San Juan County’s picturesque shoreline provides more than just beautiful views. Underwater, the nearshore eelgrass meadows and kelp beds serve as feeding, refuge and migration corridors for forage fish, salmon, and whales. However, these sensitive ecosystems are suffering from the ongoing impacts of shoreline modifications. For example, current regulations are not preventing new armoring on documented forage fish spawning habitats, or docks over eelgrass, which challenges the success of local and regional marine ecosystem recovery efforts.
San Juan County’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP) is the local land use regulation designed to protect shorelines for people and wildlife. The SMP is authorized by the Shoreline Management Act (Act). The Act governs the shoreline area that extends 200 feet upland from the high water mark of all marine waters and the following lakes: Dream, Sportsmans, Briggs, Trout, Woods, Zylstra, Horseshoe, Spencer, Martin, Cascade, Mountain, and Hummel.
Origins of the Act: In 1969, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that a landowner could not fill in his lake shoreline below the high water mark. The Court reached this conclusion by holding that all state waterways are reserved for public access and recreation. In response to the resulting uncertainty about the extent of the public’s rights in shoreline areas, the state legislature established the Act in 1971.
The Act recognizes the value and fragility of Washington’s shoreline ecosystems and emphasizes protection against adverse impacts to the land, water, native vegetation, and wildlife. These protections support our economy by preserving fishing stock and attracting tourists to the beauty of the San Juans. While establishing natural protection as its primary focus, the Act also recognizes the likelihood of limited shoreline alteration, particularly for public water-dependent uses, and directs them to account for natural protections and aesthetic concerns.
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The Act protects 28,000 miles of marine, lake, and river shores across the state through local SMPs. The Act directs counties, cities, and towns to encourage citizen involvement as they create their SMPs. In 1995, as it became apparent that 1970s-vintage SMPs had grown increasingly outdated, the state legislature instructed the Department of Ecology (Ecology) to update the guidelines used to create SMPs. The Ecology guidelines require application of “the most current, accurate, and complete” scientific information and shoreline management practices through every step to achieve no net loss of ecological functions. As San Juan County update its SMP, they will need to meet the updated guidelines.
Drafting an SMP Update: Community goals guide SMP updates in a multi-step process that fosters public participation. Planners first draft a Shoreline Inventory and Analysis Report that shows existing shoreline conditions. Next, zoning designations, such as urban or conservancy, are chosen for each stretch of shoreline based on its characteristics. Policies and regulations are then developed to guide conservation and development in each zone. Finally, a restoration plan is prepared to actively improve damaged shoreline functions. After public hearings, the County Council adopts the SMP and sends it to Ecology for review and final approval. San Juan County is scheduled to complete their separate updates by June 30, 2013.
Call FRIENDS at 360-378-2319 for more information, or contact County Planner Colin Maycock at (360) 370-7573, or colinm@sanjuanco.com
Go to www.co.sanjuan.wa.us/smp/default.aspx for more information.
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