Shoreline planners toolbox

Shoreline Management Act Rulemaking

We are starting the rulemaking process to amend Chapters 173-18, -20, -22, -26, and -27 under the Shoreline Management Act. Visit the rulemaking page for more information.

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

Permitting
Resolving shoreline management issues
Developing and updating Shoreline Master Programs
Researching laws and rules
Shoreline Planning Grant opportunities

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

Administration of Shoreline Master Programs

Shoreline master programs (SMPs) are locally tailored policies and use and development regulations that implement the state Shoreline Management ACt (SMA) and are:

Adopted by local governments
Reviewed and approved by Ecology

SMPs are both state and local planning and regulatory documents that represent a unique partnership between Ecology and local governments. Local governments review and issue a decision on all shoreline permits before filing them with us. We file all permits and make final decisions on locally approved conditional use and variance permits.

Each SMP contains elements that are required by statute and rule, such as:

Shoreline environment designations (SEDs) with customized management policies, regulations, and use allowances/prohibitions
Policies and regulations for shoreline uses, modifications, and development
Vegetation conservation standards
Public access requirements
Shoreline buffers and/or setbacks
Cirtical areas protection standards

Once a local government comprehensively updates its SMP, local administrators ensure compliance with the SMA through the careful and complete implementation of the SMP during the day-to-day review of individual development proposals. The following guidance documents are intended to help local governments implement their SMPs consistent with the SMA and state rules:

Shoreline permit filing

All shoreline permits must be filed with Ecology and have a 21-day state appeal period. You can email shoreline permits to smp@ecy.wa.gov. While we still accept mailed submittals, we prefer email. Make sure your email contains a complete submittal following the requirements of WAC 173-27-130 and WAC 173-27-180, including the permit data sheet.

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

Grants

We have awarded funds to local jurisdictions for 24 projects under the 2023-25 Shoreline Planning Competitive Grant Program. Projects are focused on shoreline planning and planning-related efforts that advance climate resilience, improve the implementation of shoreline master programs, or support local shoreline planning priorities.

Funding information

There was approximately $3 million available for funding
Each grant award limit was $250,000
No matching funds were required
Grant applications were accepted from July 5 through Aug. 17, 2023
Grants awarded started Oct. 2, 2023, and end June 30, 2025

More information

Visit our Shoreline planning competitive grants page for more information.The 2023-2025 Shoreline Planning Competitive grant is administered through Ecology's Administration of Grants and Loans (EAGL) system.

We previously offered two separate shoreline planning grant programs. One was a non-competitive formula grant, offered to local governments to supplement the fund requirements for completing their statutorily required SMP periodic reviews. This funding program will be offered in the future when SMP periodic reviews are required again. The other was a pilot competitive grant program intended to provide more flexible funding to local governments for locally driven, priority shoreline planning efforts.

Resources for Shoreline Planning Competitive Grants

Essential information

SMP monitoring and adaptive management

Climate resilience planning

Sea level rise planning

Environmental Justice

Channel migration zones

Shoreline master program amendments

Under the state Shoreline Management Act, counties, cities, and towns with shorelines of the state are required to develop a shoreline master program, complete a one-time comprehensive update, and then periodically review their land-use policies and regulations governing shoreline uses within their jurisdiction every 10 years. These locally tailored SMPs are adopted and approved by each local government, as well as Ecology.

The Shoreline Master Programs Handbook is a guide for local governments that are developing or updating Shoreline master programs in Washington. The Handbook provides guidance for meeting the requirements of the Shoreline Management Act (RCW 90.58), the shoreline master program guidelines (WAC 173-26, Part III) and the SMP procedural rules (WAC 173-26, Parts I and II). The Handbook also provides information and resources to help in making decisions on SMP environment designations, policies, and regulations. Topics such as shoreline stabilization, aquaculture, critical areas, and public participation are covered as well.

The state Shoreline Management Act requires that counties, cities, and towns periodically review their comprehensively updated shoreline master program (SMP) every ten years. The review timetable for local governments is established in RCW 90.58.080(4), and the completion deadline and process requirements are outlined in WAC 173-26-090. In addition, WAC 173-26-104 allows an optional joint review process that combines required local and state public comment periods.

Periodic reviews due in 2021-2023

Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, and Whitman
The cities and towns within the counties listed above

2021-2023 grant funding

For the 2021-23 biennium, we are offering grant funds to eligible jurisdictions with periodic reviews due on June 30, 2022. Grants issued will start on July 1, 2021 and end on June 30, 2023.

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

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:

Laws and rules

Topics

Additional resources

Contact information

For information about specific shoreline master programs and questions about shoreline permitting, contact your shoreline permit reviewer.

For information regarding shoreline master program amendments, contact your shoreline planner.