Bainbridge Island: Winslow Subarea Plan Update
The City of Bainbridge Island's Planning Commission is currently engaged in a significant review and discussion of the Winslow Subarea Plan Update, focusing on its land use strategy, future growth, and zoning. This review, which began in January 2025 and is expected to conclude in May 2025, represents a crucial step in shaping the future of Winslow, the island's vibrant hub.
A Subarea Plan, much like a city's comprehensive plan, establishes land use and transportation policies, but specifically for a defined geographical area. In this instance, it encompasses the areas around Winslow Way, Island Village, public schools, and surrounding residential zones. The existing Winslow Subarea Plan, originally approved in 1998 and last updated in 2006, covered various aspects including housing, open space, public facilities, transportation, and utilities. This current update aims to integrate subsequent planning efforts such as the Sustainable Transportation Plan, Housing Action Plan, and Climate Action Plan, alongside new land use and transportation policy recommendations.
This update is particularly timely as it coordinates directly with the 2024 update to the Comprehensive Plan. These two planning initiatives are intrinsically linked; the Winslow Subarea Plan Update is designed to lead the way by addressing growth and policy changes for the Winslow area first, with the Comprehensive Plan then complementing this by handling island-wide issues and areas outside of Winslow. This synergistic approach allows for a streamlined planning process, although public engagement activities for both projects may be coordinated or independent as needed.
Community involvement has been a vital component of this process. The City of Bainbridge Island emphasizes the importance of public input in shaping Winslow’s future. Earlier stages of the update included the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) process, which began with a scoping comment period in early 2023. This initial phase was crucial for identifying probable significant environmental issues and establishing alternatives to be analyzed in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Following the scoping period, a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released for public review from July to October 2024. This comprehensive document combined the review and analysis of various alternatives for both the Winslow Subarea Plan Update and the Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update. The public response was substantial, with 481 individuals attending six open houses and 565 commenters submitting over 1,300 pages of feedback. The DEIS explored three distinct alternatives for accommodating future growth and assessed their potential effects on both the community and the natural environment. The invaluable public feedback received during this comment period, combined with environmental impact information, will now inform the development of a preferred alternative for the Winslow Subarea Plan, guiding its final form.