oct-2017

216 217 BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WASHINGTON AT A GLANCE BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA WHAT: A city of 25,000 WHERE: In the Puget Sound in Kitsap County WEBSITE: www.ci.bainbridge-isl.wa.us SHARING THE ROAD Bainbridge Island, WA T raveling through Bainbridge Island,Washingtonmeans passing by street signs that state Bainbridge Shares the Road.The signs showsilhouette images of a person walking,bicycling,in awheelchair,and on a horse.Al- though the literal meaning of the green andwhite sign is obvious, it is also symbolicof a philosophy shared by its communityand government.The Cityof Bainbridge Island is dedicating its next 20 years of managed growth that is inclusive of its residents’visions, interests,and individualities. Bainbridge Island became amunicipality in 1991,when the city ofWinslow(nowits downtown center) annexed its surrounding 26.5 acres,and city leaders drafted themunicipality’s first compre- hensive plan.Today,after an 18-month process incorporating exten- sive communityengagement,Bainbridge Island has just completed its third comprehensive plan update.According to CityManager, Doug Schulze,this plan still features smart growth initiatives first established in the early‘90s; theyare just“evenmore refined and supported.”He explains: “Before the EPAdeveloped its smart growth program,Bainbridge Island reallydevelopedwhat is today known as Smart Growth-focusing on development of the down-