Laws, Rules, and Cases

Shoreline Management Act | Shoreline Hearings Board | Growth Management Act | Coastal Zone Management | Aquatic Lands Act | State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) | Floodplain and Flood Hazard Management | Watershed Planning Act | Salmon Recovery and Enhancement Acts | Wetlands | Water Quality and Stormwater |  Public Trust Doctrine | Case Law | Legal Research Sites

Shoreline Management Act

Background:

• Introduction to the Shoreline Management Act
• 2009 Amendments to the SMA and GMA

Law: The Shoreline Management Act of 1971 (RCW 90.58)

Rules:

• Permits for oil or natural gas exploration (WAC 173-15)
• Regulated streams and rivers (WAC 173-18)
• Regulated lakes (WAC 173-20)
• Designations of shorelands and wetlands (WAC 173-22)
• Shoreline Master Program (WAC 173-26)
  • Approval and Amendment Procedures: Parts I and II
  • Shoreline Master Program Guidelines: Part III
  • Ocean Management guidelines: Part IV
  • SMP Guidelines, 1972 (applicable to local jurisdictions that have not adopted a SMP)
• Permit and enforcement procedures (WAC 173-27)
   

Shorelines Hearings Board (SHB)

Background:

• Shorelines Hearings Board
• Environmental Hearings Office decisions (includes Shorelines Hearings Board)

Laws:

• RCW 90.58.170, 175, 180, 185
• Appeals (RCW 90.58.190)

Rule: WAC 461-08
 

Growth Management Act

Background:

• WA Department of Commerce's Growth Management Services
• Growth Management Act: An Overview

• Growth Management Hearings Boards

• 2009 Amendments to the SMA and GMA

Laws:

• Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A and RCW 36.70B)
• Shorelines of the state (RCW 36.70A.480)
• Judicial review of land use decisions (Land Use Petition Act, RCW 36.70C)

Rules:

• Growth Management Hearings Boards (WAC 242)

• Criteria for adopting comprehensive plans and development regulations (WAC 365-195)

• Project consistency (WAC 365-197)
   

Coastal Zone Management

Background:

• Washington State Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program

• Federal Consistency

• Managing Washington’s Coast: Washington's Coastal Zone Management Program (Ecology Publication #00-06-029, February 2001)

Law: Coastal Zone Management Act (US Code Title 16, Chap. 33, § 1451)

Rule: Code of Federal Regulations (Title 15, Chapter IX, Part 923)
 

Aquatic Lands Act

Law: Aquatic Lands Act (RCW 79.105 through 140)
Rule: Aquatic Lands Management (WAC 332-30)
 

State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)

Background: SEPA Handbook (Ecology Publication #98-114, Revised January 2004)
Law: State Environmental Policy Act (RCW 43.21C)
Rule: SEPA Rules (WAC 197-11)
 

Floodplain and Flood Hazard Management

Laws:

• Floodplain Management (RCW 86.16)
• Flood Control Assistance Account Program (RCW 86.26)

Rules:

• Floodplain Management (WAC 173-158)
• Flood Control Assistance Account Program (WAC 173-145)
   

Watershed Planning Act

Law: Watershed Planning Act (RCW 90.82)
 

Salmon Recovery and Enhancement Acts

Laws:

• Salmon Recovery Act (RCW 77.85)
• Salmon Enhancement Program (RCW 77.95)
   

Wetlands

Background:

• Wetlands: Nature’s Sponges, Nurseries, and Water Filters

• Interagency Guidance on Wetland Mitigation in Washington State

• Wetland Mitigation Banking – General Information

• GMA and Local Wetland Regulations

• Isolated Wetlands Information

• Prior Converted Croplands

Laws:

• Wetlands Mitigation Banking (RCW 90.84)

• Water Pollution Control Act (RCW 90.48)

Rules:

• Wetland mitigation banks (WAC 173-700)

• Water Quality regulations (WAC 173-201A)
   

Water Quality and Stormwater

Background: Developing Low Impact Development (LID) Standards
Law: Water Pollution Control Act (RCW 90.48)
Rule: Water Quality regulations (WAC 173-201A)
 

Public Trust Doctrine

Background:

• The Public Trust Doctrine
• Public Trust Doctrine E-Learning (NOAA web page)
   

Additional Information

Case Law

• Part 1: Selected Washington Supreme Court Decisions Pertaining To Land Use Law (PDF)

• Part 2: Selected Washington Appeals Court Decisions Pertaining To Land Use Law (PDF)

• Futurewise et al v. Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board and City of Anacortes et al Supreme Court opinion (PDF)

  • Updated Ecology/Commerce Guidance on Futurewise case (October 18, 2009)

  • Legal decisions bolster state, local efforts to update shoreline rules (Ecology News Release, May 15, 2009)

Legal Research Sites

Federal:

• Federal 9th Circuit Court

• U.S. Code Collection

State:

• Washington State Office of the Code Reviser: All state laws and rules and the State Register.
• Washington Courts: State Supreme Court and Court of Appeals site that posts new decisions for 90 days.
• Attorney General Opinions

Other:

• Municipal Research & Services Center (MSRC)
  • Washington State Court Decisions
  • LegalWA.org: Research State Supreme Court (1939 - present) and Appellate Court (1969 - present) cases by name, subject or citation. Includes older cases.
  • City and Town web sites
  • County web sites
• Findlaw.com: All federal & state courts, codes, laws & regulation.

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