Josh Farley

josh.farley@kitsapsun.com

EAST BREMERTON — A 20-acre greenbelt at the corner of Riddell Road and Almira Drive has all but been devoured by loggers this month.

The land, long owned by the Zarelli family, is being readied for development, but there are no plans as yet for the property, according to officials in the city's Department of Community Development. Mayor Patty Lent believes apartments may be in the works, but Zarelli has not returned multiple calls and emails for comment about the work.

What we do know: the Zarelli family goes way back in Bremerton, having developed the original site and Merit Mart store at Riddell Road and Wheaton Way in 1966. The site was also home to other stores, as you'll learn on this week's Bremerton Beat Blast, before Lowe's left the family with a vacancy they've not yet filled.

The logged site is zoned for commercial, multi-family and mixed-use purposes. In 2007, the city's planning commission mandated a 20-foot greenbelt along Almira Drive. But the greenbelt need only be installed once development occurs, and it appears the Zarellis are logging it all.

That's Story No. 1 in the Bremerton Beat Blast this week; you'll also learn:

Why hip hop star Macklemore came back to Bremerton after his concert in late summer;

How a rising tide of illicit massage businesses is causing concern in Kitsap;

Where a truck struck a water line Monday, briefly turning a parking garage into a lake;

And finally, what last weekend's lighted boat parade in Bremerton looked like from above.

Questions? Comments? Send them my way, to josh.farley@kitsapsun.com.