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While we thought there was a light at the end of the tunnel last spring as people began to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the Delta variant continues to spread the virus more widely than ever. We are reaching the highest numbers of weekly positive test cases since the pandemic began and the highest levels of hospitalizations. Our Kitsap Public Health District continues to monitor new cases, outbreaks, hospitalizations and vaccinations at its COVID-19 update and resource page, which remains the best source for local information.
County services
The Kitsap County Administration Building and the Courthouse in Port Orchard are open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but some departments and other county buildings remain closed or open on a limited schedule. Click here for current information on each department.
Vaccine update
As of September 9, nearly 70 percent of Kitsap residents over the age of 12 have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Kitsap Public Health District vaccine clinics at St. Michael Medical Center in Bremerton (the former Harrison Hospital, 2520 Cherry Ave.) continue on Thursday afternoons through September. The clinics will offer both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, either by appointment or on a walk-up basis. Find more information and register at kcowa.us/vaccine. Other vaccine locations are also listed.
COVID Testing
Testing remains an important component in the battle against COVID-19. The Kitsap Public Health District and Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center have four drive-through test sites available throughout the county. Check the Health District’s testing website for hours of operation and to get an appointment. Registration is required, but health insurance is not. Other testing information is also posted.
The Health District's COVID-19 resource page continues to be the best source for case updates, resources and advice for staying safe and healthy. Please continue to be diligent and follow public health guidelines.
 Walk & Talks with Commissioner Gelder restarted in August, after a long hiatus due to the pandemic. COVID restrictions will be followed. Wear your walking shoes and bring your questions. All Walk & Talks start at 9:30 a.m.
- October 2, Poulsbo Waterfront Park, 18809 Anderson Parkway, Poulsbo
- November 13, Kingston Village Green, 26159 Dulay Rd. NE, Kingston
- December 11, Silverdale Dog Park, 11601 Silverdale Way NW, Silverdale
To view the Walk & Talk schedule click here.
 Option A, which preserves the wetland onsite, was selected by the project team, after much public input and review.
Kitsap County’s Public Works Department held a second public meeting in August via Zoom to update residents on the proposed North Kitsap Service Center (NKSC). The project is nearing the end of the site planning phase. Otak, the firm selected to design the facility, presented two alternative site plans for the county to choose from. Since the meeting, Option A (pictured above) was selected after much public input and review. This option preserves wetlands on the site.
The NKSC will be located on 15.64 acres near the Gunderson Road and Bond Road intersection. The property will provide 10.5 acres of usable space compared to the current 2.95 acre site in Poulsbo, which is functionally obsolete.
The project now moves on to the 30-percent design phase, which is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2021. Another public open house is planned for February 2022 to review the latest design and next steps.
The North Kitsap Service Center will contain two facilities:
- A road operations and maintenance facility to replace the current structures located on the corner of Bond Road and Highway 305 in Poulsbo. The new facility will include an administration building and storage for equipment and bulk materials.
- A Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility, including collection pads and safe storage buildings. North Kitsap currently lacks an HHW facility, requiring residents to drive to the Olympic View Industrial Park near the Bremerton Airport to dispose of household chemicals responsibly.
For more information on the project, to watch a recording of the last meeting, or to sign up to receive project updates, visit http://kcowa.us/nksc.
The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe held a grand opening celebration in early August for its new holistic community health center – the first of its kind in Kitsap County.
The new health center provides tribal members access to medical, dental, mental health, nursing, health advocacy and addiction treatment under one roof in a convenient location. It also provides a large community kitchen, group meeting rooms, a staff lounge and community outreach services.
In addition to high-quality modern medicine, the clinic provides traditional plant-based natural healing methods that have been used by the Tribe for generations.
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Commissioner Gelder had the opportunity to join other local leaders on a tour of Pendleton Place in Bremerton last month. An affordable housing project for Kitsap’s most vulnerable residents, Pendleton Place is slated to open in spring 2022.
Located on Kitsap Way near Highway 3, Pendleton Place will include 72 apartments – half are studios, and half are one-bedroom units. Kitsap Mental Health is the agency in charge of the project, with local support from the Bremerton Housing Authority, the Kitsap County/Bremerton Community Development Block Grant Home Investment Partnership, Kitsap County's 1/10th of 1% local sales tax program that supports mental health, substance abuse and therapeutic court programs and services, United Way of Kitsap County, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The permanent supportive housing will include 24-hour services for residents who may experience mental health or substance abuse crises. This approach has been shown to reduce health care costs and law and justice expenses for taxpayers, as well has provide positive results for the clients.
Pendleton Place was conceived after a 2016 community homelessness workshop with speaker Lloyd Pendleton, after whom the project is named. He advocated a Housing First model for addressing with homelessness. As the name suggests, Housing First links people experiencing homelessness with housing before job placement, substance abuse or mental health treatment, as making progress on those fronts is much more difficult without a stabile place to live.
Learn more about Pendleton Place https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/get-help/adults-older-adults/housing-services/pendleton-place/. People experiencing homelessness and struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues are encouraged to apply for an apartment via Kitsap County's Housing Solutions Center.
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As mentioned in previous editions of this newsletter, a holding lot and active traffic management system (ATMS) for ferry traffic in Kingston proved to be too costly for currently available funding sources. Project stakeholders (Kitsap County, the Washington State Department of Transportation, Washington State Ferries, Kitsap Transit and the Port of Kingston) worked with Perteet Engineering to bring the cost under $1.4 million, which is the threshold for some potential funding sources.
Perteet developed a plan for a holding lane and ATMS system to hold and release ferry traffic at Lindvog Road at a rate that will not cause backups through downtown Kingston. In an effort to keep costs down and avoid confusion for ferry riders, the system will run at all times, requiring vehicles to route through the ATMS and holding lane at Lindvog Road before proceeding to the tollbooths. A timeline for construction of this system is pending until funding for the project is obtained.
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 Volunteers on the Carpenter Lake trail.
Volunteers on the frontline, in parks and on the road
Throughout the pandemic, volunteers have continued to support Kitsap County services and resources. We’re grateful for their dedication, compassion and extraordinary energy! From helping with COVID-19 vaccinations and testing to serving on advisory groups, well over 3,000 people of all ages and abilities from throughout the county contribute thousands of hours of their time each year in our departments. Kitsap County, along with most of the non-profit organizations in our community, couldn’t function at the same capacity without volunteers!
Check out current opportunities for volunteering within Kitsap County programs and find a position that fits with your interests and availability at kcowa.us/volunteer. Families and organizations who want to volunteer together can check out parks stewardship and adopt-a-road programs. Our Citizens On Patrol program of the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office needs new members. We also have vacancies on some of our county advisory groups. North Kitsap Representatives are needed on our Noxious Weed Control Board, Parks Advisory Board and Kingston Ferry Advisory Committee. Learn more about these groups and find the online application at kcowa.us/advisorygroups.
The Kitsap County Solid Waste Division partnered with the City of Poulsbo to host a Household Chemical Collection Day for North Kitsap residents on Saturday, September 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 22097 Viking Ave., Poulsbo.
The following items WILL be accepted at this event:
Adhesives, aerosols, antifreeze, batteries (household and auto), CFL bulbs, fluorescent tubes or lamps, flammable liquids, lawn and garden chemicals, motor oil, oil-based paints, and pool/spa chemicals.
These items WILL NOT be accepted:
Latex paint, needles or sharps, large propane tanks, flares or explosives, containers over 5 gallons, waste from businesses or organizations, empty containers (put in trash)
For the safety of visitors and staff, please follow these steps:
- Put containers in a leak-proof box and prevent them from tipping or leaking.
- Put boxes in trunk, truck bed, or cargo area - not the passenger area. Staff will unload items.
- Use straps and tarps to secure boxes in truck bed.
- Use original product containers. If you used a different container, label it. Containers will not be returned.
- Never mix different types of products.
This collection event supplements services at the year-round Kitsap County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility. The facility, located at 5551 SW Imperial Way, Bremerton, is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed for lunch from 12-12:30 p.m.). Residents from Central and South Kitsap are encouraged to use this facility rather than visit the North Kitsap collection event.
The Kitsap County Solid Waste Division is constantly seeking ways to reduce waste and improve recycling and safe disposal of hazardous items. For more information about this event, the hazardous waste facility, or where to take items not accepted at this event, visit kcowa.us/hazwaste or call 360-337-5777.
The Department of Community Development (DCD) is updating zoning use tables to address housing equity and diversity, economic development and making the county code easier to follow. DCD is accepting comments on proposed changes until 5 p.m. September 21. Visit the project website to take a look at the proposed changes, submit comments, view project documents, or find out about upcoming public meetings.
Many Waste Management (WM) recycling and yard waste customers have reported missed pickups on their scheduled days recently. Unfortunately, Waste Management is experiencing a shortage of truck drivers, which is affecting their ability to complete scheduled routes.
Kitsap County does not have a contract with WM or regulatory authority over them. They are regulated at the state level by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.
WM has committed to pick up missed items. For more information, to file a complaint or find alternative options to dispose of for yard waste and recyclables, visit this link.
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The Kitsap County Department of Community Development (DCD) developed a new basic-level educational resource for land-use and building-development clients. The Start Here! program provides educational webinars and brochures on critical areas, building site plans, tree removal, permitting, and other topics.
These resources were developed based on customer surveys and focus group sessions that reviewed current and previous DCD permit services. This effort allowed DCD to better understand customer needs. The new website and webinar series fill in many informational gaps, and the ongoing provision of staff consultations and live chat services help clients more easily navigate steps through development projects.
Industry professionals – including building contractors, geologists, engineers, realtors, septic service providers, etc. - are also invited to participate in the Start Here! Program. As Communication Ambassadors, they can provide the Start Here! link on their website for their clients to access. Reciprocally DCD lists these Communication Ambassadors who share this educational resource to Kitsap County landowners.
To register for an upcoming webinar or access additional information, click here.
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