South Prairie: Periodic review
On Jan. 30, 2024, we approved South Prairie's (Town) Shoreline Master Program periodic review. South Prairie's amended SMP is effective Feb. 13, 2024, 14 days after we provided notice to the town that their SMP was approved.
The periodic review amendment was adopted by the South Prairie Town Council on Dec. 12, 2023. It addresses several seperate topics, including:
- Appendix A Maps - revising Appendix A map title and descriptive text.
- Requirements for non-water oriented commercial uses - deleting ecological restoration as a condition for new non-water oriented commercial development.
- Administrative interpretations - adding language to the call for consultation with us when developing administrative interpretations.
- Appeals - modifying section to reference administrative actions under appeals to the Shoreine Hearings Board.
- Residential appurtenances - including a definition for residential appurtenance that adds several items to the WAC definition, including upland watercraft storage, swimming pools, and sport courts,
- Additional changes related to cost threshold updates, updating numbering and internal citations, and including a citation to WDFW water crossing guidelines.
On Sept. 6, 2023, we provided South Prairie with required and recommended changes to the town's proposed periodic review of their SMP. The changes are based on our review of whether or not the proposed amendment complies with state laws and rules, and a public comment period held Aug. 28 to Sept. 27, 2019.
We distributed notice of the state comment period via email to state and local interested parties identified by the Town. The Puyallup Tribe, Nisqually Indian Tribe, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, and Steilacoom Tribe of Indians were individually notified and invited to consult.
One comment letter, from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Fisheries Division, was received during the state comment period. The comment letter focused on SMP goals related to Conservation and Flood Hazard Prevention, shoreline jurisdiction and shoreline environment designations (SEDs), use allowances within the Aquatic and Residential SEDs, protection of riparian habitat, public access, and groundwater recharge.
The periodic review will bring the existing shoreline program into compliance with changes to state law, ensure consistency with the town’s Comprehensive Plan and development regulations, and reflect changes in circumstances, new information, and improved data. The required and recommended changes were sent to the Town for their review and response. The Town agreed to accept all required and recommended changes. Comments from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Fisheries Division and the Town’s responses have been incorporated into Attachment A: Findings and Conclusions as well as the Responsiveness Summary (both below).
Documents related to approval
Note: All documents are PDF
- Ecology's Jan. 30, 2024 final approval letter
- South Prairies letter accepting changes
- Director of Ecology's Sept. 6, 2023 letter
- South Prairie Locally Adopted SMP
- Periodic Review Checklist
- Ordinance 580-2019 - adopting SMP
- Public Participation Plan
- Response to Comments
Appeals
- Per RCW 90.58.190(2), an interested party may file an appeal with the Growth Management Hearings Board within 60 days of the publication date of our written notice of final action.
- We plan to publish the notice of final action in the Enumclaw Courier Herald legal ads on Feb. 14, 2024.
Contact information
Heather Bush
Shoreline Planner
heather.bush@ecy.wa.gov
425-417-6982