City New Bytes: Share Your Feedback on COBI’s Waste Reduction Ordinance, Eagle Harbor Drive, Winslow Subarea Plan, Island Speed Limits, Vehicle Break-ins and Prowlers, Free Sandbags and more!
WASTE REDUCTION FEEDBACK: Bainbridge’s new regulations to reduce single-use waste became effective on January 1, 2023, introducing a 25c fee on take-out cups for consumers, and a requirement to use home compostable service ware items for businesses. *
Consumer and business owner reaction has been strong to these moves, both for and against, and so COBI has now opened 3 new avenues for feedback:
- Via Public Comment: There are 3-minute slots available to all during Public Comment at the start of each and every City Council Meeting – but a Waste Reduction Update is on the agenda for TUESDAY, JANUARY 17TH (you can speak in person at City Hall or via zoom just after 6pm).
- Via COBI Community Chat sessions:Business owners can talk directly with city climate action staff at a new monthly session – January’s is from 9-10am on Monday the 23rd at our Chamber Offices (395 Winslow Way East)
- Via email:Contact COBI’s Autumn Salamack (Climate Mitigation & Adaptation Officer) or Hannah Ljunggren (Climate Action Outreach Coordinator) directly by simply clicking their name.
*NOTE: The cup fee is now in effect island-wide, but all impacted businesses have been granted a 90-day grace period to use up their existing supplies of non-home compostable food and beverage service ware through 03/31/23. Also, some food service ware items have been temporarily exempted through 12/31/23, due to lack of commercial availability.
VEHICLE PROWLS – HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME: In response to recent vehicle prowls, the BIPD received questions about alternative ways to store vehicle registrations.
What happened? On Dec. 24, thieves used the address from the registration certificate to go to a local home and break-in while the owners were away. While not the case in this instance, many owners keep a garage door opener inside their cars. Pairing this device with the address on the registration is like having a key to your home.
What are the alternatives? Washington State law does require that registration certificates be carried in the vehicle for which they are issued. To comply with the law, RCW 46.16A.180 allows for electronic images, such as on a cell phone, in place of the paper copy to protect your home address from would be thieves.
Anyone driving the vehicle would need to have the electronic or paper copy with them while operating the vehicle. Laws vary from state to state and electronic registrations may not be accepted in all places outside of Washington so check before you travel.
As of Jan. 1, all new registrations will be printed so that the address section can be removed by the owner. Remember, in order for the registration certificate to be valid it must be signed by the registered owners.
FREE SAND BAGS AVAILABLE FOR NEXT KING TIDE (JAN 23-25): COBI’s Operations & Maintenance facility (at 7305 Hidden Cove Road) now has sand bags available for all Island residents with a limit of 10 bags per household. More details on the COBI website
PUBLIC HEARING JAN. 24 FOR ISLAND-WIDE SPEED LIMITS: City Council set a public hearing date of Jan. 24 for Ordinance No. 2022-24 related to setting Island-wide speed limits.
City staff is working to develop a process for implementation and enforcement of the new speed limits, should they be adopted by the City Council.
OPEN HOUSE FOR EAGLE HARBOR DRIVE/WYATT WAY NON-MOTORIZED IMPROVEMENTS – Wednesday, January 25th from 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.: The Public Works Department will be hosting an open house meeting at City Hall to discuss and solicit feedback on the design of the Eagle Harbor Drive/Wyatt Way Non-Motorized Improvements Project. The community is encouraged to attend the meeting.
This $5.8 million project will provide bicycle and pedestrian improvements along the stretch of Eagle Harbor that intersects with Blakely Avenue, around the head of Eagle Harbor, and Wyatt Way from the head of the bay curve to the intersection with Finch Road.
According to city planners, the project requires right-of-way acquisition and wetland mitigation. January 25th meeting goers will learn about the project scope, schedule, budget, and will have an opportunity to provide input to the Department on prioritizing project improvements and facility types. (The project website is currently being updated.)
During the City Council January 10th meeting, city staff presented the council with an overview of the project.
LOCAL BUSINESSES WITH LESS THAN $3K IN REVENUE MAY NO LONGER NEED COBI LICENSE: Bainbridge Island Municipal Code (“BIMC”) Section 5.04.030 currently requires all businesses to obtain a City business license endorsement “for the privilege of engaging in business within the city” regardless of the amount of income it generates.
At this week’s council meeting, COBI will discuss adopting Ordinance No. 2023-01 – eliminating the need to acquire a City business license requirement if gross annual income is $3,000 or less.
The Bainbridge Business license fee is currently set at $71 per year. Read the agenda item for info
CITY WANTS TO UPDATE WINSLOW SUBAREA PLAN: The City of Bainbridge Island has begun work on updating the Winslow Subarea Plan. A Subarea plan sets land use and transportation policy within a specific geographic region of the community.
The current Winslow Subarea Plan includes sections on housing, open space and trails, public facilities, transportation, utilities, and capital facilities – most of which will be updated through this effort.
How to Stay Informed: Information and updates will be added to the project website throughout the year. Sign up to be notified via text or email about Winslow Subarea Plan project meetings and updates.
How to Be Involved: There will be three public meetings for this planning effort beginning in February. These are great opportunities to catch up on the project and weigh in with your feedback.
*Information and images courtesy of the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce and the City of Bainbridge Island.
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