Publication Summary

Cities and counties across the state are developing comprehensive updates of their shoreline master programs (SMPs). Many of these programs have not been amended since they were first adopted in the 1970s. The Department of Ecology is providing grant funding and technical assistance to these local projects, and is responsible for reviewing and approving the updated programs.

Cities and counties across the state are developing comprehensive updates of their shoreline master programs (SMPs). Many of these programs have not been amended since they were first adopted in the 1970s. The Department of Ecology is providing grant funding and technical assistance to these local projects, and is responsible for reviewing and approving the updated programs.

Updated maps of "Shorelines of the State" will be a fundamental element of the new city and county SMPs. Shorelines of the State are the water bodies in each city or county covered by the shoreline program, as defined in state law (RCW 90.58). After the Washington State Shoreline Management Act (SMA) was passed in 1971, the State Department of Ecology and local governments identified the water bodies to be covered in the shoreline master programs (SMP′s), and these lists were incorporated into the state shoreline management guidelines as part of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC). Local governments included those lists in their SMPs and applied their goals, policies and development regulations to them.

Now the Department of Ecology proposes to amend its rules (WAC) to incorporate the updated mapping which shoreline communities will complete during the SMP updates. The proposed rule amendment will provide consistency of information and avoid potential legal conflicts between Ecology′s current (old) rule language and updated (new) local shoreline master programs. The first comprehensive SMP updates are scheduled to be submitted to Ecology by the end of 2005, with final Ecology approval anticipated during the first half of 2006. Ecology must revise the current State rules before taking action on any of the proposed local SMPs.

This Focus sheet provides background information on the proposed rule revision and the new approach for updating the "Shorelines of the State".