The Washington Department of Ecology seeks public input on changes to the Thurston County Shoreline Master Program (SMP) to help the county bring the plan up-to-date with state and local laws.
The SMP is a set of policies and regulations that govern how the county manages, protects, and uses the shoreline. It applies to approximately 468 miles of shoreline in the county, including the marine shorelines of Puget Sound, the shorelines of five major rivers, 19 smaller rivers and streams, and 38 lakes. The major rivers are the Nisqually, Deschutes, Skookumchuck, Black, and Chehalis.
The county last updated its SMP in the 1990s. Changes will help the county maintain and enhance the unique resources that shorelines provide, including ecological, economical, and recreational benefits.
The public comment period opens 9 a.m. Aug. 15 and runs through 5 p.m. Sept. 30.
Tess Brandon, senior regional shoreline planner at Ecology, says the agency has maintained a strong working relationship with the county over the long course of this project, which began in 2009.
“The county has worked hard to get this across the finish line and Ecology is pleased to partner with them on this effort,” Brandon said. “Ultimately, this will be a much more effective plan for the county to use going forward and help us maintain these valuable public resources. We need these areas healthy and available because shorelines are a finite resource within our beautiful state.”
Ashley Arai, the county’s interim community planning and economic development department director, said the county looks forward to this next step.
“We are excited for the launch of Ecology’s public engagement efforts for the Thurston County Shoreline Master Program update, and for the opportunity to hear from the public,” Arai said. “The SMP update has been a major project with a significant amount of public interest. The new SMP provides increased protection for our shorelines while building in additional flexibility for landowners compared to today’s rules.”
Ecology’s role is to analyze and review the proposed plan to make sure it’s consistent with state law. This review includes considering comments from the public.
Want to provide input?
- Submit comments online (see link below).
- Attend an open house Sept. 19 from 5-7 p.m. at Ecology’s headquarters (300 Desmond Dr. SE, Lacey, WA).
- Attend a hearing to submit live comments Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. at Ecology’s headquarters.
- Visit Ecology’s website for more information on how to attend the hearing in person or virtually.