Divide and Develop My Land

When you want to divide your land, the first things to explore are the Zoning Designation and its Density/Dimensions requirements, and the size of your property.

The Zoning Designation and associated Density/Dimensions requirements will tell you the number of lots per acre you may create through the land division. See the Density Dimensions table for more information.

Next, you need to determine the correct type of land division, appropriate to your Zoning Designation and the size of the property. There are several different types of land division.  Here’s how to determine the correct type.

Subdivisions

Subdivisions – where the land is inside an Urban Growth Area, this is a division into ten or more lots; where the land is outside an Urban Growth Area, this is a division into five or more lots. For more information about Subdivisions see Kitsap County Code 16.40.

Short Subdivisions

Short Subdivisions – where the land is inside an Urban Growth Area, this is a division into nine or fewer lots; where the land is outside an Urban Growth Area, this is a division into four or fewer lots. For more information about  Short Subdivisions see Kitsap County Code 16.48.

Large Lot Subdivisions

Large Lot Subdivisions – this type of division can only occur on land outside an Urban Growth Area, where each lot created is five acres or larger.  NOTE: if all lots created are 20 acres or larger, the land division is exempt from the land division Code. For more information about Large Lot Subdivisions see Kitsap County Code 16.52.

Binding Site Plans

Binding Site Plans – this is an alternative method of land division, typically used for commercial land divisions. This type of land division provides for specific limitations and conditions for the use of the land and, as the name suggests, “binds” the lot owners to provisions that bring the development into conformity with the site plan. For more information about Binding Site Plans see Kitsap County Code 16.56.

Subdivision Process

Subdivisions, Short Subdivisions and Large Lot Subdivisions are each a two-part process:  Preliminary Land Division, where the Department reviews the application materials and establishes preliminary conditions of approval.  These conditions may include such things as the developer providing adequate vehicular access and parking, pedestrian access, multi-modal access (i.e.: bicycle paths), recreational facilities, and open space areas, as well as conditions to protect environmentally sensitive areas.  Once the Preliminary Land Division is approved, the next step (after finishing the site improvements, but before building development) is the Final Land Division application, where the Department reviews the application materials to determine that the preliminary conditions of approval have been met, and that the map is in proper form to record.  Recording the map is the action that creates the lots.