Stevens County Partnership Shoreline Master Program Update Public Open Houses 1
Overview Welcome and open house purpose Overview of Shoreline Management Act (SMA) Shoreline Master Program (SMP) update process Proposed shoreline development regulations Shoreline environment designations Shoreline uses and modifications SMP next steps 2
Shoreline Management Act 3
What is a Shoreline Master Program? SMA Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 90.58 To prevent harm caused by uncoordinated and piecemeal development of the state s major shorelines SMP Guidelines Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 127-26 SMP Carries out provisions of SMA Must be approved by Department of Ecology (Ecology), consistent with RCW 90.58 and WAC 127-26 standards and criteria 4
Key Principles of the Shoreline Master Program Balance Environmental protection Public access Water-oriented uses Preferred uses No net loss of ecological function Residential aerial photo courtesy of fortress.wa.gov 5
Other Considerations Existing agricultural activities are exempt (managed under the Voluntary Stewardship Program) Forest practices are managed under the Forest Practices Act SMPs also consider: Protection of private property rights Consistency with local land use plans Both informal and formal public access 6
Shoreline Master Program Update Process 7
Steps and Status WE ARE HERE Public Participation Plan/ Determine Jurisdiction Inventory and Analysis SMP - Environment Designations - Goals - Policies - Regulations Cumulative Impacts Analysis Local Adoption Restoration Plan Public Access Plan Public Participation Ecology Review and Adoption 8
Shoreline Jurisdiction Stream flows greater than 20 cubic feet per second Lakes greater than 20 acres Upland areas 200 feet from ordinary high water mark Floodways and adjacent floodplain area Associated wetlands 9
Stevens County Shoreline Jurisdiction 15 rivers and streams (including five shorelines of statewide significance [SSWS]) 40 lakes (including two SSWS) 10
Proposed Shoreline Development Regulations 11
Shoreline Master Program Content Goals and policies Economic, access, uses, conservation, and others Regulations Environment designations General, use-specific, and modification regulations Critical area regulations Applicability and implementation (non-conforming use, enforcement) 12
Shoreline Master Program Key Topics Protecting private property rights Environment designations Docks standards Vegetation management Buffer width modifications Public access 13
Environment Designations 14
Shoreline Environment Designations Aquatic Natural Conservancy Recreation Conservancy Recreation High Intensity Shoreline Residential Shoreline Residential Low Intensity 15
Spokane River Lake Spokane 16
Colville River Chewelah 17
Colville River Valley 18
Little Pend Oreille River Lakes 19
Loon Lake 20
Deer Lake 21
Waitts Lake 22
Columbia River Upper Reach and Northport 23
Columbia River Northport 24
Columbia River Marcus 25
Colville River Kettle Falls 26
Shoreline Uses and Modifications 27
Shoreline Use and Modification Matrix 28
Shoreline Development Standards Matrix 29
Dock Standards Ramp width = 4 feet maximum Dock width = 8 feet maximum Area 450 square feet (sf) for single-use 550 sf for joint-use Length = end of dock shall reach a minimum depth of 4 feet at ordinary high water * Excludes ramp and associated appurtenances 30
Dock Standards Profile View 31
Vegetation Management within Buffers Removal of invasive species and noxious weeds Hand removal or spraying of plants only With reseeding and replanting Trimming tree branches for fire control Consistent with Department of Natural Resources Firewise principles Removal of hazard trees Minimum necessary to address safety hazard Mitigating impacts to ecological functions from vegetation management activities 32
Buffer Width Averaging Extraordinary hardship on lot, or Character of buffer varies and would benefit from averaged buffer approach 33
Shoreline Master Program Supporting Documents Restoration Plan Public Access Plan Cumulative Impacts Analysis 34
Public Access Plan Identifies existing access opportunities Identifies future opportunities and desired improvements Plan will be used when public access requirements needed in permitting * Public access is limited to publicly-owned land and waters or areas where individuals have received permission from landowners to access the river or shoreline, or proposed mixed use developments. 35
Shoreline Master Program Next Steps Planning Commission workshop on November 9, 2018 Official SMP public comment period Planning Commission makes recommendations to elected officials Elected officials take action on recommendation Send state the locally approved SMP and associated administrative record 36
How to Keep Informed Attend upcoming Planning Commission Meetings Sign-up to receive email updates Visit the website at www.stevenssmpupdate.com 37
Questions? 38