REVIEW BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
A ROLLING TRIBUTE: Bicyclist gets ready for memorial ride. A16
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2013 | Vol. 113, No. 31 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢
Saving the planet, one gummy bear at a time
Henri Gendreau / Bainbridge Island Review
Islander Jerry DeGroot talks with Mayor Steve Bonkowski at the Department of Ecology’s hearing on the Shoreline Master Program Wednesday evening at city hall.
Fault lines remain on new shoreline plan BY RICHARD D. OXLEY Bainbridge Island Review
Brian Kelly / Bainbridge Island Review
Lila Schroer works on her inventory of plastic trash items found on a local beach during the STEAM camp at Captain Charles Wilkes Elementary last week.
STEAM camps immerse island kids in science and more BY BRIAN KELLY Bainbridge Island Review
It would take a bit of creative thinking and scientific study to save the planet’s tiniest and tastiest “endangered species.” By the end of last week, though, a great group of Bainbridge youngsters had come up with plenty of STEAM-powered solutions. Building on last year’s success, Bainbridge schools hosted two STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) camps over the past two weeks for kids who’ll be entering second through seventh grades next year.
Greg Moncada, the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) coordinator for the Bainbridge Island School District, said more than 150 students enrolled in the two camps, with 88 of those participating in the elementary STEAM camp that kicked off July 22 at Captain Charles Wilkes Elementary. Throughout the camp, students were ensconced in a head-spinning array of hands-on activities that included robots, rockets, water balloons and art projects — as well as a “morning spectacular” event that started each day.
“The second morning we did potato cannons and this morning we did high pressure water rockets. And tomorrow morning we are going to do hovercrafts,” Moncada said. The big events each morning were tied into the theme of the camp, “Building our Future on Earth and in Space.” But Moncada said the mission for the four-day summer camp was much sweeter. “It is an attempt to help transport gummy bears off the planet, SEE STEAM, A25
It was the same old tune, but for a different audience. Waterfront homeowners and more weighed in on the city’s Shoreline Master Program update, Wednesday evening. This time, however, officials with the Department of Ecology were present and listening. For the first time, the update was out of the city’s hands and under review by state decision-makers. Islanders were there to give them an earful. Ecology will ultimately approve or deny the update, or possibly return it to the city requiring changes be made. If the update as discussed under the council’s purview was the original series, then Ecology’s public hearing was the remake; comprised of all the same material as before, with a few new bells and whistles. Beginning at 6 p.m. with an open house, islanders filled the council chambers and poured out its doorway onto the patio.
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But by the end of the meeting, closing in on 11 p.m., only a handful remained. As expected, islanders drew a line down the issue. On one side were those claiming that Bainbridge Island’s Shoreline Master Program was too restrictive and encroached on property owners’ rights. On the other side were those that felt the update didn’t go far enough and should do more to protect the Puget Sound from shoreline development. Familiar arguments on the update volleyed back and forth, from nonconforming designations to buffer zone objections. Many said the update was too vague and confusing. “This SMP is contentious because it significantly affects property rights,” said Dick Haugan, a candidate for the city council. “This complex SMP, focused on the shoreline, is very difficult to understand and in fact impractical to enforce,” he said. “It is SEE SHORELINE, A19
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