Montesano Shoreline Master Program: comprehensive update and periodic review

On Sept. 26, 2023, we approved Montesano's Shoreline Master Program (SMP) combined comprehensive update and periodic review amendment.

Montesano's updated SMP is effective Oct. 10, 2023, 14 days after we provided notice to the City that their SMP was approved.

The approved SMP entirely replaces the City's existing program, last ameded in 1993. It will guide development and activities along approximately five miles of shoreline including portions of the Chehalis and Wynoochee rivers, Sylvia Creek, and Lake Sylvia. The approved SMP prioritizes water-oriented uses and development within the City's Plan; and incorporates critical areas regulations to ensure the protection of sensitive areas within shoreline jurisdiction.

We worked with the City to combine the comprehensive update and periodic review processes for their SMP. The City locally adopted a comprehensive update of their SMP on Nov. 10, 2016, with Ordinance No. 1593 and submitted the update to us for review and approval. We held a state comment period Jan. 30, 2017 through March 1, 2017, but due to staffing issues at the City and Ecology, a final decision was not issued. A summary of comments including the City's responses is available below.

The City placed it's comprehensive update on hold in order to complete a mandatory periodic review of the SMP per WAC 173-26-090. The periodic review amendment proposed changes to the 2016 locally-adopted SMP to enusre it was current with changes in state law, changes in other City plans and regulations, and other changed circumstances. The amendment also addressed issues identified by us druing our initial state review of the locally-adopted comprehensive SMP update. The City elected to use the optional joint review process for their periodic review, as allowed under WAC 173-26-104. We held a joint public comment period on the proposed periodic review amendment from Sept. 19 to Oct. 19, 2022. The Montesano City Council adopted the periodic review amendment on April 25, 2023 with Ordinance No. 1656.

Documents related to approval

Paper copies of the above documents are available by contacting Tess Brandon (see staff contact, below)

Appeals

Per RCW 90-58-190(3), an interested party may file an appeal with the Shorelines Hearings Board within 30 days of the publication date of our written notice of final action.
We plan to publish the notice of final action in the Daily World legal ads on Oct. 17, 2023.

Contact information

Tess Brandon
Senior Shoreline Planner
Tess.Brandon@ecy.wa.gov
564-200-3016