Shoreline planners toolbox

Please email your shoreline permit — shoreline substantial development, conditional use, and variances — to us until further notice.

These normally require mailing a hard copy via certified mail. While we accept mail, we prefer email while we are working outside our offices.

Make sure your email contains a complete submittal following the requirements of WAC 173-27-130 and WAC 173-27-180.

Note: We will email you confirmation within five days. If you do not receive an emailed confirmation letter for a shoreline substantial development permit submittal within five days, contact your shoreline permit reviewer. For conditional use permits and variances, we try to finish our review and decisionmaking process within 30 days of your submittal.

For more detailed information about specific shoreline master programs and questions about shoreline permits, contact your shoreline permit reviewer.

This toolbox is designed for local and state shoreline planners responsible for developing and administering Shoreline Master Programs. Users will find links to our web pages and publications to help with:

Permitting.
Resolving shoreline management issues.
Developing and updating Shoreline Master Programs.
Researching laws and rules.

If you don't find what you need, please contact the Ecology regional planner serving your city or county government.

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Learn how Ecology is providing compliance assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Administration of Shoreline Master Programs

New shoreline programs and amendments

Amendments

The Shoreline Management Act (SMA) requires each city and county to review, and, if necessary, revise their SMP. The state legislature set a staggered schedule that alternates with similar reviews under the Growth Management Act.

The SMA establishes a schedule for periodic reviews in RCW 90.58.080. Reviews are due on June 30 of the years listed below, and every eight years thereafter for counties and the cities and towns within each county.

2019: King, Pierce, and Snohomish
2020: Clallam, Clark, Island, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, San Juan, Skagit, Thurston, and Whatcom
2021: Benton, Chelan, Cowlitz, Douglas, Kittitas, Lewis, Skamania, Spokane, and Yakima
2022: Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, and Whitman

WAC 173-26-090 clarifies that local legislative action is required to complete the review, even when a local government determines that no changes are needed. Our periodic review guidance provides information you can use during your SMP review, as well as example documents.

Guidance documents

Example documents

For both SMP Amendments and Findings of Adequacy

Public participation plan

For SMP Amendments

For Findings of Adequacy

Materials from January 2018 Periodic Review Workshop

Comprehensive updates of Shoreline Master Programs, mandated by the Legislature, are currently underway. Many cities and counties have completed their updates. These shoreline programs carry out the policies of the state Shoreline Management Act for local shorelines. Ecology's guidelines for these updates translate the broad policies of the SMA into standards for shoreline programs.

A comprehensive update includes a public participation process, shoreline inventory, cumulative impacts analysis and restoration plan. This work results in a determination of shoreline jurisdiction, environment designations, goals, policies and regulations. Our guidance for conducting the work is provided in the Shoreline Master Programs Handbook.

Local governments at times decide to amend their Shoreline Master Programs to address a change in local shoreline conditions, their comprehensive plan or zoning regulations, or improved data. These SMP amendments must be developed consistent with the requirements of WAC 173-26-110. Some of the requirements are:

Public participation, including at least one public hearing
Consultation with any agency, tribe or person with interest or responsibility relating to the shoreline
Consultation with Ecology
Compliance with SEPA

For locally-initiated amendments and periodic reviews, local jurisdictions have the option to conduct a joint review process with Ecology. This process consolidates local and state public comment periods. See step-by-step instructions in our Joint Review Process guidance.

Shoreline amendments must be approved by the local elected officials and submitted to Ecology for approval. You can find these requirements in the following state rules:

Shoreline laws, rules, and cases

Topics

Additional resources

Contact information

Misty Blair
Senior Shoreline Planner
misty.blair@ecy.wa.gov
206-594-0066

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