CHIMACUM — The U.S. Navy is presenting its final workshop in preparation for a joint land-use study designed to better connect local governments and the military.
“The goal is to strengthen existing lines or develop new lines of communication between the Navy installations and local governments and work toward local land-use plans that are compatible with the operational needs of the Navy, as well as meet the needs of the local governments,” said Liane Nakahara, a Navy spokeswoman.
The workshop takes place from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today at the Tri-Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Road.
Joel Peterson, an associate planner with the Jefferson County Department of Community Development, said the workshops help his department achieve proactive land-use planning to be incorporated in its upcoming comprehensive plan.
“These workshops allow us to be proactive and get out front of these issues,” Peterson said.
“It allows us to get together with other agencies in a regional planning context and see how our military installations interact with those goals.”
The $674,875 joint land-use study is partially financed by $607,385 from the Department of Defense, Office of Economic Adjustment, with the remainder coming from Kitsap County.
The grant process requires a Navy installation to nominate an area in which to conduct the study. In this case, Naval Base Kitsap nominated its surrounding areas along with Naval Magazine Indian Island, designating Kitsap County as the project sponsor and including the city of Bremerton and Jefferson and Mason counties in the study.
According to its website, the program aims to ensure lasting compatibility of military installations and neighboring communities, encouraging cooperative land-use planning between military installations and the surrounding communities so future civilian growth and development are compatible with military training and operations.
To this end, the Navy aims to create a portfolio of existing land use, economic, transportation and environmental conditions, along with plans from local jurisdictions and Navy information to identify potential conflicts in land and shoreline use and water and land mobility, the website says.
The 18-month process is expected to end in September, according to project manager Kathlene Barnhart.
“We want to identify the tools that both the Navy and the communities can use to complete these partnerships,” said Barnhart, an employee of the Kitsap County Department of Community Development.
The affected areas are designated as those adjacent to Naval facilities, which in Jefferson County includes the area around Indian Island and on Hood Canal, opposite Naval Base Kitsap.
Specific to Dabob Bay and Hood Canal, this includes new and expanded marinas and boat ramps, aviation fuel-distribution facilities, new commercial industrial piers or docks, large master-planned communities and resorts, and working forest or resource land conservation.
While these categories include two controversial proposed projects, the so-called “pit to pier” installation that will move gravel to Hood Canal for water transport and the Pleasant Harbor Resort in Brinnon, the workshop will not focus on specific proposals.
Attendees are welcome to comment about specifics, “but it probably won’t be productive,” as the opportunity to provide specific comments will occur at a later time, Barnhart said.
For more information, visit the project website, www.kiijlus.com.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
