A Debate Over 'Fully Contained Communities'

Officials have been deliberating over the concept of "fully contained communities" as allowed by growth management rules, and whether they should be allowed to pop up in the area.

"It seemed as if the elected officials were talking about a zombie rising up in the world of planning and development. The discussion revolved around one question: Is it better to kill the beast and erase all memory of its existence or just make sure it stays under control if revived?

The issue of "fully contained communities," which seems to have lost all support, fueled an hour of debate at Tuesday's meeting of the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council. Such rural communities, allowed by the state's Growth Management Act, must be built with housing, businesses, jobs and urban services."