Coordinate with interested parties

The Shoreline Management Act (Chapter 90.58.130) requires that local governments involve all interested parties in updating SMPs. Local governments may want to write a participation plan to ensure planning efforts meet this requirement. A plan should describe the entire participation process including specific contacts, opportunities and schedule. Here are suggestions for who to include in outreach efforts:

Local

• Local Planning Commission and/or Shoreline Advisory Committee

• Neighboring county and/or cities

• Ports

• Affected Tribes 

• Property owners, agricultural and business operators in the shoreline environment

• Environmental or stewardship groups

State agencies

• Ecology’s Regional Shoreline Planners provide technical assistance on the overall planning process and can help provide access to data and information.

• Invite Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife area habitat biologist to help ensure inventories address habitat needs.

• Contact the Washington State Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Resources Division to ensure planning is consistent with state-owned aquatic lands management goals. Contact Statewide SMP review coordinator Hugo Flores, (360) 902-1126.

• For information on archaeological and cultural resources, contact the State Office of Archaeology & Historic Preservation.

Federal agencies

• Representatives from federal agencies that manage land or major facilities within the local jurisdiction (Bureau of Land Management, military reservations, etc.)

• If your jurisdiction includes species listed under the ESA, consider inviting representatives from NOAA Fisheries (migratory fish) and/or the US Fish and Wildlife Service (terrestrial species and non-migratory fish) 

Prepare a shoreline strategy

Some jurisdictions find it useful to craft a shoreline management strategy to identify the general community vision for managing its shorelines. The strategy helps clarify management issues, describes how shoreline management and the community's comprehensive plan and other plans and development regulations will work together, and integrates SMP regulations with recommendations for other public actions (such as site acquisition).

During this part of the SMP process, the community explores issues such as central waterfront revitalization, view blockage, vegetation protection, public access, trail development, etc. The shoreline management strategy includes objectives for determining the suitability of shoreline areas for various uses, setting the stage for assigning environment designations to specific shoreline segments. It will guide the community in determining the policies and regulatory language for shoreline uses. An implementation scheme for accomplishing shoreline management goals may also be included.

For more information

Law: RCW 90.58.130
Rule: WAC 173-26-201(3)(b)