting the Growth Management Act (GMA). Among
other ambitions, the GMA suggested a new development pattern broadly known as "centers".
In association with the City's 2016 major update to the Comprehensive Plan, the City designated ten
"local centers" in accordance with the criteria provided in the Puget Sound Regional Council's (PSRC)
VISION 2040. In subsequent years, VISION 2040's criteria and terminology for centers have been revised,
and as such the City has revised its center terminology and boundaries for consistency. Based on the new
criteria established in PSRC's VISION 2050, the City has five designated "countywide centers" and four
designated "local centers".
Figure 2-3. The advantages of Infrastructure and Land Use Concurrency
Compact development
Power sewer
enables efficiency in
capital facilities
construction and
CD
service delivery
Roads Water
A. Least Dense
2.8.2 What are Centers?
B. Moderately Dense C. Most Dense
Traditional neighborhoods often had smaller business districts that served surrounding residential areas.
These districts typically had retail shops, markets, and services that were a short walk from the homes in
the area. Additionally, these districts created a unique identity that solidified the neighborhood. With
the increased cost of fuel and the economic recession, residents of Port Orchard have expressed a
preference for the development of smaller, local retailers and service providers in places that knit
people and commerce together on a local level.
Centers are focused areas of development that have key uses which enable the City to deliver services
more cost -efficiently and equitably pursue a development pattern that is environmentally and
Page 2 -13 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
economically sound and provide a means of influencing growth and change through collaboration with
the community in planning for the future of these areas. This strategy helps to accommodate growth in
designated areas while preserving the existing character of the community, thereby retaining more
open space and the dominant pattern of existing development. Centers accomplish these objectives by:
• Concentrating a thoughtful mix of supporting uses.
• Allowing more intense development while maintaining appropriate scale.
• Offering a wider variety of housing types that meets the needs of the broader community.
• Minimizing the dependence on vehicle trips.
The Centers strategy is a comprehensive and long-term approach to planning for a sustainable future
that helps preserve those aspects of the community that residents' value. This approach is intended to
maximize the benefit of public investment in infrastructure and services and promote collaboration with
private interests and the community to achieve mutual benefits.
Providing opportunities for residents, jobs, stores, services, and open spaces to be located in close
proximity can reduce the reliance on cars for shopping and commuting and offer better access to daily
wants and needs. Increasing residential and employment densities in key locations makes transit and
other public services convenient for more people and therefore makes these services more efficient.
According to VISION 2050, centers serve important roles as sub -regional hubs and secondary
concentrations of development. They provide a dense mix of housing and services, such as stores,
medical offices, and libraries. They serve as focal points where people come together for a variety of
activities, including business, shopping, living, and recreation. They often have a civic character with
community facilities, such as municipal buildings and other public places. Local centers should be served
by regular local transit and regional express transit service and should have a complete network of
sidewalks and access to bicycle paths and transit facilities.
The Regional Centers Framework identifies the process for the designation of Centers and defines five
different types of Centers:
Regional Growth Centers
Regional Growth Centers are major centers strategically located to accommodate significant
population and employment growth. They are characterized by compact, pedestrian -oriented
development, with a mix of office, commercial, civic, entertainment, and residential uses.
Regional growth centers include two subtypes — Metro Growth Centers and Urban Growth
Centers. Metro Growth Centers must meet a minimum existing density of 30 activity units3 per
acre and a minimum planned target density of 85 activity units per acre. Urban Growth Centers
must meet a minimum existing density of 18 activity units per acre and a minimum planned
target density of 45 activity units per acre.
2. Manufacturing/Industrial Centers
Manufacturing/Industrial Centers are areas that preserve lands for family -wage jobs in basic
industries and trade and provide areas where that employment may grow in the future. They
are characterized by having industrial land uses and being located near ports, railroads or major
highways. Manufacturing/Industrial Centers include two subtypes — Industrial Employment
Centers and Industrial Growth Centers. Both subtypes must meet specific criteria for
2 https://www.psrc.org/media/3038
3 A measure of total activity that combines the number of jobs and population. (VISION 2050)
Page 2 -14 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
designation, including a minimum number of existing jobs, capacity to meet a minimum number
of planned jobs, and have a regional role.
3. Countywide Centers
Countywide Centers are designated in accordance with each county's countywide planning
policies and serve an important role as places for concentrating jobs, housing, shopping and
recreational opportunities. Countywide Centers include two subtypes — Countywide Growth
Centers and Countywide Industrial centers. Countywide Growth Centers must be designated
within the County's Comprehensive Plan and must also meet a minimum existing density of 10
activity units per acre and must plan for a mix of residential and employment uses and have
capacity for additional growth. Countywide Industrial Centers must also be designated within
the County's Comprehensive Plan and have a minimum of 1,000 existing jobs and/or 500 acres
of industrial land, as well as be 75% zoned for industrial uses, and have capacity for additional
growth.
4. Local Centers
VISION 2050 calls for local jurisdictions to support a centers -based approach to planning and
development and designate Local Centers. These centers are designated through a local
planning process, not through the Regional Centers Framework process.
5. Military Installations
Military installations are a vital part of the region, and while they are not subject to local,
regional or state plans and regulations, recognizing the role they play in the regional economy
and to regional growth patterns is important to local planning.
Centers achieve "Designated" status when they are officially recognized by PSRC and approved in
accordance with the Regional Centers Framework. They are then eligible for infrastructure investments
and prioritized for transit access. Centers that are identified as "Candidates" are those that have been
identified for future growth but are still being planned for their suitability and feasibility as a Center.
Figure 2-4. Pedestrian -focused Town Center Concept
Page 2 -15 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
2.8.3 Designated Centers (Existing and Planned)
The following centers have been designated in the City's comprehensive plan by center type:
Regional Centers.
The City has no designated regional centers at this time. Downtown Port Orchard was evaluated as
part of the Downtown Subarea Planning Process as a candidate for regional center designation but
achieving the PSRC requirement for 45 activity units per acre was determined to be too large of a
change to Downtown Port Orchard. As Downtown continues to grow and evolve, its candidacy as a
regional center should be revisited in the future.
Manufacturing/Industrial Centers.
The City has no designated Manufacturing/Industrial Centers currently. The City's only industrial
park is too small to be considered either a Manufacturing/Industrial Center or a Countywide Center.
Port Orchard is served by the nearby Puget Sound Industrial Center — Bremerton.
Countywide Centers.
The City has five designated Countywide Centers. Not all of these Countywide Centers meet the
minimum activity units per acre threshold per the PSRC Regional Centers Criteria for Countywide
Centers (ten activity units per acre). The City intends that these Countywide Centers which don't
presently meet the activity unit threshold set by PSRC will undergo land use capacity analysis in
association with future subarea planning efforts to meet the activity unit threshold. These centers
may temporarily be recognized as candidate countywide centers or local centers until the activity
unit threshold is met. The City's designated Countywide Centers are as follows:
1. Downtown Port Orchard
2. Ruby Creek
3. Mile Hill
4. Sedgwick Bethel
5. Bethel Lund
Local Centers.
The City has designated the following local centers:
1. Annapolis
2. Old Clifton Industrial Park
3. Tremont Center
4. McCormick Woods
Military Installations.
The City has no military installations within the City Limits.
Page 2 -16 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
Figure 2-5. Port Orchard Centers Map
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2.8.4 General Center Goals and Policies
The following are a list of general goals and suggested policies that Centers should seek to fulfill.
Although Centers have common elements, it should be acknowledged that each Center is unique and
have/will have a different set of priorities. Centers goals should be tailored to the specific Center in
question. Generally, Centers should seek to:
Policy CN-1. Prioritize the City's residential, commercial and light industrial growth and
infrastructure investments within designated Centers, in accordance with VISION
2050 and the Countywide Planning Policies.
Policy CN-2. Focus future growth in designated, higher intensity areas in an effort to encourage the
preservation of open space and maintain surrounding neighborhood character.
Policy CN-3. Shorten commutes by concentrating housing and employment in strategic locations,
which provides residents opportunities to live and work in the same neighborhood.
Page 2 -17 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
Policy CN-4.
Provide commercial services that serve the population of the Center, surrounding
neighborhoods, the city, and the region (dependent on the suitability of the scale of
each Center).
Policy CN-5.
Support pedestrian and transit uses by promoting compact, mixed -use areas with
appropriate infrastructure that provide a variety of activities.
Policy CN-6.
Balance objectives for accommodating growth, encouraging compatibility, promoting
housing affordability, and offering a wide range of housing types.
Policy CN-7.
Provide access to parks and public pedestrian spaces by creating them within each
Center or by creating connections to existing public and open spaces.
Policy CN-8.
During subarea planning for Centers, develop an implementation plan that addresses
how the City will meet Center goals through appropriate land use designations,
annexation, development of capital facilities and utilities, and related measures.
Policy CN-9.
The City shall direct growth to Centers of all types through focused regulations and
directed capital projects.
Policy CN-10.
The City should support employment growth, the increased use of non -automobile
transportation options, and the preservation of the character of existing built-up areas
by encouraging residential and mixed -use development at increased densities in
designated Centers.
Policy CN-11.
The City shall ensure that higher density development in Centers is either within
walking or biking distance of jobs, schools, and parks and is well -served by public
transit.
Policy CN-12.
The City shall create and designate zoning that allows a mix of uses to accommodate
concentrations of employment and housing.
Policy CN-13.
The City shall encourage a broad range of housing types and commercial uses within
designated Centers, through zoning and development regulations that serve a local,
citywide, or regional market.
Policy CN-14.
The City shall encourage the creation of public open space, private open space, and
parks within and serving designated centers.
Page 2 -18 Port
Orchard Comprehensive Plan I December 2024
2.8.5 Specific Center Descriptions and Policies
2.8.5.1 Downtown Port Orchard Countywide Center
In 2021, the City completed a subarea plan for Downtown Port Orchard which is adopted by reference in
Appendix D. This plan combined two previous centers, the Downtown Port Orchard and County Campus
Centers into one center. The center was evaluated for possible designation as a Regional Urban Growth
Center, but there was a lack of support for increasing the level of activity in the center to a planned
target of 45 activity units per acre. The boundaries of this center are shown on the map below:
Figure 2-6. Downtown Port Orchard Countywide Center Map
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2.8.5.2 Tremont Local Center
Purpose
The purpose of the Tremont Subarea Plan is to ensure that future development in the Tremont Corridor
is guided by specific standards and land use regulations that have been generated by community wide
involvement. Planning efforts prior to 2010 established a vision, goals, and policies for the neighborhood
which appear in this section.
Figure 2-7. Tremont Countywide Center Map
Page 2 -19 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan DRAFT: September 2024
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Vision
The Tremont Corridor is one of three primary entry points into the City of Port Orchard from Highway
16. Presently the area is a mix of single-family residences, commercial, health care facilities and multi-
family residences. The expanded Harrison Hospital Urgent Care Campus and Kaiser Permanente facilities
are the anchors for businesses along the corridor, particularly from Pottery Avenue west to State Route
16 forming the basis for a Hospital Benefit District. The Tremont Corridor is a through -way for travelers
and residents wanting to access shops and services in the core of the city and businesses and homes in
outlying areas. The Tremont Corridor also announces to residents and visitors alike that Port Orchard
has economic vitality and provides services and opportunities to its citizens and residents in the south
Kitsap area.
Tremont Corridor and Port Orchard residents have determined that they would like to see the corridor
developed in way that encourage professional businesses that support the health care facilities already
in place and businesses that allow the continuing free flow of traffic from State Route 16 into the
downtown areas. Focus should be placed upon pedestrian connections within the district as well as
providing a regional connection to the South Kitsap areas served by the hospitals and emergency service
providers within the district.
The City completed a roadway reconstruction project within the Tremont Corridor in 2018, which
improved intersections, created bicycle lanes, widened sidewalks, provided street trees in landscape
Page 2 - 20 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan DRAFT: September 2024
strips, and a landscaped median that creates a boulevard style of roadway. The Tremont corridor is
promoted to include design standards that will necessitate new development to provide a consistent,
attractive landscape edge while maintaining a human scale to new and redevelopment projects. A
system of trails that are pedestrian and bike friendly connecting the Tremont Corridor to the Port
Orchard marine walkway with trails through natural areas are key to the success of the Tremont district.
The Tremont district is envisioned with some multi -family residences to accommodate the combination
of residential and employment land uses within walking distances of the major health care facilities.
Some cafes and neighborhood services are also envisioned to support those living, working, or visiting
the health care facilities. Regulations and design guidelines should help to ensure that parking is
provided in a manner that is beneficial to the neighborhood and enhances the flow of transportation
through the district. In addition, Tremont Corridor stakeholders envision monument signage that are
tastefully designed and constructed of natural materials.
The corridor from Pottery Avenue east to Sidney Road consists primarily of single-family residences and
small clinics. Single family uses are encouraged as a desired mix of services and residential uses within
this district.
Housing and Employment
As of 2018, the Tremont Center measured 215 acres containing 1,092 residents and 702 jobs. This
equates to eight activity units per acre under the PSRC regional centers framework.
Tremont Center Goals
Goal 14. Encourage development within the area that supports the
major hospital and medical installations (Harrison Hospital
and Kaiser Permanente) and assists the emergency response
agencies in the corridor (South Kitsap Fire and Rescue).
Policy CN-15. Encourage regulations that enhance existing businesses while providing incentives
that promote economic growth in the corridor while maintaining sensitivity to
residents in the area.
Policy CN-16. Encourage professional and office uses that support the medical industry and create
pedestrian oriented health care focus.
Policy CN-17. Promote the creation of a hospital benefit district that will create opportunities for
additional community and economic development funding.
Goal IS. Encourage residential units within walking distance to
employment, services, and health care facilities.
Policy CN-18. Require sidewalks or interconnected pedestrian paths or a system of trails for non -
motorized transportation with all new development.
Goal 16. Encourage development of an efficient multimodal
transportation system and develop a funding strategy and
financing plan to meet its needs.
Policy CN-19. Encourage all new developments to limit direct access to Tremont Street.
Page 2 - 21 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan DRAFT: September 2024
Policy CN-20. All future City paving projects on streets within the Tremont Corridor should include
continuous six-foot paved walkways for pedestrian use.
Policy CN-21. Developments abutting public rights -of -way within the Tremont Corridor should
include sidewalks and bicycle lanes consistent with the non -motorized improvements
identified in the Transportation Element.
Policy CN-22. The City shall help to facilitate the development of trail systems that connect the
Tremont Corridor with transportation facilities in the surrounding areas.
Policy CN-23. Encourage the expansion of Kitsap Transit's service to increase trip frequency within
the Tremont Corridor.
Page 2 - 22 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan DRAFT: September 2024
2.8.5.3 Mile Hill Countywide Center
The Mile Hill Countywide Center consists of development along the Mile Hill Road commercial corridor
and adjacent multifamily development from the South Kitsap Mall to the eastern City boundary near
Whittier Avenue SW. The area is served by Kitsap Transit. As of 2018, the Lower Mile Hill Countywide
Center measured 70 acres containing 174 residents and 288 jobs. This equates to seven activity units
per acre under the PSRC regional centers framework. The City should aim to develop a subarea plan for
this center in future years.
Figure 2-8. Mile Hill Countywide Center Map
Page 2 - 23 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan DRAFT: September 2024
2.8.5.4 Sedgwick-Bethel Countywide Center
The Sedgwick-Bethel Subarea spans across a total of 235.7 acres and is situated at the intersection of SE
Sedgwick Road and Bethel Road SE. Sedgwick-Bethel is bordered by Port Orchard's unincorporated area
to the east and by Blackjack Creek to the west. The study area's northern boundary encompasses recent
developments and other vacant and developable lands. The Subarea's existing and pipeline
development meets the Countywide Centers Designation Criteria and, with additional land capacity, can
accommodate up to 20.6 Activity Units per acre. For detailed information related to this Center, see
Appendix F: Sedgwick-Bethel Subarea Plan.
Figure 2-9. Sedgwick-Bethel Countywide Center Map
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Page 2 - 24 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan DRAFT: September 2024
2.8.5.5 Bethel -Lund Countywide Center
The Bethel -Lund Subarea is centrally located at the intersection of Bethel Road SE and SE Lund Avenue
and bounded on the west by Blackjack Creek and east by Port Orchard's unincorporated area. The study
area covers a total of 211.2 acres and extends north and south to capture areas of recent and upcoming
developments. The Subarea's existing and pipeline development meets the Countywide Centers
Designation Criteria and, with additional land capacity, can accommodate up to 14.5 Activity Units per
acre. For detailed information related to this Center, see Appendix G: Bethel -Lund Subarea Plan.
Figure 2-10. Bethel -Lund Countywide Center Map
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Page 2 - 25 Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan DRAFT: September 2024
2.8.5.6 Sedgwick-Sidney (Ruby Creek Neighborhood) Countywide Center
The Sedgwick-Sidney Countywide Center is a rapidly developing area of the City at the intersection of
Sidney Road SW and SW Sedgwick Road that has seen significant multifamily and commercial
development since its designation in the 2016 Comprehensive Plan as a Countywide Center. The area is
served by Kitsap Transit. The City has developed the Ruby Creek Neighborhood Subarea Plan, which was
adopted in September 2020. As detailed in the Subarea Plan, the center is planned to consist of 14.82
activity units per acre (with activity units being measured by combined capacity of jobs and housing
units), with the activity units being comprised of a mix of approximately 73% residential and 27%
commercial at full build -out.
Figure 2-11. Sedgwick-Sidney Countywide Center Map
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Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan December 2024
2.8.5.7 Old Clifton Industrial Park Local Center
The Old Clifton Industrial Employment Local Center is located at the site of reclaimed sand and gravel
mine. Its close proximity to transportation facilities and its isolation as a result of past mining activities
make it an ideal site for industrial and employment uses. The site is served by Kitsap Transit and is
located along Old Clifton Road near State Route 16. The City should work to develop a sub area plan for
this area as time and resources allow. There is the potential to expand this center boundary to the
south along Old Clifton Road. Any expansion should be evaluated as part of the development of a
subarea plan.
Figure 2-12.Old Clifton Industrial Park Local Center Map
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2.8.5.8 McCormick Woods Local Center
The McCormick Woods Local Center is located along SW Old Clifton Road near the western boundary of
Port Orchard. The Subarea includes the McCormick Village commercial district which is surrounded by a
mix of single family and middle housing types. The Center includes the McCormick Village Regional Park
and a future South Kitsap School District school site. In 2021, a subarea plan for this local center was
prepared. See Appendix E to the Comprehensive Plan — McCormick Urban Village Subarea Plan.
Figure 2-13. McCormick Woods Local Center Map
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Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan December 2024
2.8.5.9 Annapolis Local Center
The Annapolis Local Center is located on the Sinclair Inlet shoreline east of the Port Orchard's
Downtown Countywide Center. This center includes Mitchell Point and the Annapolis Pier, from which
Kitsap Transit operates a foot ferry service to Bremerton during the work week. Commuter parking is
located east of the pier. The area also includes several historic buildings, commercial services, and
residences, as well as a public dock and kayak launch point. The Bay Street Pedestrian Pathway will end
at the foot ferry facility.
2-14. Annapolis Local Center Map
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Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan December 2024
2.8.6 Road Map to Implementation
Further planning for centers is required to implement the City's vision for the overall centers' strategy.
The City is committed to undertaking a sub area planning process for each center, to better identify
center boundaries and to develop a vision statement, goals, and policies for each center that are
responsive to the unique attributes of that center. This planning process will establish
recommendations for amending development regulations, zoning designations, design guidelines and
capital facility plans to reflect and implement the sub area plans. It also ensures that public engagement
and community outreach efforts will be conducted to provide members of the community the
opportunity to help steer the direction of the planning efforts. Subarea plans for the centers will be
adopted into the City's Comprehensive Plan.
Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan December 2024