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Attend the Silverdale Center Plan Community Open House on May 215/15/2026

Silverdale Center Plan

Community Open House: 90% Draft and
Design Standards Framework


Thursday, May 21st
5.30PM to 7.00PM


Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue
5300 NW Newberry Hill Rd
Silverdale, WA 98383


You’re Invited!

 

Review the near‑final Silverdale Center Plan and help us fine‑tune the last details. You can also explore the updated Design Standards framework that supports the plan. We welcome your feedback at the workshop or online.

Open House Announcement​​


Celebration at Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park on May 285/13/2026

Kitsap County Parks invites you to join us for a celebration event at the new North Gateway Trailhead at Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park.

This special gathering will highlight the park’s history, growth, and future. We will reflect on the Forest & Bay Coalition’s successful acquisition and protection of the land, as well as the many milestones that have shaped the park into what it is today.

Event Details Date: Thursday, May 28, 2026

Time: 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Location: North Gateway Trailhead 3800 NE Carver Drive

Activities Include:

  • Welcome and brief remarks at 3:00 PM
  • Birding adventure with Kitsap Audubon Society at 3:30 PM
  • Guided forest walk focused on restoration at 4:00 PM
  • Mountain bike ride park demonstration at 4:30 PM
  • Information booths and food vendors

This event will celebrate key milestones, including land acquisition efforts from 2014 to 2017, development of the park management framework, creation of the mountain bike ride park, protection of timber resources, trail development, and expanded access through new trailheads. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about upcoming efforts, including continued forest protection, habitat inventory work, and future planning updates.

We hope you will join us in celebrating the continued stewardship and community investment in this remarkable park!​​

For questions, please reach out to parks@kitsap.gov.
Commissioner’s Corner Shares the Future Vision and Needs for the Courthouse 3/6/2026

PORT ORCHARD, Wash. – For decades, the Kitsap County Courthouse has been at the center of our judicial system – a place where decisions are made every day that affect families, businesses, and public safety. But behind the scenes, the building itself has been struggling to keep up with the demands of a modern justice system.

In the latest Commissioner's Corner video, District 2 Commissioner Oran Root speaks with Acting Assistant Director Todd Parkington and Judge Melissa Hemstreet to find out why the courthouse needs more than another short-term fix; what's driving the decision to modernize it, and what these changes mean for the people who use the building every day.

With close to 230,000 people visiting the courthouse every year, this 90-year regional public facility is critically important to county operations. Years of temporary fixes have kept it operational, and future plans will solve issues around safety, accessibility and capacity.

Watch Commissioner's Corner: 

The full episode featuring Commissioner Root, Acting Assistant Director of Capital Facilities Todd Parkington, and Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Melissa Hemstreet is available anytime on BKAT's YouTube channel. 

For more information and to stay informed of progress on modernizing the Courthouse, visit the project webpage.

Contacts:  

Kym Pleger, Communications Manager, Kitsap County Public Works ​


Board of County Commissioners Postpones Equestrian Facility Code to 202610/13/2025

The Kitsap County Board of Commissioners directed the Department of Community Development (DCD) today to separate the Equestrian Facility Code component from the rest of the Year of the Rural project. This decision allows the County and community to focus on other Year of the Rural topics during the 2025 public process while providing additional time for engagement, discussion, research, and refinement of the proposed Equestrian Facility Code. 

A reference to the future Equestrian Facility Code update will be added to the Rural and Resource Lands Chapter in 2025, recognizing the value of equestrian businesses to Kitsap County and the broader community, while also acknowledging the potential impacts of equestrian facilities on neighboring rural properties. Code work will continue, with potential adoption anticipated by mid-year 2026. 

As part of this transition, the County will evaluate additional opportunities for neighbors and community members to share feedback regarding higher levels of equestrian activities. 

For updates and future meeting information, please visit our Year of the Rural webpage. 

And, be sure to check out our Kitsap County Rural and Resource Lands Chapter Update Story Map.




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