Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

I'm calling to order the June 15th, 2026 Bremerton Regular Planning Commission meeting. The first item on the agenda is a roll call to confirm we have a quorum.

Commissioners Doering, Miller and Powell are all excused. Commissioner Wofford?

Here.

Commissioner Kirksell. Here. Commissioner Browning.

Here.

And Vice Chair Peterson. Here. We have a quorum.

Next up is approval of the agenda as presented.

All in favor of approval of the agenda as presented?

Aye. Aye.

Agenda is approved.

Next up is approval of the April minutes. Do we have a motion to approve the minutes of the April 20th, 2026 meeting?

Mr. Chairman, I move to approve the minutes of the April 2026 meeting.

We have a motion to approve the meeting minutes from the April 20th, 2026 meeting. Motion was made by Commissioner Wofford, seconded by Commissioner Kirksell. All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

All right. The public workshop tonight is on a zoning code amendment application by Bremerton Housing Authority to amend the provision of BMC. Excuse me. Oh, hello.

Is there going to be an opportunity for unrestricted public comment under APMA? Yes or no? Required by state law. Will we have that opportunity? No?

I can review the minutes here. That's illegal.

The magic of Google, if you look it up, is required by state law. You're requiring us of that free speech.

Just give me. Can I, I'm gonna finish this paragraph here. The public workshop tonight is on a zoning code amendment application by Bremerton Housing Authority to amend the provisions of BMC 20.46.090, a temporary encampment permit. Those in attendance should note that the Planning Commission meeting tonight is limited to taking public comment on the presented material. So I think that contradicts, that answers your question. Presenting is Garrett Jackson, Planning Manager with the City of Bremerton. Is there a representative for the Bremerton Housing Authority that would like to provide any additional information tonight? OK. Great. I saw a hand raised. OK. Great. It's Garrett's turn. All right.

Okay, thank you everyone. We are here to discuss some potential zoning code amendments proposed by the Bremerton Housing Authority related to our temporary encampment permit process, which is codified per BMC 2046090. I'd like to first start off by thanking the planning commissioners for being here today and letting the members of the public know that these are volunteers, people that volunteer their time to help the city of Bremerton through the legislative process. and some of these issues can be quite weighty. So thank you Planning Commission for volunteering your time and being here. And also thank you to the Bremerton Housing Authority. I know that Jill Stanton from the Bremerton Housing Authority is in attendance today in support of the application as well as many other partners. Thank you for being here. We appreciate you. That being said, the purpose of this meeting is to prepare for future, excuse me just a second here. future workshop For a future workshop, Planning Commissioners should review BHA's Code Amendment application materials and receive public testimony. No formal decision or recommendation is required at this meeting. The information is being presented to ensure transparency and early public participation regarding the proposed amendment to the City's land use and zoning regulations. OK, so just a note about where we are in the application review process for zoning code amendments. We were initially scheduled to have a May 18th Planning Commission workshop, and that was canceled at the at BHA's request so that they could revise their application. The initial application requested that there be no limit to the number of temporary encampments allowed in the city at one time and that the number of zones be extended. Since then, we received a complete application on June 1st. The revised scope of that permit application is to allow for a three-year temporary encampment at a single site. which leads us to tonight, our workshop tonight on the 15th, which was just for receiving public testimony. Planning Commission is here to take public comment on the proposed application. And then we will have a July 20th workshop in which the public is further encouraged to participate in the application process. And the Planning Commission will potentially direct staff to start environmental review. So that relates to the Washington State Department of Commerce and SEPA review. That environmental review will happen. And then a Planning Commission public hearing could tentatively be scheduled for August 17th. And then the planning commission would make a recommendation to the city council, which would then review the matter in a future study session and public hearing. So another note for the public to consider is the planning commission makes a recommendation to the city council who then makes the final decision on zoning code amendments. So feel free to keep participating throughout the process through the planning commission and city council. So this is just a review of Kitsap County projects and planning efforts as it relates to individuals experiencing homelessness. And starting off with just recognition of a lot of the work that we've accomplished to date. So there's been a lot of work in the city of Bremerton specifically that has identified solutions for homelessness in our community. That starts first and foremost with the Benedict House, which opened in 2005. The Salvation Army, which is a temporary shelter that houses up to 94 beds, which actually expanded and remodeled their campus in 2016. In 2024, there was occupancy of Evergreen Bright Start, which provides up to 30 rooms for youth experiencing homelessness in our community. 2022, Pendleton Place, up to 72 beds for individuals for permanent supportive housing. Wheaton Landing off of Wheaton Way, open to homeless families having 30% of area median income or less. And a new project in Minette for nine townhomes for families experiencing 30% of AMI or less and homeless. And then projects in the future, the Star of Hope over on Callow Avenue, which will provide transitional housing and shelter space for women. And in 2026, a respite care center opening just downtown here in Bremerton for 22 homeless individuals seeking respite care upon exiting the hospital system. So a lot of great work that's happened and happened recently to be celebrated. But it doesn't mean that there isn't work on the horizon. So the 2026 Kitsap County point in time count gives a snapshot in time of unsheltered individuals and those others experiencing homelessness in Kitsap County. Now there is 551 individuals experiencing homelessness and I believe 230 unsheltered of those homeless individuals. You can see here on the chart that goes back to 2017 and through 2026 with unsheltered individuals not being registered in 2021 due to COVID. There was a 23% reduction from 2025 to 2026. And here you'll see a chart of the jurisdictions within Kitsap County and those experiencing homelessness, self-reporting of what city they're originating, that they currently reside in. You'll see here that Bremerton has 46% of that population, Port Orchard, 18, Bainbridge, 4, Paulsbo, 16, Kingston, 3, and Silverdale, 13. Now, this is self-reporting, and it can sometimes be difficult to say what jurisdiction you actually reside in. You'll notice there isn't any unincorporated Kitsap County on this list, because when asking to self-report what jurisdiction you reside in, they were asked what city. But it can be kind of difficult if anyone with a Bremerton address may know if you're reporting that you live in Bremerton. Just because you have a Bremerton address doesn't mean you live in Bremerton. The area that is outside of the incorporated city limits is viewed here on the map in light blue. And those are areas that have a Bremerton address, whereas you'll see in the darker blue color, that's the actual incorporated city limits. So the area with a Bremerton address is actually outside of the city is actually equivalent to the incorporated area, nearly on a one for one basis. So because that self-reporting can be a bit hard to understand as far as where that data is concerned, we turned to the US Census, which doesn't report based off of zip code. It does report based off of incorporated city limits. And you'll see here that Bremerton's poverty rate is about 13.8%, with a median household income of about $75,000. Bainbridge Island's poverty rate is about 3.5%, with a median household income of about $172,000. Kitsap County's poverty rate is 7.8%, median household income $104,000. Port Orchard, 9.7 poverty rate. with a median income of around $90,000 and Paulsbo with a poverty rate of 9.3% and median household income of approximately $116,000. So that provides kind of a snapshot of homelessness and geographics in Kitsap County. And this next document, the Kitsap County Homelessness Housing Plan, is a five-year action plan from all Kitsap County jurisdictions for a five-year period. So representatives from all the jurisdictions within Kitsap County collaborate to provide the suggestions in this document. And that concludes the Kitsap County countywide planning policy. So the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council is made up of all jurisdictions within Kitsap County and we band together to provide policies that are required for every jurisdiction within Kitsap County. And one of those unifying policies is to assist those experiencing homelessness in Kitsap. The Kitsap County homeless housing plan also relays that every jurisdiction within Kitsap has in their comprehensive plan policies addressing homelessness and to provide homeless housing. Now the exception to that being Bainbridge Island, there are draft policies within that plan at this time, but they have yet to adopt their comprehensive plan. So that's, it's in their draft plan, but it has yet to be adopted. Now this plan calls out that existing services for homeless and those planned for the future are largely located in the city of Bremerton. It also calls out the Kitsap County HEART Team, and that's Homeless Encampment Action Response and Transitions, and that that team's job is to connect individuals countywide in unsanctioned encampments and connect them to stable housing and services, which are largely located in the city of Bremerton. The document also notes that homeless crisis response system providers identified several critical gaps that hinder progress, including that geographic disparities with services that are concentrated in the city of Bremerton. All right, now here's a big chart. This is also in the Kitsap County Homeless Housing Plan for our five-year homeless housing plan throughout Kitsap County. And this chart is a smaller subset of growth allocations that are adopted in the countywide planning policies. So the Kitsap Regional Council has a much broader table that includes all income bands, so all income segments of the Kitsap population and housing that's needed to support those income bands. The Homeless Housing Plan only provides emergency housing and housing meant to to identify those at zero to 30% of area median income. So area median income is the average income of all residents within Kitsap County. So that's what that basis of area median income is. And 0 to 30 is people hitting 0 to 30% of that area median income for all persons in Kitsap County. And we have a 20-year plan on how many housing units are needed for people in that income segment. So of those housing types, you'll have non-permanent supportive housing. permanent supportive housing and emergency housing. So permanent supportive housing is intended for individuals that have a disability that hinders them from finding housing on their own long term. So permanent supportive housing is as it sounds, it is permanent that individuals needing permanent supportive housing could expect to be in this housing indefinitely. Non-permanent supportive housing is meant for the other segment of the population that maybe doesn't need housing for quite as long. As an example, transitional housing is a type of housing that's meant for up to two years. And emergency housing, as you might have guessed, is more for emergency shelters that need more in a triage type of situation. So the point of which being is you'll see the yellow bar on this graph, and that provides the existing housing for each jurisdiction. Just below that is the allocation through the year 2044, and just below that, a five-year estimate of the housing that needs to be constructed to meet that 20-year planning goal. So as you can see, the city of Bremerton is leading in most categories, particularly per capita, where we have a non-permanent supportive housing of 1,300, permanent supportive housing of 106, and emergency housing of 316. And while other jurisdictions have a fairly low amount or no housing for those housing types, and once again certainly the city of Bremerton leading per capita not only in existing but in projected housing types for non-permanent supportive permanent supportive emergency housing both existing and projected. Another note on terminology. We've had some comments about whether temporary encampments should be considered step housing, so we thought we should take the opportunity to describe the difference between step housing and temporary encampments. So STEP housing is regulated by RCW 3521-683, and it includes indoor emergency shelters, transitional housing, emergency housing, and or permanent supportive housing. So these are all structure types that are required to meet the building code and local development standards. And Bremerton completed the code amendment process to support step housing. So this is already adopted in our code that anywhere where a hotel is allowed, that you are conditionally allowed to have a indoor emergency shelter. So for instance, the Sheridan site today could apply for an indoor emergency shelter, and that is different than a temporary encampment. So a temporary encampment is governed by RCW 3521-915 and is required that jurisdictions allow religious organizations to have temporary encampments. So in those instances, temporary encampments do not need to meet building code or other local development standards. So you'll see structure types that might include tents or pallet shelters or similar. So these are buildings that don't meet the building code and they don't meet other local development standards. And that's allowed as a temporary encampment. The city of Bremerton adopted a temporary encampment code first in 2019 that goes farther than what is required by the state. The state requires that jurisdictions allow religious organizations this allowance, but the city of Bremerton extends it to any property owner. So and that is elective. Washington State Building Code Council is currently considering draft regulations for temporary emergency shelters. So shelters like Pallets or Lehi's may be regulated by the state in the future. But at this point in time, there aren't regulations guiding minimum standards for those types of triage housing. What? So moving into our existing code. So we've had updates since the code was originally adopted in 2019. There was updates in 2024 at the request of the Bremerton Housing Authority, 2025 kind of easing the permit requirements for three-year temporary encampment permits, and then our current proposal from BHA. So since 2019, the city of Bremerton has allowed for 183 day temporary encampment permit in any zone in the city. So there's requirements for outreach to police, fire, schools, child care, and the health district as part of that permitting process. That there be a neighborhood meeting, including mailed notification to properties within 500 feet. That they agree to inspections from police, fire, building, and the health district. That there be plans for security, sanitation, trash, setbacks, and screening. And they establish a code of conduct for eligibility for those that might live at that 183-day temporary encampment. So that's been in place since 2019. In 2024, BHA applied for and the city council adopted a optional three year temporary encampment permit. So this is a type two conditional permit where you can have your 183 day permit extended to three years and with the option to roll over successive three years. So if you apply for three years near the end of that term, you can apply for another three years without an end date. But there would be a requirement that with that long-term encampment, that there be social services provided on site, that those structures be composed of durable, rigid materials. Now, you can see here on the screen, a tent would be considered kind of a non-rigid material, where a rigid material might be like a pallet shelter or a lehigh type of structure. So that three-year encampment would require more rigid materials. and that you're eligible for smaller sites. So sites as small as a half acre could host this three-year encampment, but that it only be allowed in select zoning districts. And we won't go through tonight the other zoning districts that exist that were not included in that 2024 assessment. But if you'd like to look at the May 18 Planning Commission packet, there is a description of why each zone that was excluded and the purpose for that you'll see here a map of all of the zones where a three-year extended permit is conditionally allowed so all the areas that you see on the on the screen here in black those are zones that are eligible for a three-year temporary encampment and those zones include the district center core general commercial freeway corridor industrial and the puget sound industrial center So other Kitsap jurisdictions, if you're curious about where Bremerton is on these permitting versus other Kitsap jurisdictions and how do we compare. The city of Bainbridge Island permits temporary homeless encampments only on properties in conjunction with religious facility. Homeless encampments may be approved as a temporary use for a time period not to exceed 92 days. Port Orchard doesn't have specific encampment code sections, and so they're superseded by that RCW that we spoke about earlier where jurisdictions are prohibited from religious institutions having temporary encampments. The city of Poulsbo permits temporary encampments only as an accommodation for a religious exercise by a host agency. Encampments have a duration limited to 180 days with one potential 90-day extension. Kitsap County permits religious organizations, 501c3s, or other public entities to locate an encampment. Temporary encampments may be cited for 180 days in any zone, and after that 180 days, a conditional use permit can be applied for to make that a permanent encampment. So Kitsap County has more permissive standards than the City of Bremerton does currently. But the City of Bremerton would have the most permissive standards out of any of the cities within Kitsap County. So getting to the BHA proposal. So it's quite simple. BHA is requesting to have the Sheridan site identified on the map on the screen as eligible for a three-year temporary encampment permit. Their application reads literally adding the parcel number onto the code section, identifying which zones are eligible for a three-year encampment permit. So there are some considerations for that very specific ask. One is that parcel-based language wouldn't account for potential subdivisions. So if the planning commission is considering that single site adoption into the code, Different language than a parcel should be considered. If a parcel would subdivide in the future or condominiumize, that parcel number might change. So then you'd have to update the code to account for changing parcel numbers. Because if you subdivide, you'd have different numbers that are assigned. Best practice is to avoid the appearance of a parcel-based approach. So zoning codes generally apply to zoning districts. And if you have this kind of checkerboard approach where individual property by individual property, you're changing the rules, that can be confusing and kind of undermine the process of what zones are intended to do. So something to consider there. And then the comprehensive plan was adopted in June of 2025 and didn't account for this type of change. The Harrison Heights subarea plan is a countywide growth center identified in the countywide planning policies and is intended for high intensity residential and commercial uses, which don't necessarily include temporary structures that are associated with an encampment. Harrison Heights accounts for 17% of the total housing units to be constructed by the year 2044, therefore is a major center for the city's economic growth. So this the Harrison Heights sub area plan was left out of the 2024 zones that were eligible for a three year temporary encampment for that for that purpose is because Harrison Heights and the downtown sub area plan in particular are plans that the city is really banking on providing intensity and growth in these two zones. So that being said, the planning commission's here to receive public comment and some potential options for the planning commission to consider. One draft revision by staff would be that you don't have the parcel identified by the number, but instead you identify the geography and it limits to this site. So for instance, allowed in all the other zones that were there previously or properties fronting Sheridan Road within the multi-use zone of the Harrison site Heights sub area plan. So there is no other property that fronts on Sheridan Road within the multi-use zone of the Harrison Heights sub area plan. So this is a way that you can avoid that parcel based number issue. where if they subdivide in the future, it will still identify the same geography without having to limit it to a parcel number. I hope that makes sense. And second of all is to make it more district wide in its approach rather than a singular property. The code could potentially be revised that a temporary three year encampment would be permitted in the multi-use zone of the Harrison Heights sub area plan. We think that functionally this is the same. There's only one temporary encampment allowed in the city at one time. And so limiting the site, whether it's based off of the Sheridan Road geography or the multi-use zone of the Harrison Heights subarea plan, still results in one temporary encampment. So they're functionally very similar. Or the third option is after hearing public testimony and considering impacts to the city, the Planning Commission could recommend no code change to the City Council. So that is the same for any proposal that's brought to the Planning Commission for zoning code amendments. We go through the public process and the Planning Commission makes a recommendation of approval or denial to the City Council. We have received a number of public comments listing both the advantages and potential concerns of the proposal. Proposal, some advantages that were noted were that the community needs housing, that this proposal isn't happening in a vacuum for no reason. This is a housing type that's maybe needed by the city of Bremerton. It might be our humanitarian duty to provide this housing type in the city of Bremerton. There was one comment that said that it is unlikely to increase crime based off of their experience living next to a similar type of encampment. That housing options should be accessible to all socioeconomic groups. And then potential concerns that there's been a lack of transparency for the site and potential incorrect use of terminology. That concerns that it would be temporary when it actually could end up being a permanent encampment. That there's concerns for potential spot zoning. That this could disrupt the long range planning efforts for the geographic area. That there's a school that is adjacent. That resident screening of the population crime and impacts to neighbors should be considered. That Bremerton has a disproportionate share of these types of facilities in Kitsap County. And then one comment on the Salvation Army closure. So we did have a comment that claimed that the Salvation Army might be closing. We have confirmed with the Salvation Army that they will not be closing. This is incorrect. So if there's any misinformation that the Salvation Army might be closing, the Salvation Army won't be closing. There is the temporary emergency shelter that is in need of funding and may close, but not the Salvation Army location in general. So our director reached out to correct the record there, and we let BHA know that that was the case. Once again, the purpose of this meeting is to prepare for a future workshop. Planning commissioners should review BHA's code amendment application materials and receive public testimony. No formal decision or recommendation is required at this meeting. The information is being presented to ensure transparency and early public participation regarding a proposed amendment to the city's land use and zoning regulations.

Thank you, Mr. Jackson. Is there a representative for Bremerton Housing Authority that would now like to provide any additional information?

You should be able to.

OK, how about now? OK. Yes, thank you first of all for volunteering to be on this committee and for considering this request and thank you to the city staff who have put their time and effort into this as well and also to all the people here tonight. BOTH IN OPPOSITION AND SUPPORT OF THE SHELTER. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW AT THE CITY COUNCIL'S REQUEST BHA AND OUR PARTNERS SPENT MONTHS LITERALLY MONTHS TRYING TO FIND A PROPERTY AND THAT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS. THERE IS NO PERFECT SITE FOR WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING. But the Sheridan site has many aspects that are crucial to this type of shelter. So we very much ask that you consider a recommendation to approve this request. But I also have another request. Although, as Garrett has said, the purpose of this workshop is to prepare FOR A SECOND WORKSHOP, AND THAT IS WHAT THE CITY IS RECOMMENDING, WHICH WOULD HAPPEN IN ANOTHER MONTH. YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DO THAT. THERE ARE MANY GOOD REASONS TO DO THAT, BUT YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO. AND I'M ASKING THAT YOU MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT STEP WITHOUT DOING THAT. THE REASON FOR MY REQUEST IS THAT WE ARE IN AN URGENT SITUATION. where we need to spend the county and the city funding before the end of the year. Holding another workshop will delay this process by another month. And I know that there's opinions out there that BHA should have or could have acted earlier. However, we only closed on this property in November of 2025 after months, as I said earlier, of trying to find a property and negotiate the purchase. Since then, we've been struggling to figure out what is allowed, what is not allowed, what can be changed, what cannot be changed, what the city council and the city leadership supports or don't support, and it's been a very confusing and difficult process. We've literally worked tirelessly to try to figure out what the next steps are. For example, we thought we were doing the right thing by asking for a general code change rather than a site-specific code change to avoid things like optics of spot zoning, only to find out later that's not what would be supported, so we had to change it to a site-specific request, another delay. Although we've worked hard to get to the point where we are now and have already overcome significant challenges, we are running out of time as a city to spend this money. Not only do we need to get this time-limited change, the zoning code change, but we also have to complete the permitting process, which can be lengthy. Please keep in mind that the proposed use for a 30-unit temporary tiny home shelter with 24-7 security and on-site services is already allowed on the property. our request is to is only to extend the period of use as it would make no sense to spend the the millions of dollars literally on a six-month solution we understand that there's people opposed to it we understand that you received seven letters but i also just want to remind everybody that we have well over hundreds of people living in homelessness in bremerton every night OUR PROPOSED PROJECT CAN GET AT LEAST 30 OF THEM OFF THE STREET OR OUT OF THE SALVATION ARMY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY INTO A PATH OUT OF HOMELESSNESS. THERE'S ALSO NUMEROUS SUPPORTERS OF THE SHELTER AND NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS NEEDED, MULTIPLE PARTNERS THAT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS NEEDED TO HELP PEOPLE GET OUT OF HOMELESSNESS. Our proposal is consistent with the comprehensive plan, particularly policy H2E, which calls on the city to support efforts to provide for a variety of housing options, such as emergency group housing, homeless shelters, and a short-term housing to meet the needs of those in lower income categories. Other relevant comp plan policies are referenced in our application. The comp plan housing appendix says that there's capacity for over 1,000 emergency shelter beds in Harrison Heights. Right now there are none. Providing these beds furthers the goal of the comp plan to provide adequate emergency shelter. WE LITERALLY ARE TRYING OUR BEST TO JUMP THROUGH EVERY HOOP TO DODGE EVERY BALL THAT IS THROWN AT US TO TRY TO STOP THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHELTER WHICH WAS REQUESTED OF US BY THE CITY COUNCIL. BUT WE NEED THE CITY'S HELP. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD BUT WE NEED TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE ARE NOT SURE WE CAN. SPEND THE CITY'S MONEY IF THE CITY DOES NOT HELP US TO GET THROUGH THE TIME LIMIT ZONING CODE CHANGE AND THE PERMITTING PROCESS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WITH THE CITY'S HELP, WE CAN BUILD THE SHELTER QUICKLY. WITHOUT THE CITY'S COOPERATION, I AM ACTUALLY LOSING HOPE. AND IT'S NOT ME, THIS ISN'T ABOUT CHILL, THIS ISN'T ABOUT BHA, IT'S NOT ABOUT OUR PARTNERS. It's not hurting us. It's the people who are homeless. It's our community that's enduring the pain and the consequences of homelessness all around us because we don't have the courage to act and to try something different, something that has not been done before in our community. So thank you.

Thank you for that. Does anybody in the public have comments for us tonight? We ask that you state your name for the record and please limit your comments to three minutes or less. A timer system will be used so that everyone is treated equally. Please come up to the podium and wait to be recognized. If you were on Zoom, please, just one moment. If you were on Zoom, please raise your hand and wait to be recognized. With that, I will open the public testimony.

Chair, Commissioners, my name is Diane Manning and I'm a lifelong Bremerton resident residing in Council District 2 and I thank you for this opportunity. The applicant is requesting a significant policy change intended to enable a high intensity shelter use on a specific property in a residential neighborhood. This parcel lies within the Harrison Heights subarea plan, which was developed through a robust public process. That plan is exciting because it establishes expectations for stable residential development, walkability, and long-term reinvestment in a part of East Bremerton the city has historically overlooked. A temporary encampment functioning as a low barrier shelter is not compatible with that vision. Residents near the applicant's property share the same concerns that Bay Vista residents expressed when a congregate shelter was proposed near their neighborhood. The underlying issue is land use compatibility. If the applicant were proposing a facility comparable to Pendleton Place on Kitsap Way, I would be supportive. But a low barrier shelter with no background checks is not appropriate this close to vulnerable residents and children. I have toured a low-barrier shelter located in a commercial zone, and it was clear that placing a similar high-intensity use in a residential neighborhood would create impacts that commercial areas are designed to absorb but residential areas are not. High-intensity, 24-hour emergency shelters belong in commercial zones, not in residential neighborhoods. I also ask the commission to consider the cumulative impact of its decisions. The city has already allowed the loss of important view corridors, one of Bremerton's strongest assets. Decisions like this shape whether Bremerton remains appealing, beautiful, and enjoyable to live in, and protecting those qualities is essential to keeping our city a wonderful place to call home. When this request returns for formal action, I urge the commission to issue a firm denial. Bremerton residents deserve a planning process that upholds the Harrison Heights subarea plan's vision and protects the character and livability of their neighborhoods. Thank you.

I'M A RESIDENT OF BRUMMERTON. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT SERVING WITH THIS PROPERTY. SERVING WITH THIS PROPERTY. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS WORTHY. HOPE COME OUT OF THE STREETS I MEAN YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME NUMBERS OUR RECOVERY FOR PEOPLE COMING OFF THE STREETS IS REALLY GOOD BUT WHAT WE LACK IS RESOURCES THERE'S THIS IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS JUST LIKE ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE WE'VE DONE A LOT WE'VE DONE A LOT LIKE They've done a lot here in Bremerton. We should be so proud of that fact. And we should be so proud of the fact that we can work for all of our neighbors, not just the ones. I mean, the people that this will serve are those that are on a fixed income. that can pass background checks there's going to be background checks there's no need to fear any of these individuals that are going to utilize this property i know quite a few of them and they are really holding on to some hope here that they haven't had for a while And they've got to spend this money quickly. We need it. There's so many things that we can do and there are so many options that we have. But the way the city is right now, just standing in the way while enforcing also this anti camping ordinance. We don't see the people we can't album. It looks like the numbers we don't. It looks really pretty down there in Bremerton, but we're missing a lot of people and what's happening is they're dying. It's not that they're moving on. It's not that their tough love is working. They're literally dying. And that's hard because everyone is worthy. Everyone is worthy. I would encourage you to push this forward as much as you can. we really don't need it but like honestly there is so much hope in the city of bremerton and that's what i think we could be known for i understand i understand that there's a lot of misconceptions and a lot of fear around this and i'm happy to discuss anything with anyone at any given time and if you ever have a problem with the homeless person let me know they're just wandering around trying to survive right now and this would really be a great opportunity so thank you

Good evening, commissioners. My name is Richard. I live over in Harrison Heights. And I'm going to stand before you tonight to address a catastrophic breakdown of transparency, communication, and basic procedure due process regarding the pro spot zoning for a temporary homeless encampment in our neighborhood. As a matter of constitutional law, zoning actions require meaningful notice and an opportunity to be heard. Yet the homeowners directly adjacent to this site have received zero notice. zero communication zero transparency from either the property owners or our district council representative the reality of this communication void is let be perfectly clear the neighborhood was left entirely in the dark There has been no community meetings, no exploratory matters, and no civic outreach to find out what a major land use variance is being fast tracked through a sudden spot zoning application without consulting the people who live, work, and raise families. Here is a complete subversion of the planning process. OUR COUNCILPERSON HAS HELD NO FORMS, ANSWERED NO COMMUNITY INQUIRIES AND USED NO DISTRICT WIDE NOTIFICATIONS. WE ARE BEING ASKED TO ABSORB A COMPLEX HIGH IMPACT TEMPORARY FACILITY WITHOUT BEING GRANTED OUR LEGAL RIGHT TO EXAMINE THE APPLICATION, THE SITE MANAGEMENT PLANS OR THE PUBLIC SAFETY MIGRATIONS. The legal flow of spot zoning, furthermore, this proposal constitutes classic indefensible spot zoning, forcing a temporary emergency encampment onto a parcel by carving out an arbitrary exception violates the integrity of the Harrison Heights master plan. Spot zoning is legally indefensible when it treats a single parcel preventatively to the detriment of the surrounding community's expectations. property stability and public welfare. You cannot legally or ethnically rewrite the rules for one piece of land while ignoring the severe procedural inquiries inflicted on the entire neighborhood. Demanding the tabling. Commissioners, your role is to ensure orderly development and to safeguard the public interest through transparent legal procedures. Proceedings tonight under a total deficit to due process exposes any decision made by this body to severe legal vulnerability. BECAUSE OF THIS STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR ROBUST COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY IGNORED, THE PLANNING COMMISSION MUST TABLE THIS PROPOSAL IMMEDIATELY, SEND THIS BACK TO THE APPLICANT TO ORDER A FULL TRANSPARENT AND LEGALLY SOUND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROCESS. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WE SHOULD NOT RUSH A PLANNING JUST TO SPEND MONEY TO GET IT OFF THE TABLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT AFTERWARDS.

Hey guys, I'm Sean. I was actually born in that hospital that used to be there. I've lived right next to it, right next to your proposed site for decades. I've raised my kids there. I walk my son do arm, arm and jar every day past syringes, needles, passed out people. Lived here my whole time. I know there's a homeless problem. This is not the way to solve it. We already walked by the feces on the way to my elementary school. Then I have to walk my daughter to her middle school because she has to walk. Sorry. Your site for this, your proposal for this site is within the walking distance children are required to walk to their schools from. There's not a bus that can bus my daughter safely to her school. There's not a bus that can bus my son safely to his school. We don't let my 13 year old walk on her own because she's been accosted. She's been harassed. The hobos aren't walking around looking for stuff. They're stealing from us. They're harassing us. They're accosting us. I've been assaulted many, many times already. There's many, many things we can do to help them. Mental health might be one, but trying to throw a Band-Aid and a bunch of gas in a very bad spot right now would not be bad. Unlike Kitsap Housing Authority that bought the spot, I did my research before I invested in my community and bought my house and made sure I knew what I can and can't do there. I didn't buy my property and then come to you guys and ask you to rezone because I wanted to do something else. I just hope you guys hear from the people that live here, all of us that will be affected by this, that did our homework and bought our spots, not asking for more. Hear us, and please hear us. It's bad. Go walk to SARS. Go walk by where my children have to walk through every day, and you will not vote for this. I promise you that. That's all I have to say. I hope you hear us. Thank you.

Am I doing it for a new school? No, here you go. Okay. Good evening. My name is Benny and I'm 12 years old. I live near the area where the homeless community is being planned. I'm here because I care about my neighborhood and my school and the safety of kids like me. I understand that homeless people need help, support, and a safe place to stay. I believe we should treat everyone with kindness and respect, but I do not think placing this community near homes and a school is the right location. Every day, kids walk to school, ride bikes, wait for buses, and play outside in this area. My parents already worry about traffic and strangers near the school. Adding a large homeless camp nearby can make students and families feel less safe walking alone, especially early in the morning. There are also concerns about crime, drug use, and mental health issues that sometimes happen around homeless encampments. Even if most people would not cause problems, it only takes a few dangerous situations to put children at risk. Kids should be able to focus on learning and growing up, not worrying about whether it is safe to walk to school. I also worry about how this could affect our neighborhood parks, sidewalks, and public spaces. Families choose this area because it is quiet and close to schools. We want to protect that environment for children. I ask the city to please look for a better location that is farther away from schools and neighborhoods with many young children. We could support homeless people while also protecting students and families. Both things are important. Please think carefully about the safety of kids like me when making this decision. Thank you for listening to my speech.

Hello, my name is Brie Medley. I am a community member. I've also been involved in helping discuss the homeless shelter, whether it be a hybrid or the pallet shelter for the past few years with community partners. I'd like to thank you all for the opportunity to speak tonight, as well as allow everybody to provide their input and feedback. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE ZONING CODE AMENDMENT BEFORE YOU TODAY DOES NOT APPROVE DEVELOPMENT ON ANY SPECIFIC SITE NOR DOES IT AUTHORIZE CONSTRUCTION OR OPERATION OF AN EXTENDED ENCAMPMENT. RATHER IT EXPANDS THE RANGE OF LOCATIONS WHERE SUCH A PROPOSAL COULD BE USED OR CONSIDERED IN THE FUTURE. UNDER THE CITY'S CURRENT CODE, TEMPORARY ENCAMPMENTS CAN ALREADY BE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY ANYWHERE HOTELS ARE ALLOWED. including throughout Harrison Heights. On a five acre parcel, a traditional temporary encampment could potentially house and accommodate hundreds of tents. The extended duration encampment model contemplated by this amendment is fundamentally different than your standard encampment. These communities are intentionally smaller in scale and designed to be compatible with surrounding neighborhoods. They incorporate full-time security, on-site social services, including mental health as well as substance abuse care. case management, and a structured pathway that helps residents move towards permanent housing and long-term stability. Importantly, any future development proposal would still require approval through a type two conditional permit process. This process includes public noticing, community outreach and engagement, operational review, site-specific analysis, and evaluation of security management and development standards. all details regarding the proposed operation would be publicly available and subject to review before any approval could be granted over the past year the community partners have worked diligently to educate the public and policy makers about the shelter model while collaborating with the city and elective officials to address the questions and concerns throughout this process the partners have continued to evaluate available properties navigate changing priorities and adapt to the policy direction and IN AN EFFORT TO ADVANCE MEANINGFUL SHELTER SOLUTIONS IN AN EFFORT TO ADVANCE MEANINGFUL SHELTER SOLUTIONS FOR THOSE SUPPORTING OR FOR THOSE SUPPORTING OR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THE DEVELOPMENTS ENVISIONED UNDER THE DEVELOPMENTS ENVISIONED UNDER THIS FRAMEWORK ARE GROUNDED IN THIS FRAMEWORK ARE GROUNDED IN DIGNITY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND DIGNITY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMUNITY INTEGRATION. COMMUNITY INTEGRATION. THE QUESTION BEFORE THE COMMISSION THE QUESTION BEFORE THE COMMISSION TONIGHT IS NOT WHETHER A TONIGHT IS NOT WHETHER A SPECIFIC PROJECT SHOULD BE SPECIFIC PROJECT SHOULD BE housing planning goals and appropriate response to the urgent challenges facing our unhoused neighbors and the broader community. Thank you.

My name is Jeffrey Pickler. I live about four or five blocks from your proposed site. My question, I guess, really is like, I'm hearing everybody talking about the housing stuff, but nobody's addressing the root problem. These people, the majority of them either have a mental problem or they have a drug problem. Building them houses, a little temporary house, whatever it may be, is not going to solve a problem because you don't even address a problem. I mean, I have people in my neighborhood that just the other day, my wife is walking to her job at the school, there's a man naked running down our road. There's another guy that's consistently walking down the streets, half the time he's naked, half the time he's not, he's beating himself in the head and stuff. This man obviously has mental problems. He should be addressed through Kitsap Mental Health. And where are they? I used to work and do a lot of work for them. I've seen them abandon their people. Once they get them into housing, oh yeah, they're going to have all this counseling and everything they're on site for them. They don't even do it for the people they have now. And we're expected to believe they're going to have this? No. And the thing is, you already addressed that this temporary housing could become permanent. You know, just keep it going, keep it rolling, keep it rolling, year after, every three years, and there you go. And then we're talking about the Bremerton Housing Authority. Yeah, I understand that there's need for low-income housing. I provide it. I have rentals that I provide. And guess what? Bremerton Housing Authority offers me no assistance when I have a problem. They say, oh, that's your problem. So I tell you what, I am no longer going to be that person providing low-income houses because the very people that are supposed to be there helping facilitate this stuff will not offer those that try to help out any kind of help. and yet now all of a sudden everything's going to be wonderful and they're going to do all these things for these people? These people need help, not housing. They need drug places. They need mental health facilities, not some place where they can go do their drugs and everything else and then die inside them. And then once they do enough drugs, they become a hazmat place. You guys have to tear them all down, and then you're going to start all over and spend millions more. It's a cycle that has been repeated through King County, Pierce County, Snohomish County, and it's just going to go on and on and on until you actually address the root problem. Mental and drug problems. And they need help in those fashions.

Good evening, commissioners. My name is Janice Allison, and I live one block from the proposed Sheridan site. Over the past nine months, since first learning about the proposed low barrier hybrid shelter, I have worked to understand homelessness issues, not only in Bremerton, but in communities across the country. I have attended city council, planning commission, and Bremerton Housing Authority meetings to become informed and engaged in this process. During my research, I learned that in 2023, a site in the Oyster Bay area was presented to the community. What stood out to me was that that neighborhood received direct notification from both the Bremerton Housing Authority and the city, along with the community meetings for concerned residents. Even people who work closely with individuals experiencing homelessness expressed concern that the Oyster Bay location was too close to homes, schools, and businesses. The nearest school to that site was one mile away. Yet the Sheridan site is even closer to households, senior living communities, and an elementary school directly across the street. By contrast, the Sheraton neighborhood did not receive the same level of transparency, communication, or outreach. Many residents learned about this project only after major discussions and planning were already underway. The Bremerton Housing Authority purchased that property knowing the type of shelter it intended and still intends to pursue would not comply with the existing zoning regulations, rather than selecting a site already zoned for such a project. It is now seeking to change that zoning text itself. At the same time, the housing authority has continued purchasing parcels of land, buildings, apartment complexes throughout the city. In their own words, they are banking land. The application repeatedly claims the urgency exists because the Salvation Shelter is closing. That assertion has been used as justification even back in 2023, and yet that claim is false. this is the wrong solution for both this neighborhood and the city of bermerton ultimately the zoning amendment will not provide meaningful solutions for the vulnerable people this project is intended to help it would simply relocate them out of the downtown bremerton area i respectfully urge the planning commission to recommend that the city council deny the proposed zoning text amendment thank you

Good evening planning commissioners. My name is Marvin Randall. I'm 76 years old and I lived on Hemlock Street since before Bremerton even had zip codes.

Do I look that old? Okay, thanks.

My father purchased the family home in 54 when I was a young child and I bought it from him in 1975. I believe I am the longest current resident living closest to this proposed wall tent homeless shelter. just as stones throw away in my younger days. I'm here tonight because I deeply care about this neighborhood and the people who live here. I also care about the unfortunate homeless people. I have a nephew and his wife, and I pray for them every day. I pray they get help out of this situation. The key is the word out. You can't get out by just getting a home and some food, a tent. Directly across the street from this proposed site is View Ridge Arts Academy on the old high school football field. More than 400 students attend daily Arm and Charge Elementary School also, 400 students each, less than 1,500 feet away. Legion Field School District property is 475 feet straight across the street. These fields are actively used by students, youth sports teams, and local families. The Boys and Girls Club and East Bremerton Gym are both 1,500 feet away and they serve children, teens, community members every single day. Less than a half mile Our multiple senior living facilities going Canterbury Manor, Bridgeview Senior Care, Vineyard Park Senior Living. These are elderly residents who deserve peace and security in their later years. There's also at least 14 single family homes and duplex directly bordering this site. These are not empty lots. These are families. These are taxpayers. These are longtime residents who invested their lives into this community. Within a few blocks are restaurants, businesses, community services that depend on customers feeling safe. Even our Kitsap Main Library is less than eight-tenths of a mile and serves 480 daily users. It's not an isolated industrial area. It's a center of an active residential and family community. I respectfully ask the Planning Commission to seriously consider the long-term impact this proposal may have on a neighborhood quality of life of East Bremerton. Thank you for your time.

After you, please.

Commissioners, thank you for your service to our city. I'm Sally Haas, a property owner and developer in Harrison Heights. My location puts me at ground zero for the proposed tent encampments. National data conservatively estimates that this kind of shelter will immediately decrease the value of my property by over $75,000. But more importantly than that, I am a former refugee from homeless services located by my residence in Tacoma. I've already experienced property crime and numerous car break-ins. I've already experienced factoring in personal caution measures into my daily movements and what it's like to live with fear. That is why I'm here tonight, to ask that as you prepare your recommendations for City Council, you view this proposal through the lens of basic fairness. As Garrett said, Bremerton has the lowest per capita income regionally, yet we shoulder over 50% of the homeless and mental health services. A low barrier shelter and tent encampments should not be focused on Bremerton. This is a regional issue that must be addressed by Kitsap County. The Sheridan neighborhood feels profoundly exhausted and pushed aside, yet we are asked to bear a highly disproportionate risk to our very safety. We're asking for equity and careful evaluation of a rushed process that has severely damaged public trust and been traumatizing to this community. Over the last seven months, we've watched this proposal change from a hybrid shelter to a tiny village and now tent encampments without any meetings with the adjacent neighbors, zero communications to us, zero outreach. This does not demonstrate that BHA operates with either integrity and transparency. And now they're asking to rush the process further. Let me be clear about what we are for. We deeply care about the individuals that are suffering from homelessness, and we want real solutions that lead them to a path of life stability and recovery, not a dead-end path of warehousing and neglect. We openly welcome and embrace affordable long-term housing, specifically for families and the elderly. True stewardship requires permanent, legally sound solutions, not rushed temporary fixes. As you consider your recommendation next month, please protect the integrity of the comprehensive plan and the safety of our neighborhood. Thank you.

Hello, everybody. My name is Joseph Crane. I'm the executive director at St. Vincent de Paul here in Bremerton. I'm also co-author of the ops plan for the proposed housing focus shelter that's going to be placed there on Sheridan. It's comprehensive. It's comes with a lot of research and intentionality around this housing type. It's just navigating the zonings and what we know as dwelling types and how we're going to fit that into this parcel, which are extremely scarce, which I personally know. Over the last three years, we've been traipsing all over this county looking for parcels that we could build this very intentional, comprehensive, shelter that does not exist anywhere in Kitsap County. This is a very special housing focused model that is was earlier on described as a hybrid because it ushers in two of those step types housing rapidly in one location so we could allow or prepare for upward mobility for these folks because they're not designated to stay there. They're designated to find permanent and sustainable solutions with a housing type that makes sense for them. In terms of fairness, the housing right down here, was it not fair for them that these folks aren't taken care of right down here on MLK and 6th? Salvation Army has put mats on the floor at night. They're not a purpose-built shelter. They literally put mats down on the floor at night to take care of these folks. We do not have this shelter type here in Kitsap County. I've done no fewer than 12, 12 informational sessions throughout this entire city. I was invited by those area city council reps. I am very happy and excited to finally do one in District 2 when I'm invited to provide that education to the community. We've literally done no fewer than 12 that describe the actual model and explains that we're not relocating what anybody's seeing downtown. Why would anybody do that? Why would we relocate what people are seeing downtown in a dysfunctional way and just plop them somewhere without a programmatic situation or solution that has dwelling types that match? Our intent is to get these folks housed before the winter. The funding component of this just is a complexity, but the primary focus is to get these folks housed before it snows again. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Debbie Smith, and like many in this community, I support efforts to help those experiencing homelessness. However, I would like to address the potential impact of this latest proposal on property values and future investment in our area. The Sheridan Road site is surrounded by hundreds of family homes, schools, businesses, homeowners who have invested their life savings and paid property taxes with the reasonable expectation that the city would uphold its zoning standards and safeguard our neighborhoods. Speaking honestly, if presented with two identical homes or businesses it is reasonable to assume that most buyers would place a lower value on the home located near a large encampment shelter. One of the most widely cited studies on this issue was conducted by the New York City Independent Budget Office in 2019. They found evidence that homes located within 500 feet of an adult homeless shelter sold for approximately 7% less. Whether those exact figures would apply here is unknown, but it could potentially mean tens of thousands of dollars in lost equity to the nearby homeowners, as well as revenue to the city with lowered property taxes. HOMEBUILDERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND PROPERTY INVESTORS RELY ON PREDICTABLE LAND USE POLICIES WHEN DECIDING WHERE THEY WANT TO INVEST THEIR MONEY. WHEN ZONING RULES ARE CHANGED TO ALLOW UNEXPECTED USE, IT DAMAGES THE PUBLIC TRUST, WHICH I THINK YOU'VE SEEN TONIGHT, AND CREATES UNCERTAINTY, WHICH CAN SEND INVESTMENT DOLLARS ELSEWHERE. BEFORE CHANGING THE CODE, THE CITY SHOULD FULLY EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS ON PROPERTY VALUES AND NEIGHBORHOOD STABILITY. we should not move forward with the proposal that may place past investments as well as future investments at risk given all of this i strongly implore the planning commission to recommend option three no code changes thank you for your time and also for your service to our community

Hi there. I'm Everett Allison. I live in District 2. I wasn't really planning on speaking tonight, but Joe and Jill, who don't live in Bremerton, kind of got me feeling a little worked up here. Now, if you want to know how this homeless thing is going to work out, it's really easy. This is not unique. what your plan is. Your plan is to put a tent city down there. If you want to know how tent cities work, go to Tacoma, go to Seattle, go look around. They're all over the place. And with that, and I'm not sure why we put that we don't, we're not that concerned about crime, because everybody knows. If we think about what we're doing, What happens in a neighborhood when this kind of thing happens in there, when we start putting up tent cities, it is crime. It's drugs. There's prostitution. I'm looking around to see if there's any kids left in here. So the other day, there's a guy jacking off over in front of Fred Meyer. There's a guy taking his pants off down at the ferry terminal. So now you put this in a place where the property abuts homes. So my grant, my son, Granddaughter and my grandson live right down on a piece of property that abuts this. That's a sad thing. It's fraught with all kinds of problems. I think we need to look at what's right, and since we're banking land, Jill, you guys just bought a big chunk of property over off Fusion Road? Is it up behind... Lowe's. Anyway, so you guys bought that and it's right by, you have a kids at mental health there. You have urgent care there. It's away from homes. It seems to me you take a little bit of money, put it into that and you could turn it into the shelter that you need. But give those people a place that's comfortable and not a wooden tent. Could you imagine being in a wooden tent today? What that would have been like? They're not going to stay there. They're going to be out in the neighborhood. That's what's going to happen. We all know it. Think about what we're doing. Make the right decision. Say no. Remember the old commercial. Just say no. All right. Thanks.

Hi, I'm Paula, and I live by Lyons Park. I want to draw a visual for you. I walk the dog. People bring volleyball nets. They play. Both the baseball fields are used by kids and adults. The families are walking with the strollers. The old people are being pushed in the wheelchairs. This is very close to our treasure of Bremerton. We have a very large family in Seattle, and I hear from these families that they cannot take their children to the park because of needles, because of other obscene things going on. I ask you to please not turn Bremerton into Seattle.

Hey, everybody. My name is Tony Ives. I'm the executive director for KCR, Kitsap Community Resources. Thank everybody here. Garrett, I really thank you and everybody here that volunteers your time. So just a brief history. We started this a long time ago back in 2023 with the city and with the help of the county and a lot of folks. So just to talk about some of that history, the point in time count, for example, you know, we all know that it's an undercount, right? Back in 2023, we did have extensive public commentary. We did have a unanimous city council vote. And what we're trying to do is do this all together, not do it independently, but trying to do it together. We have some we've had some missteps and some of it we try to be transparent as possible. And and then as soon as we were things changed. fell apart so we we had to wait we had to wait until we actually secured a property so garrett i appreciate what you you showed the slides you missed the sequester valley the nine units is great you missed the mills crossing though okay so that was 25 units of uh psh no it wasn't up there okay i just want to say it we're all working together So the site search that we did, we looked at many different sites. It was hard. We haven't been just sitting around. We've been working very hard to try to do this. Even the Sheridan site, once we identified it, it took nine months to actually finish this. And we couldn't actually talk about that. I just want to make sure everybody knew that. especially the neighbors. It's not something that we did intentionally. We've learned a lot of lessons, okay? So our partners, we have a lot of partners. Washington State Finance Commission, Salvation Army, always, right? We appreciate Captain Lance and Dana They're just super cool, and they're here to support the community. They've stepped up when nobody else did, right? We have legislative help. I want to talk about the Washington State Department of Health. So they identified Kitsap County and Whatcom County, specifically KCR, to help do a three-year test project, right? They've committed to help fund this project, right? Fund beds, not necessarily this project, but beds to do an experimental project to track data, how we can integrate health care, mental health care, and unhoused populations. We're working on this right now. We're proud of this. People see Kitsap County. They see us as collaborators working together, and it's a cool thing. All I have to say is I just want to dispel the myths. This isn't a tent city. I'm not even sure where that came from, all right? The myth of budgets, we have money in our pockets right now. We have the pallet shelter. We have a plan. Just give us time to do it, and we could do the... The easy thing or do the right thing and that's what we're trying to do. All right, I appreciate you guys I really do you guys know it so

My name is Kara Flanagan, and I work at View Ridge Elementary School. And I have been walking to work and seen a naked man doing the jerking motions of being under the influence. It's the craziest motions. I've seen them too many times here in Bremerton. I have also, a year ago, I was walking early in the morning in the winter and this shirtless guy was walking down the street with a huge bolt cutter sticking right out of his backpack in my neighborhood also. I have had many relatives that are addicted close relatives that are addicted to meth fentanyl heroin and what i have found over my 64 years is that they have been enabled almost the entire way in their in their drug journey And that once they were not enabled anymore, because they burned up all their bridges through stealing to support their drug habits, that once they were not enabled anymore and they were homeless, And I have one niece in particular. She ended up burglarizing a house with her boyfriend to support their drug habit. Went to jail, served time in jail, and said, oh, this isn't fun. I finally had a consequence to my drug addiction. She got out, she got clean, and she owns her own business because people stopped enabling her. Another thing I've noticed with my relatives that are addicts, I'm not talking mentally ill, I'm talking addicts, is that they were so enabled most of their life that they feel entitled. They're entitled now. They're entitled to the housing. They shouldn't have to work for it. They're entitled to it. This is wrong. You are contributing to the problem. This should not move forward. That's all I have to say.

Hi, my name is Rima Schult. I live in Bremerton and I own a business here and I don't have a pre-made document with my comments. I just wrote some notes here because I want to bring it back to first. Thank you for your volunteerism. I really appreciate that. And thank you to the city staff for being here in the evening. I appreciate that also. I want to bring it back to Mr. Jackson's presentation because a lot of what we've heard tonight is criminalizing the poor and a lot of heartlessness regarding our neighbors. And we really need to be talking about the policy decisions that are on the table. We're not talking about whether or not we need a shelter. We're talking about whether or not it should be south of Sheridan. Because right now, the temporary encampments are allowed all the way on Wheaton, all the way down to Sheridan. So is it across the street or not? And those elementary schools existed there before the, or like while that decision was made on where a temporary encampment should go. So I know that it's easy to say the children, but we already knew that those schools were there when temporary encampments were allowed there. My son goes to Armijar and I will be proud to show him what compassion looks like for neighbors and how we can step up and support each other when we have hard times. I'm not concerned about many of the things that we've heard tonight because I think that those things will actually be reduced when we provide services to our neighbors. There was also some comments about property values. I think that that is interesting that we're putting property values in front of people. That's not what Bremertonians want to do. That's not what we stand for. And property values across the city will not go up as long as downtown and a lot of outskirts part of Bremerton are... overwhelmed with homeless issues. So neighbors in this room, I appreciate you being here and speaking up for yourself. I really do. But a lot of the opinions that were shared tonight are inaccurate and have nothing to do with whether or not the Sheridan site should be included in the temporary encampment or not, because that's really should it be south of Sheridan OR NOT? THAT'S REALLY THE QUESTION. AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE NONPROFIT PARTNERS IN BUILDING THE SOLUTION THAT WE'VE ASKED THEM TO DO. THE CITY COUNCIL AS WAS SAID EARLIER ASKED THE NONPROFIT PARTNERS TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. THEY ARE DOING THEIR VERY BEST. THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS. doing their best, and we need to support them with policy as often as, you know, however we can. And this small change to move the shelter along will change Bremerton for the best. Thank you for volunteering and thank you for listening. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Helen Havens. I live in Bremerton, in West Bremerton. I'll try, yes. I live in West Bremerton. I am a community member and retired from working in schools and working with people who need medical help they can't afford and also working at KMH with adults who had mental health problems and addiction. And I've watched them find their feet with some of the supports they need. And I'm sorry, I want to thank you all for this opportunity to talk and thank you for the work that you do. Housing people is the first step toward community health. I live in West Bremerton near St. Vincent de Paul. I'm really excited to watch their project take shape. It's going to be two blocks away from my home, and I'm so glad that people are going to be getting what they need there. I meet many people who are living without housing in my neighborhood, in the supermarket parking lot, in grassy areas under trees. They run the gamut in their life experiences. I talk to them when I can. What they share is lack of shelter. access to water, heat if they need it, or cooling on days like this. I can't imagine what it would have been like to be out in this weather with no shelter. This is a zoning change that will allow for this possibility in many places. It's not just a special neighborhood that the neighbors are here to protect. This process is which the opponents call rushed, is crawling for the homeless and their friends and advocates. I'm not blaming anyone. It's a difficult process, clearly a contentious process. And I think everyone is working hard on it. This type of shelter is a palpable and careful step toward housing more of these people who are struggling for basics every day. There are children and vulnerable seniors. I'm almost 80. all over our city. I'm a grandparent of six children who live in Bremerton. We need to work toward making sure that we're all housed and we all deserve basic humanity. Please say yes. I urge you to change this zoning. Thank you.

So hi, Jane Miller. And I live in West Bremerton. And I've been a volunteer in the social service nonprofit. Oh, I've been a volunteer in social service nonprofit most recently for a number of years with Coffee Oasis. So with Coffee Oasis, you have accountability. No drugs, no sex trafficking, no guns. So I just want to make that comment. And I think that they operate on a shoestring budget with a lot of donations, and I think they do a great job. Another comment is community partners. I'm familiar, and I think they do a great job.

But this here.

So, having also lived in 40 years in Kitsap County from the north to the south, we don't need to create a big community down here. We need to have a shelter on Bainbridge, Poulsville, Kingston, and here.

We need to have small little models. Not a huge mega down here.

So that's mainly my input. So I just want to check my notes here, see if I had any. So that was my point about we have hotels in each of those cities, so there should be. Oh, I know another one. So the Burmerton taxpayers, you know, we have so many churches and nonprofits here, you know, they're all going to bear the burden of this new little community and i can tell you exactly what's going to happen kitsap transit every little community and i've seen it we don't have a shelter let's send them all down to bermudan oh yeah they've got churches they've got services so Anyway, I just want to end to say we need housing for these people. We need housing for single parents with children, and they need to be in a safe space, not low barrier. Senior citizens, disabled, veterans. So sorry, everything's kind of disjointed, but those are just my thoughts. Thank you.

Hello. My name is Robin Weldon. I'm Friends of Smith Cove. I'm with Rock the Block. There is an amazing amount of homeless advocates that are working on the ground and have been coming to the council for years to talk about public bathrooms and to talk about how the anti-camping ordinance is harming people rather than helping them. They're moving them along. And in 2024, December 2024, the city council voted They had a full chamber of people behind them that wanted the option, the BHA wraparound services hybrid shelter and transitional housing option. I've been to many of the meetings that were open and right when Right when they were able to purchase the land, that is when the council and this planning commission gagged us, gagged the homeless advocates and concerned citizens. They isolated us from each other. We were not able to participate. And there was just like an information, you know, misinformation campaign that went on that was... solely trying to sabotage that vote. That vote of ARPA funding by the US Treasury, COVID money, $1.1 million, it will be lost at the end of this year if we do not do something quickly, if you do not vote urgently for them to be able to get that money so they can start building. They need to be permitted right away. And Washington laws, those laws that are on that sign, Trump, actually any policy, ordinance, or code that local communities actually come up with, we have to supply, transitional housing, is supposed to be available in any place where dwellings and hotels are able to be. It wasn't supposed to be this. They just had to jump through hoops because they were not able to get, you know, your support. Where originally, The council actually did vote to support it. And then right after that, like three months after that, Denise Frey starts to go to Andrea Spencer. We have her emails. By the way, we collect public records. We have an evidence trail of public records on Friends of Smith Tove in Evergreen Park YouTube channel. We have a bit.ly link there, too.

Jose Camacho, Francis Smith Cove, rock the block. I'm a bit of a weirdo because I have been homeless and I have functioned as a paralegal in law firms, including municipal liability. The city hasn't known what to do with me. But what I do, what I base almost everything on, is very dweeby, is very boring. It's actually why I'm even here. why I even tried to become engaged in Bremerton, because there is a perverse failure of law here in Essex. We have a city attorney completely inert and will allow misrepresentations of law to occur. The Fair Housing Act, will say that if there is a disparity in how housing policy is deployed in the city, it's a wrong. It will actually inure to a punitive damages award One of the things that I've done in Bremerton is caught Garrett, Andrew Spencer, and the planners of DCD rigging a $57 million project, the Evergreen Point. This is literally what I do for a living. They've been busted. Their project has been delayed for two and a half years while they try to rig it further. So they have spent years from 2019 to now rigging it and covering it up. So you compare that to the current sabotage of this shelter, and that's a massive disparity. And the planners, unfortunately, and the city attorneys are at the heart of it, and that's a tragedy for all of us. The other thing is we literally have Denise Fry's emails to Andra Spencer three months after voting for the shelter. That's your council person. She voted for it. She obligated ARPA funding to that project. On the record, you can see it on film, So she emailed Andrea, and you can see she is sabotaging the shelter. Why? Because it's what the developers want. The same developer that got the Evergreen Point rigged, they want as much property in that region as they can get their hands on. So I understand your feelings. I've been there. I've become an expert on spot zoning. Jose Camacho, contact me. I'll tell you about spot zoning. I live next to the Evergreen Point, so it's a rig. So I understand your feelings of frustration because you've been misled on the law. You really have been. So we have the emails, it's collusion, there's massive corruption in the city, and this shelter sabotage is part of it, very unfortunately for everyone.

Is there anybody else for public testimony? Anybody online?

We do have someone online. I will allow them to speak now.

Hi, thank you. Can you hear me?

Yes, we can.

Thank you. My name is Jeff Coughlin, Bremerton District 3. I first want to thank all of you planning commissioners for your service as volunteer citizens, and especially for tonight on what I personally very much know is a difficult subject. But I want to say that this proposal fits Bremerton's progress. We as a city have consistently led on this. We extended housing beyond religious facilities. We created a three-year permit process in 2024, and we eased that process in 2025. We've done this for a big chunk of the city. This is one more parcel. For the record, while I was on city council, Mr. Jackson personally told me individual parcels could be added. That's the understanding I was working from while I was on council. And the individual parcel, I think, should work just fine here. That said, if the commission wants to recommend extending eligibility to the whole multi-use zone of Harrison Heights, I say kudos because this fits the comp plan. Harrison Heights is slated for the most intense housing growth in the city, double the other three district centers combined. This small amount of transitional housing belongs there too. The corner location is an asset. Sheridan Road frontage means better access to transit so nobody's going into neighborhoods, easier screening and setbacks, and less intrusion into an interior neighborhood than a landlocked lot. It's a very large lot. This is large. And the community partners have gone above and beyond to develop screening, security, and address concerns about impact. As well, this lot is on the very corner of the Harrison Heights area, which itself is somewhat arbitrary boundaries. This lot has sat vacant for so long. There's been no serious interest or use as condos or apartments or anything else. This lot is literally adjacent to land that already has the required amendments enacted of what's being asked for tonight. Adding it is a very minor zoning update. And I agree with other commenters. Council has already pointed this way. There is a standing resolution supporting the community partners, and BHA is a city's own housing authority, the definitional partner. The public's been aware of this parcel via numerous kits ups on articles, council discussions, social media, and outreach by the community partners for a long time. Now, as folks have described, the folks have described so many issues that comes with unsheltered homelessness, and those issues are real. I agree. I live downtown. I see the effects of unsheltered homelessness with folks in tents on sidewalks. And I want to say that the majority don't cause any issues aside from some trash. But yes, we have to acknowledge there are some folks who do. Folks who refuse shelter and resources when they are available, who cause problems, commit crimes. Absolutely, those people should be held accountable. And so should those who have shelter and commit awful crimes. Some of the things described by folks tonight, like public indecency, theft and assault. Yes, anyone who does that, regardless of their housing status, should be held accountable. i want to say if folks are so worried about so many unsheltered here in bremerton the reason we have so many is because we're the largest city in the county and we have no supportive shelter salvation army is a temporary shelter without on-site services and that as an overnight shelter absolutely will close soon and when it does and if we have no permanent shelter you'll see far more unsheltered all throughout the city the oyster bay proposal two years ago that would have had the city go it alone did not coordinate with the experts and not provide for on-site services and that's why this is different The proposed shelter that tonight's code amendment would allow will have supportive services. It is absolutely not a tenant encampment. That is a lie. Read the documentation. This is a modest size shelter. Excuse me, that's your three minutes. With security fencing. Excuse me. Please make sure my shelter in Bremerton.

Is there anybody else queued up for public testimony?

No one else online.

Okay. I now close public testimony. As mentioned previously, this workshop item is limited to taking public comment, so we will not be deliberating any more about this tonight. Are there any clarifying questions on the material presented tonight from Planning Commission?

I do think a number of issues and questions remain about what is happening here. And so I would like to ask if we can have a presentation from the Bremerton Housing Authority in the next workshop to address the comments that have been brought up in today's meeting and in written form. I think that it would be helpful to everyone in this room if we had some clarity on what is going on. I think that we've heard many different versions and I'd like to understand from Bremerton Housing Authority what the plan is and what has been done and how they're planning to address some of the issues that have been brought up today.

does anybody else excuse me do any other commissioners have any questions OK. The public portion of the meeting is now closed. Now on to the business meeting. Chair report. I'm not the chair. I'm vice chair. I don't have a report. Does anybody else have anything to report? Director's report. Andrea. Andrea Spencer.

A new business? OK.

I just want to express my gratitude to Garrett and the team for my absence this year. You understand the situation I was in and I do appreciate all the things everybody here at this table has been doing in my absence while I had to focus on other things. And then on a more positive note, I'll point you to your email. This afternoon you received something from Kelly, but it's on behalf of our CDBG block grant administrator. We need a delegate from the planning commission to serve on the CDBG project review committee to review all the applications that we receive. And we'd love it if one of you would step forward to do that for us. And details of the demands and what it looks like and Sarah can answer questions. So take a look at your email. We're hoping to have that delegate at your next meeting. That concludes my report.

Do any commissioners have any old business?

any new business and just new business uh once again just noting uh that there'll be a workshop in july uh continuing on on this subject and we can work on a comment response matrix on comments that were provided here tonight and work with the applicant on uh on on including them in that process to get the planning commission and the public the information requested tonight

Okay. The next regular meeting of the Planning Commission will be held on July 20th, 2026. Thank you. The meeting is adjourned.