Pierce County Shoreline Master Program: locally initiated amendment

A locally initiated SMP amendment was adopted by Pierce County Council in December 2022. It addresses several separate topics, including:

Adding a prohibition for new residential piers and docks along approximately 52 miles of marine shorelines.
Clarifying permitting requirements for non-commercial aquaculture intended to restore native fish and shellfish stocks.
Clarifying fencing allowances within shoreline buffers and setbacks.
Updating the SMP’s incorporation of Pierce County Code Title 18E, the County’s critical-areas regulations, to capture the most recent amendments to those regulations and ensure that they apply in shoreline jurisdiction.

The County’s proposed SMP amendment will be reviewed against the requirements of the Shoreline Management Act and the Shoreline Master Program guidelines. Based on our review, we will decide whether to:

Approve the SMP as is.
Approve the SMP with recommended changes.
Send the proposed SMP back to the County with required changes to meet statutory and rule requirements. Recommended changes may also be included with the required changes.

Public comment period

Opens: Feb. 28, 2023
Closes: March 30, 2023

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.

Submit written comments:

Online via the eComments Form, or

Tess Brandon
Washington Department of Ecology
Southwest Regional Office
PO Box 47775
Olympia, WA 98504-7775

Questions: tess.brandon@ecy.wa.gov or 564-200-3016

Comments must be received no later than March 30, 2023.

Documents for public review and comment

Locally adopted SMP amendment
- Ordinance 2022-37s
- Exhibit A: SMP amendment
- Exhibit B: Findings of Fact
- Appendix J to SMP: Dock Prohibition Maps
  - T19_R01E
  - T19_R01W
  - T20_R01E
  - T20_R01W
  - T20_R02E
  - T21_R01E
  - T21_R01W
  - T21_R02E
  - T21_R03E
  - T22_R01E
  - T22_R01W
  - T22_R02E
Background Documents

Next steps: response to public comment and decision

A summary of comments will be posted here a few weeks after the comment period closes. We will also post the County’s response to comments and a notice of our decision when these become available. Please check back.

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