Ecology approves Kirkland’s updated shoreline development standards, improving protection of Lake Washington and Puget Sound

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - August 16, 2010

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BELLEVUE – The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has approved the city of Kirkland’s recently updated shoreline master program, a landmark effort that significantly increases protection and restoration of Puget Sound area shorelines and water quality.

Kirkland is the first of 11 local governments along Lake Washington to complete the update. About 230 towns, cities and counties around the state are in the process or soon will be updating their master programs during the next few years, under the state’s voter-approved Shorelines Management Act.

“Kirkland’s updated shoreline master program provides a good example for the Lake Washington community,” said Geoff Tallent, Ecology’s regional supervisor for shorelands and environmental assessment. “With neighboring cities in the final steps of their updates, we appreciate Kirkland’s leadership. By working together, we’re accommodating future redevelopment and protecting critical habitat for fish and wildlife.”

The city this month accepted minor changes required by Ecology, and the master program went into effect on Aug. 4, 2010.

“We were very fortunate to have had a high level of public participation,” notes Kirkland Mayor Joan McBride. “The commitment to shoreline protection was evident by the involvement of shoreline property owners, our advisory boards and many who care about the quality of Puget Sound. I am proud that our City cares deeply about the shoreline.”

The updated shoreline master program guides construction and development in the city’s 6.1 miles of Lake Washington shoreline area. The revised master program combines local plans for future shoreline development and preservation with new shoreline development ordinances and related permitting requirements.

Shoreline master programs form the cornerstone of the state Shoreline Management Act passed by voters in 1972. The programs help minimize environmental damage to shoreline areas, reserve appropriate areas for water-oriented uses, and reduce interference with the public’s access to water.

The law requires cities and counties with lakes larger than 20 acres in size to develop and periodically update their locally tailored shoreline programs.

Kirkland’s master program update began with a thorough inventory of existing land-use patterns and environmental conditions completed in December 2006 followed by shoreline public tours, open houses, 18 public meetings, shoreline property owner workshops, and public hearings.

The update process is designed to bring diverse local interests to the table to work together. In Kirkland, the city collaborated for more than four years with the Kirkland Planning Commission, the Houghton Community Council, waterfront property owners, affected tribes, salmon recovery interests, and federal, state and local agencies.

Key features of Kirkland’s updated program include:

Provides shoreline regulations that integrate the city’s growth management planning and critical areas ordinances along Lake Washington.
Requires innovative shoreline setbacks and buffers that range from 30-60 feet depending on lot configuration and use of the property.
Provides flexible options for reducing the required shoreline setback in exchange for improvements to the shoreline area and alternative approaches to required shoreline vegetation and tree replacement.
Integrates pier/dock standards consist with state and federal standards to encourage streamlined review of pier/dock redevelopment within the city.
Limits construction of new shoreline armoring and encourages the use of green shorelines and soft-bank erosion control methods.
Provides a decision tree for determining the feasibility of using soft-bank erosion in lieu of hard stabilization, such as bulkheads or rip rap.
Includes a restoration plan showing where and how voluntary improvements in water and upland areas can enhance the local shoreline environment.
Helps support the broader Puget Sound initiative to protect and restore the Sound.

In addition, Kirkland amended its development regulations by reducing front (street facing) and side yard setbacks and increasing the allowable height in the single family areas to offset the increase in the required shoreline setback.

Ecology has final approval authority for each city and county shoreline program, which becomes part of the state Shoreline Master Program. Ecology adopted new shoreline program guidelines in 2003 that establish the basic requirements for updating local shoreline master programs. The guidelines resulted from a negotiated settlement between business interests, ports, environmental groups, shoreline user groups, cities and counties, Ecology, and the courts.

Kirkland joins a growing number of cities, towns and counties that have updated their shoreline programs using Ecology’s 2003 guidelines. The state guidelines allow each town, city and county flexibility to customize the regulations to fit its local land-use circumstances and vision of local waterfront development.

Although the state Shoreline Management Act requires jurisdictions to regularly update their programs, most haven’t done so comprehensively in more than 30 years.

All of Washington’s more than 260 cities and counties with regulated shorelines must update their shoreline programs by December 2014.

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Media Contacts:

Larry Altose, Ecology media relations, 425-649-7009

Geoff Tallent, Ecology regional shorelines program supervisor, 425-649-7096

Marie Stake, Kirkland City Manager’s Office, 425-587-3021

For more information:

Ecology’s Shoreline Master Programs home page: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/shorelines/smp/index.html

Ecology’s Citizen Guide to Shoreline Master Programs: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/shorelines/smp/citizen.html

Kirkland’s Shoreline Master Program: http://www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/depart/Planning/Code_Updates/Shoreline_Master_Program_Update.htm