| I read your recent editorial and couldn’t help but laugh about your North Carolina planning department experience. I’m finishing up some subdivision projects in Port Orchard, but spend most of my time now down in Asheville, NC, where it takes 10 days to short plat and the planning department treats you professionally and with respect (very unlike Kitsap!).
My little 12-lot plat in Kitsap has been one of the most unpleasant experiences in my life, well at least the dealing with the county part. They blatantly disregard the law with their flagrant violations of county code mandated time deadlines, but really don’t care. Their conduct is appalling, their lack of any common sense drives one insane, and they treat the applicant like their enemy. I’ve even been issued a commercial occupancy permit, only to be told later by the county that they felt they had erred in doing so and then filed a note against my deed to “correct” their mistake with no notice to me, no appeal period, nothing!
Down in NC, it is so refreshing to be able to work professionally with pleasant planners where their county code even has penalty provisions for THEM if they miss their deadlines (not that they do!)
I used to love Kitsap County, and as a young, intelligent, financially-stable entrepreneur, I felt like I had lots to offer. But, as that creative-class entrepreneur-type, I’m a little fickle and my work has to be stimulating AND enjoyable for it to be worth it to me regardless of financial gains. This may sound harsh, but at this point, Kitsap County isn’t worth my time. And without some serious attitude adjustment county government-wide, they’re going to scare away the people they need the most.
Sorry for the rant… Your editorial struck a chord in me.
Barry Bialik
Port Orchard/Ashville, NC |
