City of Port Orchard Newsletter

2016 a Year of Successes in Port

Orchard -Robert Putaansuu, Mayor

As 2017 brings us new opportunities and challenges, I feel confident and energized for Port Orchard. Much of my enthusiasm is the result of our success in 2016. First, I’d like to thank the citizens of Port Orchard for allowing me to be their mayor. Those who truly know me see a person with renewed passion and energy, one who loves to come to work to make a difference in our community.

The hard-working employees of the City of Port Orchard and our dedicated City Council have been fundamental to my success this year. As I stated a year ago, my first order of business was to establish a collaborative relationship with the City Council.

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While we don’t always agree on each and every issue, I know we all have the best interests of our community at heart.

We’ve accomplished so much this past year, but we all know there is so much more to do. Here are some of the milestones we’ve achieved:

The timely completion of our Comprehensive Plan was a feat achieved by no other city in Kitsap County other than Port Orchard. I attribute accomplishment to the determination of the Planning staff, Planning Commission and City Council. Our Comprehensive Plan is a road map to guide development, regulations, programs and projects in accordance with our community values. Without a valid Comprehensive Plan, the city would not be eligible for grants that are important in paying for our future capital project needs.

In 2016, Bethel Road paving was completed. This just gives us a better driving surface while we determine long-term solutions for this congested roadway. Corridor studies for Bethel and Sedgwick roads, also known as Highway 160, and designs for a roundabout on Old Clifton Road have been funded in the 2017 -2018 biennial budget. These projects will lay the groundwork for future grant applications.

This administration and the City Council delivered on its promise to make funding the Tremont Corridor project our top priority. While it required the difficult decisions implement traffic impact fees and create a traffic benefit district, these decisions helped make a compelling case in our grant applications, which netted our community $9.7 million and now provide the cash flow necessary to repay the required bond debt to complete the project. Project construction should start in 2017.

2016 a Year of Successes in Port

Orchard -Robert Putaansuu, Mayor, …..continued from Page 1

In 2016 we celebrated the Phase II completion of the Dekalb Pier project, a $865,000 project that was primarily funded by state grants. This new day-use dock extends 530 feet from the existing pier and includes 260 feet of new dock space for visiting boaters.

Our downtown is still an area of concern. I believe we all want a vibrant waterfront that has a retail component, is walkable and has more public space. The Pedestrian Path and the desire to relocate the waterfront parking, which would create more park space, are all part of the solution.

The construction of additional residential units is an important piece of the puzzle that we still need to solve. An additional 300 to 500 residents living in our downtown core will create the foot traffic necessary to support the shops and restaurants we desire.

I continually meet with the development community to identify the tools necessary to make our city competitive with our neighbors. And while we’ve put some incentives in place, we still have much to do.

In 2017, the City Council and Planning Commission will embark on a project to analyze zoning, uses and height restrictions, block by block in, the entire downtown. This effort, coupled with the passage of the passenger-only ferry measure, could be the catalyst our downtown needs to be that inviting place everyone wants to experience.

The years 2017-2018 presents a major shift in budgeting for Port Orchard from our prior practice of single-year budgets. With this change, we also separated operational and capital needs. Our operational budget primarily captures the expenditures related to maintaining services, while the capital budget represents projects and equipment needs that are mostly paid for with one-time revenue.

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Some of the other projects included in the 2017-2018 biennial budget include the construction of the McCormick Village Park at $955,450 and two significant water system projects totaling more than $7 million. These two waterworks projects will vastly improve the quality of the water we pro-duce and eliminate our need to purchase water from the City of Bremerton.

In total, the capital projects in the 2017-2018 budget exceed $26 million, with much of this funding coming from grant sources. These improvements embody the largest capital program in our city’s history and signify a positive future for the City of Port Orchard.

One of the efforts I’m most proud of is the Home-less Housing Committee I’ve formed. While I’m merely the facilitator for this group of individuals, and church and community organizations, they’ve achieved a lot in just a few short months. While it is not my desire for Port Orchard to become a magnet for homelessness, I believe we have an obligation to help those in our community who are in need. This group is on the verge of establishing a cold weather emergency shelter, providing weekly showers to the homeless via a mobile shower unit and hotel vouchers for those in crisis.

In closing, I would like to thank you again for allowing me to be your mayor. We have much to be proud of as a community. Most of all, we have many positive things to look forward to in the coming years.

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Upcoming Events

-Clerk’s Office

• Council meetings, second and fourth Tuesday of

each month.

• Work Study Session, third Tuesday of each month.

• Valentine Fun Run/Walk, February 12, 2017

• City Hall Closed, Monday, February 20, 2017

• Free Economic Development Webinar, February

22, 2017

• Council Retreat, March 24, 2017

• Visit the City’s new website for the full events cal-

endar and to sign up to receive City information;

request public records; and contact staff/Mayor/

Councilmembers.

Landscaping for Crime

Prevention -Port Orchard Police Department

Spring is almost here and landscaping is a great way to beautify your home and show pride in ownership. But did you know that it is also a way to increase your home’s security.

You can make your home safer with a little planning, planting and trimming. One of the most important things you can do to make your home less inviting to criminals is avoid obstructing your vision and creating hiding spots around your home with trees and overgrown shrubs.

If planting within 6 feet of a sidewalk or walkway area, ground cover plants should be used. To maximum visibility and to avoid creating hiding places, these plants should not exceed a height of 2 feet at maturity or be trimmed to this height.

Shrubbery should be used more than 6 feet away from away from walkways. To avoid creating hiding places, shrubs and ornamental grasses should be trimmed to a maximum of height of 3 feet. If the ornamental grass or shrubs cannot be trimmed down that far, consider thinning it so you can see thru it.

To discourage unwanted access to areas, such as below windows, barrier plants can be used. Barrier plants will have thorns, needles, or sharp leaves that will prevent people from wanting to climb through or hide in. Popular barrier plants include Pyracantha, Barberry, Natal Plum, Yucca, Hedgehog, and Porcupine Holly. If used under a window, the plant should be trimmed below the height of the windowsill. Remember to use gloves and long sleeved shirts with trimming.

When planting, trees should be more than 10 feet away from your home. When they grow larger you do not want them to become a climbing aid to upper levels of your home. Trees should also be trimmed to prevent obscured views or lighting issues. The tree’s foliage should continue to be trimmed and thinned on a regular basis. The lowest foliage on a tree should be no less than 7 feet from the ground.

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Keeping a clear view around your entire property by opening up your line of sight from 2 ½’ to 7’ is critical in the crime prevention thru environmental design concepts (CPTED). The goal is to make a criminal uncomfortable, knowing they can be easily seen.

Installing lighting around your landscaping and home that works from dawn to dusk has also been proven to decrease crime. Uplighting trees and homes is a simple and attractive way to do this. Using LED light bulbs keeps good lighting affordable.

Gravel or other small landscape rocks create noise when stepped on. For these reasons they should be used under windows or near entryways to alert you of a person in these areas. Avoid using large rocks or other items which can be thrown through windows.

Another important part of CPTED (Crime Prevention Thru Environmental Design) concepts is defining your space. If you have a barrier between the front sidewalk and your yard, it more clearly defines your personal space. When someone unwanted wonders into that space, people quickly take notice when they have stepped behind the “dividing line”. This can be achieved by installing a simple border garden, a short fence or any other type of defining landscaping.

T o have your home and landscaping evaluated or if you have any further questions, you can email Port Orchard Police Department’s Crime Prevention Officer Deck or Officer Walker at jdeck@cityofportorchard.us or dwalk-er@cityofportorchard.us

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Free Economic Development

Webinars

The City will be hosting a series of free webinars from Roger Brooks International. The first webinar ‘Finding Your Community’s Unique Selling Proposition’ was held on January 18, 2017, in the Council Chambers. The next webinar is scheduled for February 22, 2017, and the topic will be released soon. These webinars are dedicated to helping communities become better places for business, residents and visitors. Should you have any questions, please contact the City’s Clerk’s office at 360-876-4407.

Clean Air and Community

Partnership

In November 2016, the City joined Waste Management to christen their new CNG trucks and fueling station. This is seen as another way for Waste Management to protect the environment and support a vibrant economy on the Kitsap Peninsula.

Van Zee Park Closures

Throughout the 2017 spring and summer months, park activity at the Van Zee Park, will be limited due to the Well No. 9 Treatment Upgrade project. This will include periodic closures of the entire park as well as closure of park sections. Please

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contact the Public Works Department at (360) 876-4991 for any questions.

Tourism Marketing Plan The City of Port Orchard, in cooperation with the Port Orchard Bay Street Association, the Chamber of Commerce and the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, is starting the process of preparing a tourism strategic plan. This plan will include a mission, value statement, definitions and strategic goals. The goal is to provide a completed plan by May or June.

Pet Licensing

In coordination with the Kitsap Humane Society, the Finance Department is responsible for issuing pet licenses for residents within City limits. Port Orchard Municipal Code states that the number of dogs or cats at a single family residence shall be restricted to a total of three dogs and/or cats.

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Pictured below from left to right: Councilmember John

Clauson, Councilmember Bek Ashby, Councilmember Scott

Diener, Councilmember Fred Chang, Councilmember Cin-

dy Lucarelli, Mayor Robert Putaansuu, Councilmember

Shawn Cucciardi and Councilmember Clancy Donlin.