Kitsap's 'Year of the Rural' Kicks Off with Community Meeting & Presentation

On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the Kitsap County Department of Community Development hosted the Year of the Rural kickoff meeting at the Village Green Community Center in Kingston. The event was well attended in person, with additional community members participating via Zoom. KCAA board members were on hand to observe and engage in the discussion.

DCD Long-Range Planner Heather Cleveland gave a presentation outlining the goals of the Year of the Rural, with a focus on defining and preserving rural character, supporting rural economic development, and balancing growth with environmental preservation.

The 2025 'Year of the Rural' initiative will work to update the Rural and Resource Lands Chapter of the County’s Comprehensive Plan. Goals that were presented at this meeting include defining and preserving Kitsap's rural character, supporting rural economic development, and balancing growth with environmental preservation.

Key Focus Areas for the Year of the Rural:

• Defining Rural Character: Establishing clear policies to preserve rural landscapes.

• Rural Land Use Reclassification: Address site-specific land use requests deferred from 2024.

• Economic & Environmental Development: Support agriculture, local businesses, and rural tourism while protecting forests, wetlands, and wildlife habitats.

• Growth Management: Direct new development to urban areas in line with the 2024 Comprehensive Plan.

  
  

For more information and to get involved in the Year of the Rural process, visit the Kitsap County Year of the Rural page and review Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners materials.