Capital Facilities

Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan Chapter - Capital Facilities

Capital Facilities Chapter

Public services and facilities – including, but not limited to, parks and recreation, law enforcement, fire protection, emergency preparedness, water/sewer, roads, transit, non-motorized facilities, ferries, stormwater management, education, library services, health and human services, energy, telecommunications, etc. – are provided in an efficient, high-quality, and timely manner by the County and its partner agencies.

Capital Facilities Chapter

Public services and facilities are monitored, maintained, and enhanced to meet quality service standards.

Capital Facilities Chapter

The Capital Facilities and Utilities chapter represented below is from the current 2016 Comprehensive Plan.  Your review, comments and suggestions will help us update this chapter to reflect the changing needs of the community as we plan for population and employment growth through 2044.

To view the complete Chapter  click here 

To view the complete current Comprehensive Plan  click here 

Guiding Directives

Capital Facilities and Utilities goals and policies in this Comprehensive Plan are an integral part of the other elements including Land Use, Economic Development, Environment, Housing and Human Services, Parks and Recreation, and Transportation. Specifically impacted are public service and facilities – including but not limited to, parks and recreation, law enforcement, fire protection, emergency preparedness, water/sewer, roads, transit, non-motorized facilities, ferries, stormwater management, education, library services, health and human services, energy, and telecommunications.

Focusing on these issues provide the guidance to do the following:

  • capital facilities plans should cover the 20-year planning horizon and address the entire Urban Growth Area,
  • financial plans should address at minimum a 6-year period and funding sources should be specific, providing for fair distribution ofcosts between new and existing development,
  • existing un-served areas in the Urban Growth Area must be addressed as well as new Urban Growth Area expansion areas,
  • consideration of operating and maintenance costs before acquiring new facilities, and,
  • working toward the implementation of life cycle cost analyses in County projects and programs to ensure the most efficient and effective use of the natural environment and of public financial resources.

Planning Growth Targets for Kitsap County


What might drive changes to Capital Facilities goals and policies in this update?

With more people working remotely, and rapid advancements in technology, we will need to plan for electric and perhaps autonomous vehicle infrastructure.  How will these changes affect where we live and work, and how will it affect when we travel, and by what mode?

What effect will climate change have on our infrastructure, built and natural environment?  Can we become more resilient to the effects of climate change, and be less impactful at the same time?

What kinds of changes to our goals and policies are needed to ensure we grow in a responsible way?

Goals and Policies

CapF and Utilities Goal 1. Define types of public facilities, establish standards for levels of service for each type of public facility and determine what capital improvements are needed in order to achieve and maintain the standards for existing and future populations, with a plan to repair or replace existing public facilities as necessary.

CapF and Utilities Policy 1. Coordinate provision of utilities with future development by designating appropriate sites for utility facilities and ensuring their availability.

CapF and Utilities Policy 2. Create a method to measure and monitor level of service for the County population.

CapF and Utilities Goal 2. Develop specific concurrency management standards for incorporation into the development review process to determine the precise requirements for the timing, funding and circumstances for the provision of concurrent services and facilities.

CapF and Utilities Policy 3. Recognize the established requirements for concurrency as defined in WAC 365- 196-840.

CapF and Utilities Policy 4. Ensure adequate infrastructure is in place for new development.

CapF and Utilities Goal 3. Coordinate capital improvements with land development. Manage the land development process to ensure that all development receives public facility levels of service equal to, or greater than the adopted standards by implementing the schedule of capital improvements in the Capital Facilities Plan.

CapF and Utilities Policy 5. Continuously review stormwater regulations and design manuals to ensure that Kitsap County is meeting the most up-to-date Best Management Practices and changes in state and federal stormwater regulations.

 CapF and Utilities Policy 6. Inventory drainage basins through the Stormwater Division of Public Works to investigate existing and future stormwater drainage problems.

CapF and Utilities Policy 7. Apply the Urban Industrial designation in areas most conducive to industrial development; e.g., few or no natural limitations to development, reasonable accessibility to major streets and highways, available services and facilities.

CapF and Utilities Policy 8. In accordance with Kitsap County Health District and Washington State requirements, require connection to a public sewer system for new or extensively remodeled development located within 200 feet of the public sewer system, and within an urban growth area.

CapF and Utilities Policy 9. Ensure that development regulations allow timely development of utility facility additions and improvements.

 CapF and Utilities Policy 10. Coordinate collection, integration and maintenance of Geographic Information System (GIS) utility data among utility providers to ensure consistent and up-to-date information on facility locations and capacities.

CapF and Utilities Goal 4. Provide adequate public facilities by constructing needed capital improvements. Maintain a financially feasible schedule of capital improvements in the Capital Facilities Plan.

CapF and Utilities Policy 11. Only provide public facilities or accept provision of public facilities by others in cases where the County or other providers are able to pay for subsequent annual operating and maintenance costs of the facility.

CapF and Utilities Policy 12. Address fiscal issues including tax revenue sharing and the provision of regional services.

CapF and Utilities Policy 13. Facilitate and encourage incorporation or annexations through the development of interlocal agreements.

CapF and Utilities Policy 14. Kitsap County, along with cities and special purposes districts, should develop long-term funding strategies that include, but are not limited to, the following funding options:

  • Existing development;
    • pays for the capital improvements that reduce or eliminate existing deficiencies, some or all of the replacement of obsolete or worn out facilities, and may pay a portion of the cost of capital improvements needed by future development, and,
    • payments may take the form of user fees, charges for services, special assessments and taxes.
  • Future development pays its fair share of the capital improvements needed to address the impact of its development, and may pay a portion of the cost of the replacement of obsolete or worn out facilities. Upon completion of construction, "future" development becomes "existing" development and contributes to paying the costs of the replacement of obsolete or worn out facilities as described in this policy. Future development's payments may take the form of, but are not limited to;
    • voluntary contributions for the benefit of any public facility,
    • impact fees, mitigation payments, capacity fees, dedications of land, provision of public facilities, future payments of user fees, charges for services special assessments, and,
    • taxes.
  • Future development does not pay impact fees for the portion of any public facility that reduces or eliminates deficiencies existing at the time of approval.
  • Both existing and future development may have part of their costs paid by grants, entitlements or public facilities from other levels of government and independent districts.
  • Reassess the allocation of existing funding sources and prioritize capital facility expenditures.

CapF and Utilities Policy 15. The estimated costs of all needed capital improvements should not exceed conservative estimates of revenues from sources that are available to the County under current law.

CapF and Utilities Goal 5. Provide adequate public facilities to Urban Growth Areas.

CapF and Utilities Policy 16. Require urban-level sanitary sewer service or equivalent service in all Urban Growth Areas. Update county-owned and operated sewer facility plans to include, not only capacity demand and needs, but also future major collection or conveyance systems for the 2036 planning horizon (existing and projected).

CapF and Utilities Policy 17. Prioritize the Urban Growth Areas in Kitsap County expenditures for public services and facilities as an incentive to encourage development, to make urban areas desirable places to live and to use existing infrastructure more efficiently and cost effectively.

CapF and Utilities Policy 18. Negotiate Urban Growth Area Management Agreements with municipalities and other providers of public facilities to coordinate planning for and development of the Urban Growth Area.

CapF and Utilities Policy 19. Consider appropriate land use and zoning map amendments if funding for capital facilities falls short of expectations or if levels of service cannot be adjusted to compensate for any shortfall.

CapF and Utilities Policy 20. Set aside appropriate spaces for satellite offices for Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.

CapF and Utilities Goal 6. Provide public services and capital facilities necessary to support planned urban growth at adopted levels of service for the 2036 planning horizon.

CapF and Utilities Policy 21. On a yearly basis propose any capital facilities or utilities Comprehensive Plan changes in the annual Docket and consider Plan amendments and related amendments to regulations consistent with RCW 36.70A.130.

CapF and Utilities Policy 22. Allow for amendments to the Land Use Map, Plan policies, and implementing regulations consistent with Growth Management Act, Countywide Planning Policies, applicable plan policies and other requirements of federal, state and/or local laws. Specifically, evaluate the use of alternative sewage treatment techniques in areas within the Urban Growth Area that contain a significant concentration of critical areas, topographic challenges or critical aquifer recharge areas.

CapF and Utilities Goal 7. Integrate social, educational and cultural components in public facilities when possible.

CapF and Utilities Policy 23. Continue to support public art through the Arts Ordinance.

CapF and Utilities Goal 8. Ensure utilities are provided in an efficient, coordinated and timely manner between Utility providers to meet the needs of the County’s future population.

CapF and Utilities Policy 24. Encourage the designation and development of utility corridors and facilities in a manner consistent with the needs and resources of Kitsap County.

 CapF and Utilities Policy 25. Encourage siting of large, above ground utilities (e.g. antennas, towers) in industrial or commercial areas or along appropriate transportation and utility corridors.

CapF and Utilities Policy 26. Encourage the use of alternative sanitary sewer techniques within Urban Growth Areas, such as package plants, membrane and drip systems and/or community drainfields, in areas where public sewer system may be more than 200 feet away. The use of these alternative sanitary sewer techniques for new development shall also achieve minimum urban densities of the applicable zone.

CapF and Utilities Policy 27. Minimize the visual impact of utility facilities on view corridors, vistas and adjacent properties by developing design standards for cellular towers, antennas and other types of utility facilities.

CapF and Utilities Goal 9. Maintain and enhance utility service quality.

CapF and Utilities Policy 28. Repair or replace obsolete or worn out facilities, eliminate existing deficiencies, and meet the needs of future development and redevelopment as indicated by previously issued and new development permits.

CapF and Utilities Goal 10. Minimize environmental impacts of utility facilities and operations.

CapF and Utilities Policy 29. Consider the impacts of sewer plans on groundwater quality and quantity.

CapF and Utilities Policy 30. Participate in regional efforts to achieve Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for local water bodies as required by the Clean Water Act. Take steps to reduce nonpoint sources of pollution to Puget Sound and other water bodies to achieve compliance.

CapF and Utilities Policy 31. Evaluate, minimize, and mitigate unavoidable impacts to groundwater quality and quantity during the planning and development review process. Consider the cumulative impacts of existing and future capital facilities and utilities development on groundwater quantity and quality. Ensure proposed plans and project design address the extent of and mitigate for the recharge-limiting effect of impermeable surfaces and other factors affecting groundwater quantity and quality.

CapF and Utilities Policy 32. Consider the impacts of septic systems on groundwater quality and quantity.

CapF and Utilities Policy 33. Support Kitsap Public Health District efforts to identify and correct failing on-site sewage systems.

CapF and Utilities Policy 34. Use watershed and basin plans as a means to reduce stormwater impacts and nonpoint pollution to develop long-term plans for development and stormwater controls at the watershed level, and to coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions.

CapF and Utilities Policy 35. Encourage the use of underground utilities, and coordinate utility placement with road improvements.

CapF and Utilities Goal 11. Support cost-effective energy conservation and promote energy conservation.

CapF and Utilities Policy 36. Support renewable energy incentives to businesses and groups for a comprehensive renewable energy effort.

CapF and Utilities Policy 37. Encourage alternative energy production as appropriate in urban areas that are consistent with urban character.

CapF and Utilities Policy 38. Encourage alternative energy production as appropriate in rural areas that are consistent with rural character.

CapF and Utilities Goal 12. Support efforts through private and public organizations to extend high-tech services including telecommunications.

CapF and Utilities Policy 39. Support the extension of fiber optic cable in Kitsap County.


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