The steering committee for the Bainbridge Island Comprehensive and Winslow Subarea plans gave city staff feedback on possible growth in Neighborhood Centers at its meeting Jan. 11.

BI’s three such centers are at Lynwood and Island centers, along with Rolling Bay. The committee is made up of three members each of the City Council and Planning Commission. It was formed to give elected leaders and the public more access to input on the two plans that will guide BI’s future growth.

City planning director Patty Charnas said Winslow has led the way the past 20 years when talking about BI growth, “which makes sense.”

However, some growth may need to occur outside of Winslow as growth there would need to go up, and many object to that because it would spoil views with taller buildings.

Growth in Neighborhood Centers also could go up, go outside the centers or remain as it is now in conservation areas.

Charnas pointed out that every Neighborhood Center would not need to be treated the same, as a sewage treatment plant likely would be needed on the south end, for example.

Planning commissioner Sarah Blossom said she’d like to know the number concerning growth needs outside of Winslow. “I still don’t have a clear understanding of what we’re looking at,” she said, asking if it might be a few acres or something bigger.

Possibly building in conservation areas has been a controversial issue, but Councilmember Jon Quitslund said multi-family housing is permitted everywhere, even in conservation areas with a conditional use permit, even though “it hasn’t been happening.”

Councilmember Kirsten Hytopoulos said the idea of focusing growth in Winslow was to avoid urban sprawl. “Show me why it all can’t go in Winslow,” she said. “Density is a huge political issue.”

Quitslund agreed. “How can we use density more intelligently? We need to increase density to provide affordable housing.”

Jennifer Sutton, a senior planner for the city, said to obtain “our fair share of growth and provide affordable housing we will need to add some capacity in conservation areas.”

Hytopoulos said the hypothetical concepts being discussed are broad, and the public is going to want more specifics to feel comfortable.

Quitslund asked everyone to look at it with an equity lens. Efforts to reduce development would not help BI have more affordable housing, which would continue to limit diversity of all types on the island.

Charnas said, “We expected this feedback,” and that city staff would go back to work to include those recommendations in its work on the plans.