Island County shoreline master program: periodic review
On July 9, 2026, we provided Island County with required and recommended changes to the County’s proposed periodic review of their shoreline master program (SMP).
The County proposes amendments to bring the SMP into compliance with requirements of the Shoreline Management Act (Act) or State Rules that have been added or changed since the County’s comprehensive SMP update. This includes numerous changes to the SMP, as well as changes to the Critical Areas Ordinance adopted by reference, and County Comprehensive Plan, to address changing local circumstances and to address implementation challenges that have occurred since the comprehensive SMP update completed in 2016.
Ecology and Island County held a joint public comment period on the County’s proposed periodic review to their SMP. The period for public comment was from March 26, 2021, to April 25, 2021, with a joint public comment hearing before the Planning Commission on April 12, 2021. Due to substantive changes made to the amendment after the public comment period, upon receipt of the final submittal, we held a state public comment period on the revised amendment from March 1, 2025, to March 31, 2025.
We used email to notify those who had expressed prior interest in the review of the SMP. Seventy-nine (79) distinct comments were received during the joint comment period and thirteen (13) were received outside of the joint comment period. An additional twenty-nine (29) distinct comments from ten (10) people or organizations, between Dec. 14, 2023, to Feb. 16, 2024, were received by Island County prior to final submittal to us. We received twenty-nine (29) written comment letters during the state public comment period and also received seven (7) comments outside of comment period.
We compiled these comments and prepared a comment summary and response matrix that we provided to the County on April 18, 2025.
Documents related to approval
Note: all documents are PDF
- Director of Ecology's July 9, 2026 Letter
- Response to Comment
- Periodic review checklist
- Locally adopted SMP
- Ordinance No. c-13-24, PLG-004-24 adopting SMP amendment
- Draft SMP Policies and Regulations
- Island County Summary of Changes Matrix
- Chapter 17.03 Island County Zoning Code
- Island County Comp Plan Chapter 3 - Shorelines
- Island County Critical Areas Ordinance, Chapter 17.02B
- Draft Official Shoreline Map Changes
- Island County Draft Shoreline Map Changes Memo
Contact information
Stephanie Barney
Senior Shoreline Planner
Stephanie.Barney@ecy.wa.gov
360-296-2103