09/21/2026
Large conservation easement likely coming to North Kitsap. KEC comments in Kitsap Sun story.
POTENTIAL REC COMPLEX OFF BOND ROAD IN NK CHANGES PLAN, MOVING AHEAD
Marissa Conter
Kitsap Sun
Sept. 21, 2026, 3:30 a.m. PT
A potential recreation complex including a new YMCA and other athletic fields on nearly 100 acres of forestland off Bond Road in North Kitsap is moving forward again, after the county denied an application for the original concept a year ago.
North Kitsap-based development company Raydient is negotiating the sale of some forestland adjacent to Port Gamble Heritage Park to Great Peninsula Conservancy, which would put approximately 300 acres of land into a conservation easement to protect it from development, as well as a sale of around 95 acres to the North Kitsap United nonprofit group, which would be used for the recreation complex. Around $5 million is estimated to be needed in funding to make the deal happen.
A year ago Raydient, along with partners from the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties and the Kingston-North Kitsap Rotary Club requested the 400 acres be rezoned to allow housing to built along with the proposed recreation complex. The 400-acre property, located just outside of Poulsbo, is one of the remaining land parcels under timber giant Rayonier's ownership of what was Pope Resource's timber property for decades. Most of the former logging company's land has been preserved and moved into public ownership as part of a major conservation effort known as the Kitsap Forest and Bay Project, including the 5,000-acre Port Gamble Heritage Park and stretching all the way to the town site of Port Gamble.
That plan would have developed a recreation center with a "rural village" of homes situated on the land above. But the property's rural zoning designation did not allow for the cluster of homes as proposed. Raydient had planned to donate 100 acres of the land to the Rotary and YMCA for the recreational facilities if the housing component could have moved ahead and ultimately been sold by the company to homeowners.
NKU's request drew robust response from residents who were divided between support and opposition. While supporters expressed that the proposal's recreational component would be beneficial for families, others raised concerns that a rezone could further invite rural sprawl that would threaten surrounding wildlife.
Jon Rose, real estate vice president at Raydient, presents details of the North Kitsap United proposal to about 250 attendees at The Village Green Community Center on May 21.
Kitsap County commissioners did not approve the request, or any rural residential requests that year, including NKU, essentially killing the original deal. Jon Rose, Raydient's vice president of real estate, said the company decided to continue pursuing the creation of the recreational complex in a different manner after seeing the community's interest and adding GPC as a potential partner.
"The rezone effort was not successful last year... what was successful was raising the awareness of the extreme deficit of youth sports and other health, wellness, and recreation facilities in our community," Rose wrote to the Kitsap Sun. "We accept the rezone decision, but the NKU team is still fiercely committed to filling the needs of our community."
NKU is now raising money to purchase about 95 acres of the parcel for both indoor and outdoor recreation amenities. Previously designs included multiple sports fields and courts, a disc golf course, a YMCA center and some trails. The property's size and location is ideal for their plans, said Clint Boxman with the Rotary Club, as it would allow for greater accessibility to recreational facilities.
The parcel is centrally located in North Kitsap, according to Boxman, making it accessible to households throughout the region such as Kingston, Hansville, Eglon, Port Gamble, Indianola, Suquamish and unincorporated Poulsbo. Additionally, Boxman said the site is large enough to accommodate the recreation center while also allowing for further conservation of the forest.
"Securing this property creates a rare opportunity to address those needs while preserving significant open space for future generations," Boxman wrote to the Kitsap Sun. "This isn't just about acquiring land. It's about creating a place where children can play, families can gather, community programs can thrive, and residents of all ages can benefit from increased opportunities for recreation, health, and wellness. Opportunities to secure a property of this size and significance are extremely rare, which is why so many private, public, government and non-profit organizations have come together around this vision."
Great Peninsula Conservancy has already applied for multiple grants to help purchase the remainder of the property.
Nate Daniel, GPC's executive director, said the land is essential in connecting a wildlife corridor across the North Kitsap Peninsula, as it links Port Gamble Forest with the Divide Community Forest, which connects to Grover's Creek Preserve and then links to North Kitsap Heritage Park.
"It creates a contiguous greenway, all the way from the (Hood) canal to West Sound," Daniel said. "That's why it's so important. It's a way for animals to move back and forth across the north of our region, and that's everything from small animals all the way up to the big animals like bears and cougars. So, we want to make sure that corridor remains open."
The new proposed deal involving conservation and recreation has been publicly supported by several public entities, including the City of Poulsbo, Port of Kingston, Kitsap Economic Development Alliance, Kitsap Transit and Kitsap County Commissioners — who voted against the rezone last year.
Kitsap Environmental Coalition board member Beverly Parsons said she feels much more at ease after the rezone was denied and eliminated the possibility of a large-scale residential development in the forested area off Bond Road. Parsons said she supports the comprehensive plan's guidelines on growth management and that it is important to limit urban sprawl into rural areas when that abundant natural element is what sets Kitsap County apart. She and Daniel each said they have a neutral stance on NKU's current plans for recreation.
"I'm interested in keeping Kitsap's rural character and to reduce urban sprawl into more areas, which the conservation easement could help," Parsons said. "If we're not conscious of these things, it could be on its way to becoming the next suburbia ... I encourage people connected with the area to communicate with each other because we do need to find a balance between protecting the environment and serving the people who live here. Engaging in those conversations will help build a community to what we want."
The NKU plan is conditional on whether community partners can raise the money to purchase the land from Raydient, which is a publicly held company as part of Rayonier. According to Rose, the Rotary and YMCA will need to raise just under $1.5 million to secure the land, and GPC will need to raise roughly $4.5 million for the conservation easement.
Daniel said GPC's funding largely depends on how much the state Legislature designates for urban wildlife projects. While GPC awaits the state's response, the Rotary and YMCA will host a fundraiser on October 11 in Port Gamble to start community fundraising. Boxman said the engagement across residents and local organizations has shaped the project from the beginning and their continued support will make the difference in turning years of planning into reality.
"This project will only succeed because of community involvement," Boxman said. "At its core, this is a community project. The goal is to create a lasting asset that will serve North Kitsap families for generations, and everyone has an opportunity to play a role in making that vision a reality."
Daniel said GPC will plant trees on the clear-cut property to bolster the forest's well-being and long-term health.
"For us, we don't think in terms of 10 or 15 years ahead, we take more of a 150-year time horizon on the management of the properties," Daniel said. "Right now, it's just an early successional forest and we just want to be the best stewards we can of it and that's going to require a ton of energy and money and maintenance. We want to see a healthy forest in that area in the future."
For more information about the coordinated purchase of the Bond Road property that is in progress, visit NKU's website and GPC's website.
