An interesting question, that at first glance, might make some people laugh (me included). But, county commissioners made this comparison during a work study Wednesday, saying Silverdale, if planned properly could become like Bellevue.

Now there’s no Microsoft in Silverdale (or a Nordstrom for that matter), but the commissioners weren’t talking about businesses per se, more about how existing businesses set for remodel and new buildings could be built using a pedestrian-friendly design.

Chairman Steve Bauer said he’s not a fan of comparing one place to another, but there is a chance for the wrongs in Silverdale to be righted. He noted when first developed, Bellevue was a shopping area, and that’s about it. Today there are hotels, movie theaters, a large mix of restaurants, office space and mixed-use housing and businesses — and everything is walkable. If you don’t live there, yes you have to drive to get there, but once you park, you can walk everywhere. That’s not the case in Silverdale. Walking in Silverdale sometimes feels like gambling with every passing car for your life.

The commissioners would like to see Silverdale transformed into a pedestrian friendly area. If this group of commissioners had been around when Silverdale was being developed, I think one thing they would have done differently was the design of the Kitsap Mall. Not necessarily the mall structure itself, but the sea of cement surrounding the mall — otherwise called a parking lot.

The commissioners, in an attempt to make sure proper planning is in place for the future, are preparing to make a planning document known formerly as the Silverdale Design Guidelines become design standards (or a requirement).

The design standards were created two years ago and approved by the board in 2007, but the verbiage hasn’t been strong enough to require developers follow the suggested design practices. As Joe’s prepares to move into the exiting AMC movie theater location, and as the county looks at the 450 acres of commercially zoned land near the Waaga Way extension road waiting to be developed, it wants to make those design standards a requirement. (County planners are working with property owners along the Waaga Way commercial area to make sure it is designed well — there have been many references to replicating what was done in Gig Harbor off Burnham Drive. The property owners have said they want to do something similar).

The wording of the 2006 document won’t be much different, Katrina Knutson, planner with the county, told the commissioners Wednesday.

Here’s what the county says about the changes: “The Department of Community Development is proposing changes to the Silverdale Design Standards due to the passive nature of the original document. Projects have been submitted that did not utilize the design document, as it was not mandatory. DCD is attempting to ensure that certain important design elements are mandatory in the Silverdale area, to ensure quality and safe development in the future.”

One change to the document, outside of word-smithing, is the design standards’ height requirements, which were amended to be “consistent with changes made to Kitsap County Code Title 17 through Phase II Code Development.” The change will allow for more flexibility on buildings heights. There are two areas where the height restrictions will stay in place, I believe one of them is along the Silverdale Waterfront.

The design standards will also gain two additional zoning districts, to account for the proposed Waaga Way commercial area. The zoning will be Waaga Way Town Center and Provost Commercial District. The Provost zoning runs from where the Waaga Way extension road will spit out onto Old Frontier Road, south past Legend Harley-Davidson.

Bauer questioned why there were nine different business zoning districts, instead of trying to create a uniformed business zone. The reason for the different zones was to accommodate the different types of business in Silverdale, which range from the Old Town Silverdale with a more historic appeal, to the strip malls that line Silverdale Way, according to planners.

The design standards will be applied in the following situations (according to the document):

“The design guidelines are specific to physical elements and contexts within downtown Silverdale and its districts and apply to all new construction or substantial reconstruction within the Silverdale Design Districts.
A. For all existing structures in the design districts with exterior improvements or additions or both valued at less than 50 percent of the replacement value of the structure, only the new portion(s) of the structure and associated site improvements are subject to the design guidelines.
B. For all existing structures in the design districts with exterior remodels greater than 50 percent of the replacement value of the structure in any three-year period, then the standards apply to the entire structure and associated site improvements.
1.4.2 Conflicts. Where there is a conflict between the design guidelines and other Kitsap County regulations not associated with the adopted Building Code, the provisions in the design guidelines govern where applicable. If the design guidelines are silent on an issue that is addressed in Kitsap County Code, the code shall be followed.”

County commissioners are set to hold a public hearing Dec. 1 on the changes to the Silverdale Design Standards, and final adoption is set for their Dec. 8 meeting.

Click here to be connected to the county’s Web site where the design standards can be accessed via PDF file.

I’m keeping this short because I’m running out the door to a Central Kitsap Community Council meeting, but I learned today that the county will be holding a public hearing Monday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. to hear public comments about the reclassification of the Seabeck Bay area that is currently zoned conservancy.

This ties in with the proposed Olympic View Marina, LLC, development, but the hearing is NOT about the marina, it is about the proposed site specific amendment to change the shoreline designation at Seabeck Bay.

The Department of Ecology already approved the project, stating the marina development team could go ahead with its project in two phases. Phase one could begin immediately, and would allow the group to finish its demolition of the old marina. It also would allow the group to begin building its marina, but the structure would have to stay within the footprint of the existing marina.

Phase two can begin once the county changes its shoreline designation — which the commissioners will be voting on in December. Once that change is official, the marina developers can go ahead with their plans to build the marina as they had proposed. Their plan includes improved environmental protections that have been approved by the Department of Ecology, the Army Corps of Engineers, the various Native American Tribes, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the county and any other organization you can think of.

I’ll keep you posted on the Dec. 1 hearing, which is a part of the county commissioner’s regular meeting.

I wrote a previous (initial) blog entry about Monday’s hearing before the Central Kitsap School Board regarding the Seabeck Elementary School property. I wanted to use this blog entry to include some of the comments given to the board, that didn’t make my story, or that entry. Also, I wanted to include comments from Port of Bremerton commissioner Bill Mahan and Central Kitsap Commissioner Josh Brown that were made at the Seabeck Neighbors meeting in November.

While there were more people in attendance than those who spoke, only nine people offered their opinion on what the district should do with the land. Here’s some of what was said:

“We are passionate about the school,” said Darcy Lund, whose children attended Seabeck Elementary before it closed. “It has been the heart of the community for a very long time and to see that site go away would be disheartening for a lot of people.”

“Our goal is to keep this property in public use,” said Loanna Day, the leader of the Seabeck group hoping to use the site as a community gathering place for Seabeck residents. “We would like to encourage the school board to do all they can within the law to ensure this property stays in the community for public use.”

Toni Magee, another member of the Seabeck Neighbors group echoed the above comments and suggested exploring the placement of continuing education-type program at the school, to offer training to people looking to expand their education.

“If we put our hearts and our thinking and our creativity together there will be a way to save this property,” she said.

Barbie Mills, co-owner of Barbie’s Cafe and the Seabeck General Store with her husband Billy, told the board through her position as the cafe owner she has heard from hundreds in the community who want the school site to stay in the public’s hands.

Chuck Kraining, executive director of the Seabeck Conference Center, has offered the use of his facilities to the community as a place to meet when he can, but he told the school board that conference center guests will always receive priority over community members.

He also told the board the conference center had no interest in purchasing any of the school property, joking he had enough old buildings to repair at his own site.

At the Seabeck Neighbors November meeting, members talked with CK commissioner Brown and Bremerton port commissioner Mahan. The bulk of the meeting was about what the next steps for the group should be, and realistically could the port or county acquire any of the land.

“If the port and county are going to be involved in this, it has to be a realistic venture,” Mahan told the group. “Are we going to accomplish a community center? I don’t think so. Is that in the cards later? Possibly. I think between now and when the school district finally completes its process in December, we’ve got to decide what can we really do and is that going to be good enough for the community.”

With Michael Reeves’ announcement that he’d like to purchase a small parcel from the district and donate a portion of it to the public, the group is excited, but plans to continue its wait and see approach before it takes its next step.

Loanna Day called Reeves’ announcement a “wild dream” that has “presented an element of possibility” for the community. We’ll see what happens next.

I received the following from Darla Murker, executive director for the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce. She sent it out to her contact list, and I am passing it on to all of you so you can be on guard:
Good afternoon,

One of our members received an email from an organization calling themselves the US Local Business Association, (USLBA) informing them that they’d been selected “for the 2008 Best of Silverdale Award in the Senior Citizens Service.”  It is a Vanity Scam, trying to get you to purchase a plaque after providing them with your contact information.

It falls into the same category as the fake domain registration and fake telephone book ad invoices that you might receive.

While it might seem very flattering to be considered for something like this proposes (at first blush) it’s only a sneaky way to get into your pocket.  Don’t let them fool you.  Besides, the “Best of Central Kitsap” comes your way once a year and I’ll wager our plaques are much better looking and we don’t charge you for them!

The Chamber just wanted you to be aware of the scam.

For your information – the original email and the BBB’s response to questions asked about it follow::

The message comes addressed to “Your Marketing Representative” and reads as follows:

—- Original Message —–

From: Selection Committee

To: XXXXXX (Your Company Name)

Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 12:11 AM

Subject: (Your Company Name) Receives 2008 Best of Silverdale Award

(IMAGE OF AWARD PLAQUE WITH YOUR COMPANY NAME ON THE PLAQUE HERE)

I am pleased to announce that (YOUR COMPANY NAME) has been selected for the 2008 Best of Silverdale Award in the (INSERT YOUR SERVICE HERE) category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

In recognition of your achievement, a 2008 Best of Silverdale Award plaque has been designed for display at your place of business. You may arrange to have your award sent directly to (YOUR COMPANY NAME) by following the simple steps on the 2008 Best of Silverdale Award order form.

The USLBA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, USLBA members are asked to identify companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success and overall customer satisfaction in their local market and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Also, a copy of the press release publicizing the selection of (YOUR COMPANY NAME) is posted on the USLBA website. USLBA hereby grants (YOUR COMPANY NAME) a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, distribute, and display this press release in any media formats and through any media channels.

Sincerely,
Ashley Carter
Selection Committee Chairman
U.S. Local Business Association

p.s. The intended recipient of this notification is the Marketing Director for (YOUR COMPANY NAME). If you have received this email in error please forward it to the intended recipient.

If the links are not working in this email please copy and paste the following urls into your browser:
Award Order Form:XXXX
Press Release: XXXXXX

—– End Original Message —–
Here is some information from the Spokane BBB after they were asked about the emails.

The BBB does not have a current report on this company, which means it has not had frequent enough inquiries or a reason to open a file. The red flags that the BBB sees with this organization’s pitch are:

• There is no way to contact this company other than via email.

• Web site domain registration information is privately registered via Go Daddy. We consider this to be a red flag.

• Organization states that you have been awarded, and then presents you with the option of purchasing your own plaque. In order to receive your award you are first required to confirm your company’s information. The web site states:

Receiving Your Award

In recognition of your achievement, a 2008 Best of Ft. Benton Award plaque has been designed for display at your place of business. Simply confirm your business contact information in the form below to receive your award.

• The BBB is unable to find anywhere on this organization’s web site prior to confirming your business profile info how much the plaque will actually cost.

• Before ever agreeing to the award, this organization already has a “News Release” posted to its site stating that you are a recipient of this award.

BBB TIPS ON VANITY AWARD/DIRECTORY OFFERS

Vanity offers differ from conventional offers in that they generally offer to award you at your expense, and/or they solicit entries in awards, directories or lists patterned after “Who’s Who” Directories, which bear prestigious sounding titles.

Businesses nationwide should question direct email or mail solicitations that offer to include the recipient in an award process or directory. In most cases, no returned solicitation, nominee or entry is turned down. The solicitation may be accompanied by a request for a membership fee (in this case payment for a plaque) or for an order of one or more copies of a directory.

Businesses that deal with vanity offers should recognize that their award may have little or no significance in the marketplace and should realistically expect no more than the self-satisfaction derived from seeing your plaque on the wall, but don’t be surprised when or if someone asks you to substantiate the award and its merits.

The Better Business Bureau routinely encourages caution. Thoroughly evaluate any solicitations as those described and determine if they are truly based on merit or are geared primarily to appeal to your vanity.

Last night the Central Kitsap School District board of directors held a public hearing to receive comments about what it should do with the vacant Seabeck Elementary School site.

Because the district has two pieces of property in Seabeck — one at the vacant school site, and another on Larsen Lane waiting to be developed — the board is looking at selling the 13-acre site. District administrators know once enrollment numbers start to climb, which could be in another three to four years, a school will be needed in Seabeck again. When that opportunity presents itself, the district will build a new school on the Larsen Lane property.

Attendance at the hearing was strong, however only nine people spoke to the board. Of the nine, only one was not a Seabeck resident, but she is a taxpayer within the district. All of the comments were in favor of the district keeping a portion of the property in public use (even the non-Seabeck resident’s comment).

Along with community members attending the meeting, Chief Ken Burdette of Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue was there. Burdette said the fire department might be interested in a portion of the school property near its existing fire station, which is staffed by volunteers. Everything is preliminary, he cautioned, but the fire department wants to be prepared for future growth, and he knows some day they will need a larger station on that site that could be fully staffed. As the site sits now, it’s not large enough to handle an expanded station, which is why the department might be interested in acquiring a portion of the school site.

The big surprise of the evening was a comment made by Seabeck resident Michael Reeves, who has longtime ties to the Seabeck community. Reeves told the board, but really more the community, his life dream is to purchase a piece of the school property, build a log cabin on the land and then give it back to the Seabeck community for public use. He might actually be able to do that, pending a legal settlement he is currently in the midst of. He didn’t say much about the settlement, because he couldn’t legally, but he wanted the Seabeck community to know he would like to donate the land, if it works out that way.

You can be sure that I’ll be following up on this.

The school board will discuss the public testimony during a Dec. 10 meeting. At that meeting they’ll either confirm their earlier decision to surplus the land, or they’ll make a new decision. My guess is nothing will happen with the site until after the holidays, because the district isn’t rushing anything.

Stay tuned for more on the saga of the Seabeck Elementary School site…

I wanted to add a little more to my previous post about saving money this holiday season by shopping at stores going out of business.

When I talked with Darla Murker, executive director of the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce, last week about her take on stores going out of business, she said many businesses are having to change the way they bring in customers. In some cases businesses are cutting back on their advertising dollars this year to save money.

In other cases businesses are trying to market themselves differently by offering discounts to shoppers who bring in canned food or other non-perishables for area food banks. Realizing times are hard for everyone, the stores are asking local shoppers to help their neighbors by donating food when they come in to shop.

So this year, in addition to looking for great deals, look for the local businesses supporting the community by way of food or toy drives and consider supporting their efforts.

I posted on my Facebook page this weekend that this year is the first time in a long time where I started my holiday shopping before Thanksgiving. I am well organized and plan everything out well in advance, but for some reason I find myself to be that person in the store a week or two before Christmas, (or sometimes on Dec. 24), picking up what I need. (Considering my family has always opened presents on Christmas Eve, shopping that afternoon and rushing home to get everything wrapped before dinner, doesn’t always make the most sense).

Having in-laws that live in Indiana has changed my shopping habits a little, because we have to mail their gifts early to make sure they arrive in time, but I still push things to the limit when it comes time to shop.

This year however, we decided to change our habits. Instead of loading up our Macy’s and Mastercard in December, we opted to get some of our shopping out of the way this weekend, so that we could split the payment and ease up on the “We have no money” anxiety that we experience every holiday season.

We went out to Silverdale Friday and it was a jackpot for deals. Stores are trying hard to entice buyers through their doors this year because of the fear that this could be one of our worst holiday shopping seasons to date. I realize not everyone can afford to go crazy on shopping this year (trust me, I can relate), but there are some great deals right now. I’m guessing a lot of sales will last through December, but some of the best deals are the ones where stores are going out of business.

I hate prospering on another person’s (or business’s) demise, but Linens ‘N Things and Whitehall Jewelers at the Kitsap Mall are going out of business and offering some great deals. We went to LNT this weekend and found a couple of gifts at 40 percent off. We didn’t hit up the jewelry store, but the signs I saw advertised they had stuff 60 to 75 percent off. (Hint: All you husbands, boyfriends, significant others, whatever you choose to call yourself, go score a great piece of jewelry for your special someone at a significant discount, you’ll earn major brownie points…and don’t let them know you got it on sale.)

If you read the story I wrote for Monday’s business spotlight in the paper, you can learn more about LNT going out of business. There’s also speculation that Circuit City could be right behind them, if they don’t do well this holiday season. Circuit City filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week, and some speculate the company has met its end. For those of you with Circuit City gift cards laying around, I’d recommend using them ASAP.

After filing for bankruptcy the company tried to say it wouldn’t accept its gift cards, but a Delaware judge said they couldn’t do that, ordering them to honor the cards. Who knows how long that will last?

At LNT, they aren’t accepting coupons, or gift cards, and if you registered with them for a wedding or something else, while your guests will luck out by getting the gifts at a discounted price, you won’t have anywhere to return them if there’s a problem. Maybe it’s time to look at Bed Bath & Beyond?

If you want to know more about the Linens ‘N Things closures, click here for the Reuters story, and click here for the New York Times’ Dealbook blog.

Here’s the Huffingtonpost.com article on the bankruptcy filing by Circuit City, with links to more stories about the company’s future.

For those of you who haven’t given up hope on holiday shopping - go take advantage of some of those sales…and happy shopping!

The Central Kitsap School District board of directors met Wednesday. They had a study session where they discussed the renovation/repair costs facing the district, then went into their regular meeting.

Here’s some highlights:

Study session:

The district has roughly $8.6 million in repairs that need to be done in the next two years, and another $16 million worth of repairs that will need to be addressed over the next six years, according to Richard Best, director of construction, facilities, and maintenance for the district.

In total the district is looking at $113 million in what it’s calling “backlog” repairs that have piled up faster than they can be paid for from 2000 to the present. In that same period the district was able to spend $55 million on repairs. That amount includes district money, and state matching money.

The crux of the presentation to the board about the repairs is, the district will need to go out for a capital facilities levy, likely in 2010 to help cover some of the repair costs. The board was given four options to consider for how the repair/renovation needs will be met. It eliminated one option (the option where no money is dedicated to the repairs).

The other options included:

Option 1: a full-funding plan, which would be based on a four-year recurring levy from 2011-2014. This plan is calling for $5 million to refresh technology; $60.8 million to renovate four or five facilities (this includes all backlog repairs at these facilities); and $16.4 million for backlog repairs at other buildings. All renovations include maximum state matching funds. This option would increase the current bond payment by 100 percent, from $1.30 per $1,000 of assessed value to $2.62 per $1,000 of assessed value. All buildings would be renovated in 24 years.

Option 2: a constrained funding plan, which would be based on a four-year recurring levy for the same time frame. This plan calls for $4 million to refresh technology; $50.3 million to renovate three to four facilities (this includes all backlog repairs at these facilities); and $18.3 million for backlog repairs at other buildings. All renovations would include maximum state matching dollars. This option would increase the current bond payment by 50 percent, to $1.97 per $1,000 of assessed value. All buildings would be renovated in 36 years. A bond measure must be considered after six cycles, due to negative cash flow.

Option 3: a partial funding plan, which would use the four-year recurring levy for 2011-2014. This plan calls for $3 million to refresh technology; $28.7 million to renovate one to two facilities (this includes all backlog repairs at these facilities); and $19.1 million for backlog repairs at other buildings. This would include fewer renovations to maximize state matching funds, which would result in more local money for increased repair needs in subsequent cycles. This option would maintain the current average taxes from the bond payment and all buildings would be renovated in 48 years. A bond measure will have to be considered after three cycles because of negative cash flow.

Most of the discussion around the presentation of the options focused more on the need for the district to have a clear way to present this information to the public/taxpayers, than on the options themselves. Board members Eric Greene and Christy Cathcart requested administrators come forward with “a plan” that clearly explains where taxpayer money will be used, and which schools need it the most. The plan should also show what will happen if the levy isn’t passed.

The board’s regular meeting, following the study session, reviewed summer WASL scores (quick rundown: 60 students took the reading portion of the WASL, 72 percent passed; 28 students took the writing portion, 86 percent passed; and 174 students took the math portion, only 21 percent passed). The board also looked at where I-728 funds are being used, and the effectiveness of that funding, and a quick look into the reading abilities of the district’s kindergarten through third grade students (roughly 30 percent of the district’s third graders aren’t meeting reading standards). The district hopes to find out where the discrepancies are, and address them so all students are reading at level in third grade (if not before).

The district is also considering changing its secondary school boundary lines, to make enrollment numbers in its junior highs and high school more equal. It has received numerous calls from developers interested in purchasing the property it owns near Waaga Way, where a new transportation facility was scheduled to be built. The district may sell the property, which has been re-zoned commercial, and build the new facility elsewhere. There’s a chance they could get enough money from the sale to cover the cost of building the facility, a win-win for everyone.

The next board meeting will be Monday, Nov. 17, at 6:30 p.m. to hear from the public about their thoughts on what the district should do with the Seabeck Elementary School property.

My editor David Nelson commented today about an LA Times story he read over the weekend detailing the adventures of a California teenager as he circumvents the world on his 36-foot sailboat…alone. His goal is to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone.

Since I’ve become the unofficial sailing/boating reporter, and because I love sailing, I had to pass along the young man’s blog and his Web site for those of you who might find this interesting.

When David first told me about this, I assumed the 16-year-old (who turns 17 later this month) was on his own boat, and his father or mother were on a second boat, sailing with him in case any emergencies arise. That’s when David said, no, this kid’s on this boat by himself, sailing around the world. My next reaction was, what parent in their right mind would allow their child to sail around the world without an adult?!

There are so many things that could happen — to name a few of the unexpected emergencies experienced by the 78-foot sloop Cheeky as she made her way to her new home in the Bremerton Marina, there’s engine failure, ripped sails, the fear of pirates who have no regard for your life, the concern that whales could crash into the hull of the boat and sink it, serious injuries, illness…the list goes on.

I’m currently reading the book “Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea”. That book alone is why I question letting a teenager circumvent the world without an adult. The author of the book, Steven Callahan, details how he survived after his sailboat sunk shortly after he left the Canary Islands. Through the course of reading his story there have been multiple times where I’ve thought what would I do if that happened to me? And usually the answer has been, I probably would have died. Because of Callahan’s knowledge of survival techniques, his general nautical knowledge and his will to live, he made it.

My curiosity brought me to 16-year-old Zac’s blog that details his trip around the world. From there I visited the Web site he set up to tell people why he’s sailing around the world — and why his parents “allowed” him to do it. After reading about his experience with sailboats, his knowledge and his parents’ confidence in his ability to make the journey, I pulled a 180 and said: “Heck yeah! Let this kid sail around the world!”

And my next thought was, wow, I wish I were as lucky as Zac. Seeing him do this, makes me want to do the same. I don’t see myself (or my husband) sailing around the world, but I can definitely see us in the Caribbean or South Pacific some day. I’d like to think we’d be able to do it “while we’re still young” but I am guessing if it ever does happen it will happen when we’re older, and when we have a boat capable of off-shore sailing.

I was also excited to see that Zac’s boat is an Islander 36. The boat I grew up sailing on is an Islander 30. I love our boat and hope to some day resume my family’s summer tradition of sailing the boat to the San Juans and Gulf Islands, but I’m thinking if we went out in the ocean I’d prefer to be on a 36 or 40 footer. One reason is for stability, but more important for sanity — my husband and me crammed on a 30 foot boat as liveaboards would only last for so long before one of us threw the other one overboard.

Illahee resident Jacob Metcalf sent me an email this afternoon, asking me to put a call out to readers/bloggers in the area who could offer him some input on his pending decision to purchase a Honda Metropolitan Scooter.

Here’s his email to me:

“Currently I live in Illahee but I am moving to Manette and I work at Keyport. I am thinking about getting a Honda Scooter that tops out at 40mph. I was planning on taking Centeral Vally road for most of my commute and then 308 to Keyport. Do you think this is doable or suicide? Do you know of any other scooter commuters in Kitsap?” (If you want to read more about his choice to ride to work, as opposed to driving a car, visit his reader blog on seattlepi.com.)

After reading the blog entry on the PI’s site, I can see why Jacob wants to get Kitsap input. For those of you who regularly visit Seattle, you know it’s not uncommon to see people whipping around on Vespas, Hondas or any other brand of scooter. Especially now with the increase in gas costs. Scooters make sense downtown, you can go places cars can’t, parking is easier, and it’s the faster version of a bicycle.

But, do scooters make sense in Kitsap? I can’t say I’ve seen a scooter driven here…but I sure do see a lot of motorcycles. In my opinion — which I have no experience on a scooter, and have only been on a motorcycle once to go around the block — I would be somewhat leery to ride a scooter in Kitsap on the open highways.

Back roads, yeah I’d be more willing to ride those because residential streets have lower speed limits (assuming people follow them). I have no experience, but I would think Jacob would be fine on Central Valley Road with a scooter. I would be a little worried about riding at night in the winter when it’s dark and often wet, but if you’re lit up enough you should be fine. (Another route possibility could be to go from Manette to Illahee Road and follow that to the Brownsville Highway. That way you don’t have to cross Wheaton Way to get to Central Valley, and then cross 303 again to get to Keyport…but as you pointed out, the speed limit is between 40 and 50 mph, and people are impatient on those back roads with higher speed limits.)

Any thoughts from drivers out there? Do you think scooters will become more frequent on Kitsap Roads as people try to save money? Are they safe? Any local scooter riders out there have feedback for Jacob?