Port Townsend Shoreline Master Program: Limited Amendment

On January 12, 2012, the Department of Ecology approved Port Townsend’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP) limited amendment. On January 6, the Department of Ecology provided the City with recommended changes to the proposed amendment. The City notified Ecology on January 10 that they agreed to the changes. This notification paved the way for the final approval.

The approval is based on Ecology’s review of the amendment’s compliance with the Shoreline Management Act (SMA) and Shoreline Master Program Guidelines, and a 30-day public comment period. Ecology used mail and email to notify stakeholders and those who had expressed prior interest. No public hearing was held due to the lack of public comment during a public comment period held by the City. Ecology did not receive any comments during its comment period.

The amendment revises the existing shoreline program which was comprehensively updated in 2007. Over the last four years of implementation, the City has identified various internal inconsistencies, incomplete definitions and misidentified, cross-referenced codes. The City’s limited amendment is an effort to remedy the inconsistencies, incorporate state and federal regulatory changes, and improve the document’s cohesiveness with other local regulations.

Specifically, the amendment revises the shoreline program to be consistent with the following:

WAC 173-27-090(4) regarding the time limitation of shoreline permit approvals
RCW 90.58.080 4(b) regarding the schedule for reassessment
Chapter 20.01 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code (PTMC) regarding appeals procedures

Documents related to approval

Note: All documents are PDF

Ecology's January 12, 2012 final approval letter (390 KB)
Port Townsend's January 10, 2012 acceptance of recommended changes (96 KB)
Director of Ecology's January 6, 2012 letter (1,036 KB)
- Attachment A: Findings and Conclusions for Proposed Amendments (61 KB)
- Attachment B: Recommended Changes (27 KB)
Port Townsend cover letter to Ecology (27 KB)
Port Townsend Ordinance No. 3062 Adopting Amendments, September 6, 2011 (1,737 KB)
Port Townsend Ordinance No. 3062 Rationale (122 KB)
Map of Affected Properties (543 KB)
Environmental (SEPA) Determination CAO Amendments (3,005 KB)

Per RCW 90.58.090, the effective date of Port Townsend’s limited amendment is January 20, 2012, 14 days after Ecology notified the local government that their shoreline program was approved.

Paper copies of the above documents are available by contacting Rick Mraz, Washington Department of Ecology (see Staff contact, below).

Appeals

Per RCW 90.58.190(2) and RCW 36.70A.290, an interested party may file an appeal with the Growth Management Hearings Board within 60 days of the publication date of Ecology’s written notice of final action.
Ecology plans to publish the notice of final action in the Port Townsend Leader legal ads on January 25, 2012.