Kelly resigns from Bainbridge Island Planning Commission

Published 11:32 am Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Kate Kelly has resigned from the Bainbridge Island Planning Commission.

City Manager Doug Schulze announced her departure at the city council meeting Tuesday, Nov. 18.

The resignation was immediate. It comes at a critical time for the seven-member commission, which is currently in the starting phase of a major update of the city’s comprehensive plan.

“We will be advertising to fill that as soon as possible,” Schulze said of the vacancy.

The open position will be posted as soon as possible, he said. The city needs a full commission as work continues on the update of the  comp plan, the expansive policy document that will guide growth and development on Bainbridge over the next two decades.

“We want a full commission,” Schulze said.

The planning commission is an advisory body to the city council and makes recommendations on applications for amendments to the comp plan, city zoning and other land-use matters.

Kelly, a former state senator and deputy attorney general for the state of Idaho, works for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She was appointed to the Bainbridge planning commission in May 2012.

Her term was set to expire in June 2016.

Kelly resigned in an email sent to Planning Director Kathy Cook and Planning Commission Chairman Mack Pearl on Thursday, Nov. 13.

“It is with regret that I write to let you know that I am no longer able to serve on the planning commission,” she wrote. “After much agonizing, I recently decided to start taking steps toward moving off Bainbridge Island and moving closer to work and the airport. As you are well aware, my job requires a lot of me – including a lot of travel – and the commute was simply becoming too much for me.”

Kelly also thanked Cook and Pearl for the chance to work with them on planning issues.

“I have very much enjoyed my time serving on the commission, and was very glad to have had the chance to make a slight contribution to the Bainbridge Island community. I wish you the best of luck with the comprehensive plan update,” she wrote.