DPD has reached another step in the comprehensive update of Seattle’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP). Seattle’s SMP submittal package was delivered to the Department of Ecology (Ecology) in February 2013 after City Council passed the SMP Ordinance on January 22, 2013. Ecology has reviewed this material and on August 2, 2013 Ecology informed DPD that the SMP submittal is complete, meeting the requirements of WAC 173-26-100 and 110.
The next steps in the update process include Ecology’s 30 day public comment and a public hearing (see below). Ecology released the following information regarding Seattle’s SMP.
The Washington State Department of Ecology seeks public comment on the City of Seattle’s proposed update to its Shoreline Master Program.
The city’s shoreline program has not been comprehensively updated since 1987. Seattle shorelines include approximately 86 miles of marine, lake and estuarine shorelines. The proposed comprehensive update revises the existing shoreline program, including the goals, policies, regulations, shoreline environment designations, definitions and administrative procedures.
Seattle’s proposed changes include:
- Policies and regulations designed to ensure no net loss of existing shoreline ecological functions.
- Critical areas regulations for managing sensitive areas located within the Shoreline District including priority freshwater and saltwater habitats.
- Eleven shoreline designations designed to fit Seattle’s varied shorelines.
- A requirement to mitigate project impacts as part of managing no net loss of ecological functions.
- Specific regulations that apply to non-water-oriented uses and structures when they are allowed in the Shoreline District and that require ecological restoration to meet the goals of the Shoreline Management Act.
- Specific standards intended to accommodate water-dependent uses.
- Shoreline buffers ranging from 15-feet for water-dependent uses to 100-feet in the Conservancy Preservation Shoreline environment.
- Regulations to manage shoreline modifications, including but not limited to dredging, piers/docks and shoreline stabilization.
- Regulations that continue to allow repair, maintenance and replacement of existing floating homes, but prohibit new floating homes.
- A restoration plan showing where and how voluntary improvements in water and upland areas can enhance the local shoreline environment.
Ecology will compare the City of Seattle’s proposed program to the requirements of the Shoreline Management Act and the Shoreline Master Program Guidelines. Based on the comparison, Ecology will decide whether to:
- Approve the program as is or with recommended changes, or
- Send the proposed program back to the city with required changes to meet statutory and rule requirements. Recommended changes may also be included with the required changes.
Learn more: Citizen Guide to Shoreline Master Programs
Public Comment Period
Opens: September 3, 2013
Closes: October 4, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.
All interested parties are invited to provide comment during this public comment period. There are several ways to provide comments. You only need to submit your comments once.
Open house and Public Hearing
Although Ecology’s open house and public hearing are independent of Seattle’s public process, the city has provided the hearing location to reduce costs of the overall public process.
Date: | September 11, 2013 |
Times: | Open House starts 5:30 p.m. Public Hearing starts 6:30 p.m. |
Location: | Seattle City Hall Bertha Landes Room 601 Fifth Ave Seattle, Washington 98104 (206) 684-8888 |
Submit written and questions to:
Regional Planner: | Joe Burcar |
Mailing address: | Washington State Department of Ecology Northwest Regional Office 3190 – 160th Ave SE Bellevue, Washington 98008-5452 |
Email: | Joe.Burcar@ecy.wa.gov |
Direct line: | (425) 649-7145 |
Written comments must be received no later than October 4, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.
Additional information can be found on the Department of Ecology’s website
www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/shorelines/smp/mycomments/seattle.html