Arborwood recommended for inclusion in UGA

KINGSTON — The Little City by the Sea might be getting a little bit bigger.

If the Kitsap Planning Commission and the county commissioners see eye to eye with the Kingston Sub Area Plan working group, that is.

The working group, which is in the process of deciding whether to expand Kingston’s Urban Growth Area (UGA) boundary to meet projected population allocations, voted 7-1 Sept. 21 to recommend that the county allow Olympic Property Group’s Arborwood be included.

The 305-acre Arborwood is currently zoned Urban Reserve. If approved by the commissioners, the new zoning would be Urban Cluster Residential, which allows 5-9 dwelling units per acre and includes public sewer and water infrastructure. The property owner can allow a maximum of 765 dwelling units to be built on the property, located southwest of Kingston. Arborwood is accessible from South Kingston Road at both the northeast and southeast points of the property.

Olympic Property Group president Jon Rose said the decision was a nice step for Kingston.

“It’s really neat to see Kingston’s future taking some definitive shape,” he said. “It’s good for people in Kingston to know what’s coming. It’s good for us to know what to manage for. It just makes the community’s future and environment less uncertain.”

The company has been trying to get the parcel included in the UGA for several reasons. While Arborwood was vested under the 1991 land development rules when it was originally submitted to the county for approval, Rose said he believes if the project takes 10-15 years to complete, it would face fewer hurdles if it was under current zoning regulations.

He said it would also have more flexibility in terms of lot sizes and what types of homes could be constructed on the property if included within the UGA.

Rose said the company plans to donate 100 acres to the county as part of the greenway system that is being developed between Indianola and Kingston.

“I think it’s nice to see that there was a fairly solid direction,” he said about the working group’s 7-1 decision in favor of including Arborwood. “It wasn’t a real close vote. There was a solid vote. That’s excellent to see if you want certainty.”

The working group will next consider 13 properties, owned by Kingston residents, for recommendation for inclusion in the UGA. The group attempted to meet Monday night, but there were not enough members present for a quorum.

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