Can I remodel a waterfront home in Kitsap County?

The short answer is yes. Many homeowners with waterfront property around Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo, Silverdale, and other areas remodel their homes with the proper permits.

Up to a certain point, remodeling a waterfront property is no different than remodeling any other home. Where things start to differentiate, however, is the proximity of your build to the shorefront. As a county with an abundance of shoreline, Kitsap has building regulations in place to help conserve and protect our marine environment.

In addition to a 15-foot setback buffer, the location of your waterfront property (on the Puget Sound, lakefront, wetland areas, etc) will determine just how far your remodel can be from the water.

To put it simply, remodels without expansions or pushing closer to the water generally receive the green light to remodel business as usual. However, if you’re planning on adding a guest house, ADU, or expansion, you cannot move forward without meeting the critical-area requirements issued by the County.