Twisp Shoreline Master Program: Comprehensive Update

On September 19, 2011, the Department of Ecology provided the Town of Twisp with required and recommended changes to the Town’s June 2010 comprehensive update of their Shoreline Master Program (SMP). The comprehensive update revises the existing shoreline program, including the goals, policies, regulations, shoreline environment designations, and administrative procedures and definitions. The required and recommended changes have been sent to the Town for their review and response. The Town of Twisp may agree to these changes or offer alternative language. Final Ecology approval will occur when the Town and Ecology agree on language that meets state requirements.

This is the first amendment of the Town’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP) since their initial SMP was adopted in 1987. Twisp is located at the juncture of two rivers, both shorelines of statewide significance – the Twisp River and the Methow River. This area of Okanogan County has been the focus of many flood reduction projects and fish and habitat restoration projects. The Town has included important critical areas provisions, such as wetland, geohazards and flood protection standards directly into their SMP. These standards have been balanced with current development patterns and future projected uses of the shoreline as well as identification of shoreline restoration opportunities.

Documents related to approval

Note: All documents are PDF.

Director of Ecology's September 19, 2011 Letter (149 KB)
- Attachment A: Findings and Conclusions for Proposed Amendments (30 KB)
- Attachment B: Required Changes (86 KB)
- Attachment C: Recommended Changes (136 KB)

Locally approved draft Shoreline Master Program, December 2010 (3,801KB)*

Draft Shoreline Designation Map, September 2010 (110 KB)*
Appendix A - Chapter 4's Characterization Report Support Documents
- A.1 County-wide Inventory and Analysis of Science Factors (313 KB)
- A.2 Methow and Twisp River Analysis Unit Data (48 KB)
- A.3 Technical Data that resulted in A.2 Analysis Unit Results (2008) (83 KB)
- A.4 Methow and Twisp River Analysis Unit Maps (466 KB)
Appendix B - Planning Factors and Environment Designation Methodology
- Appendix B.1 Draft Analyzing Planning Factors for Characterization of Okanogan County's Shorelines, June 2008 (124 KB)
- Appendix B.2 Okanogan County SMP Environmental Designations Process (72 KB)
Appendix C - Critical Areas Regulations*
- Appendix C.1 Flood Damage Prevention (196 KB)
- Appendix C.2 Critical Areas Regulations (233 KB)
Appendix D - Chapter 9's Cumulative Impacts Analysis
- D.1 County-wide Cumulative Impact Analysis Report (402 KB)
- D.2 County-wide Cumulative Impact Analysis Tables (56 KB)
- D.3 County-wide Map Representation of Cumulative Impact Analysis tables (3,254 KB)
Appendix E - Okanogan County Native Plants List (136 KB)*
Appendix F - Public Access map, May 2010 (82 KB)
Appendix G - Twisp's Channel Migration Study Maps*
- Appendix G.1 Channel Migration Zone Components, Methow River maps (845 KB)
- Appendix G.2 Channel Migration Hazard Zones, Methow River maps (695 KB)
Appendix H - Draft Shoreline Designations, Common Legal Descriptions, November 2010 (288 KB)

Background documents

Twisp Resolution No. 10-470 (130 KB)
Staff Resport #3 SMP Update to Council and Mayor, March 31, 2011 (257 KB)
Part Eleven - Forms: SEPA Environmental Checklist (902 KB)
SEPA Determination of Non-Significance (372 KB)
Shoreline Master Program Submittal Checklist (339 KB)
Department of Commerce GMA compliance letter, July 19, 2010 (38 KB)

For more information or paper copies of the above documents, contact Clynda Case (see below), Washington State Department of Ecology.

Clynda A. Case
Washington Department of Ecology, Central Regional Office
15 West Yakima Avenue, Suite 200
Yakima, WA 98902-3452
(509) 457-7125
Clynda.Case@ecy.wa.gov