Shoreline Management Program Update – 2009

Snohomish County’s Shoreline Management Master Program was originally adopted in 1974.  The County is updating its Shoreline Management Program to reflect changes that have occurred over the last 30 years, including changes to State and Federal laws and statutes.

The County formed a 20-member group of citizens, agencies and interest groups, known as the Shoreline Advisory Committee, to assist in the update of the shoreline program.  From September 2004 through February 2006, the Shoreline Advisory Committee met monthly to identify shoreline issues and draft policies that form the basis for the shoreline environment designations and shoreline regulations. 

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on July 25, 2006, and reached a recommendation on the proposed Shoreline Management Program.  The Commission approved the three updated components of the shoreline program, as follows:

1) Shoreline Policies and Environment Designations document, with Planning Commission revisions dated August 2006;

2) Shoreline environment designation maps based on seven classifications (Shoreline Environment Designation Maps 1 thru 9; Maps 13 thru 17; Maps 26 thru 32; Maps 37 thru 43; Maps 47 thru 54; and Maps 57 thru 64.); and

3) Shoreline development regulations and administrative provisions that will amend Title 30 (Draft of SMP Ordinance).

UPDATE JANUARY 2009

In November, 2006, the county received comments from the state Department of Ecology on the Planning Commission's recommended version of the SMP.  In response to DOE's comments, the county has been working since early 2007 on a significant reorganization of the draft SMP to facilitate DOE's review and ultimate approval of the SMP per their authority under RCW 90.58.

In addition to reorganization into a more traditional shoreline plan format, additional changes have been drafted to address DOE's comments related to compliance with WAC 173-18, 173-20, 173-22, 173-26 and 173-27.  Although reorganized into the new format, the original policy and regulatory guidance provided by the Shoreline Advisory Committee (2004-2005) remains intact and is being used as guidance for ongoing further revisions.

Documents and schedules for public review and comment will be posted here as they become available.

·         Draft SMP (2009) – not yet available

·         Schedule – not yet available