Olympic Stewardship Foundation
A voice for landowners, actively preserving traditional rural values
 


 

Jefferson County Shoreline Master Program (SMP) Update

Public Hearing July 11, 2011, 6:00 PM

The written public comment period for Jefferson County's response to the Department of Ecology's required and recommended changes remains open through July 25, 2011.  Click here to download the DRAFT Jefferson County Response to Ecology on Changes to the Locally Approved Shoreline Master Program for your review and comment.
Marrowstone Island shoreline in Jefferson County, on Washington's Olympic Peninsula

Jefferson County has spent the past several years updating its Shoreline Master Program (SMP), as required by the Shoreline Management Act.  In doing so, the county has made the unfortunate choice of significantly increasing restrictions on the use and enjoyment of private property located on the county's shorelines.  This unfairly burdens the regulated community, and carries the very real threat of reduced property values and greater control over the lives of Jefferson County citizens.

Here in Washington, shorelines of the state include all shorelines bordering salt water, as well as the shores of rivers, large creeks, and lakes.  If you own one or more parcels that includes such a shoreline, you are about to face a significantly greater regulatory burden than you do today.

The provisions of the locally approved SMP update severely restrict your building, landscaping, and other activities in the 150 feet of your property immediately adjacent to the shore.  Existing structures, including your home, that extend into that portion of your property become "legal nonconforming" uses.  This means that the structure is still legal, but that it does not conform with the regulatory provisions of the Shoreline Master Program.  This may result in financing difficulties if you wish to refinance or sell your home to a buyer who needs financing to close the deal.  It may also be harder to find homeowner's insurance.

The update also designates 41% of Jefferson County's shorelines as "Natural", where after an arduous permitting process, you will be allowed to disturb a maximum of 2,500 square feet of the property to build a home. An additional 29% of the county's shorelines will be designated with "Conservation" status, where you can build a home, but most other uses require a conditional use permit.  You will only be allowed to remove 20% of the shoreline vegetation for a view, and you will be required to retain 75% of the existing native vegetation.

All shoreline activities must comply with the provisions of the SMP, whether the activity requires a permit or not.

The Board of County Commissioners deliberated on and locally approved the SMP update on December 7, 2009.  During the process leading up to adoption, the Olympic Stewardship's review team identified numerous significant errors and other serious problems.  The issues we noted are so egregious that we reluctantly decided we needed to retain the services of a highly respected land use attorney with particular expertise in shoreline regulatory issues.  Our attorney has now been working closely with us for several years on this project.

The locally approved document was sent to the Department of Ecology for review, and returned with several items targeted for required or recommended modification.  The modification process is not yet complete, and the locally approved SMP update is not in effect.

The Shoreline Master Program update process has generated a great deal of correspondence and files.  We've provided the following documents for your information and use.  Please feel free to download them and keep copies for future reference.

Olympic Stewardship Foundation Documents of Interest

Adobe Acrobat document OSF Comment to Department of Ecology on Jefferson County Locally Approved SMP update
Adobe Acrobat document OSF Response to December 2008 SMP update draft
Adobe Acrobat document Reynolds Background Paper on Effective Participation and Comment
Adobe Acrobat document Nonconforming use overview
Adobe Acrobat document Gordon Derr Comment on FEMA Model BiOp Ordinance

Hearing date set on Shoreline Master Program: July 11

The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners likely will hear comments on finfish aquaculture and other matters during a public hearing July 11 to review the changes to the county's Shoreline Master Program before the county seeks final approval from the state.

The hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Jefferson County Superior Court.  The courtoom is located inside the county courthouse at 1820 Jefferson St. in Port Townsend.

"This is a response to the state's recommended and required changes," said Stacie Hoskins, the county's planning manager.

In addition to the public hearing the commissioners are taking written comments until July 25.

"I'm really looking for qualitative comments," said Jefferson County Comissioner David Sullivan.  "It's the high quality input that we're needing."

To view the proposed changed to the county's locally approved shoreline master programs, go to: co.jefferson.wa.us/commdevelop-
ment/Shoreline_StateApproval.htm.

Article published in the June 22, 2011 edition of the Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader

Jefferson County Response to Washington Department of Ecology

On June 20, 2011, the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners set a date for a public hearing on the county's draft response to the Department of Ecology for final approval of the Shoreline Master Program update.  The public hearing will be held July 11, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. in the Jefferson County Superior Courtroom at the Jefferson County Courthouse. A public comment period is open from June 22, 2011 through July 25, 2011.

Adobe Acrobat document DRAFT Jefferson County Response to Ecology on Changes to the Locally Approved Shoreline Master Program

Department of Ecology Review Process Documents

Adobe Acrobat document Letter to Interested Parties
Adobe Acrobat document Conditional Approval Letter to Jefferson County
Adobe Acrobat document Attachment A — Findings and Conclusions
Adobe Acrobat document Attachment B — Required Changes
Adobe Acrobat document Attachment C — Recommended Changes

Adobe Acrobat document Jefferson County Review and Response to Issues Raised by State-Wide Public Comment, November 2010

Locally Approved Shoreline Master Program Update

Adobe Acrobat document Resolution # 77-09, Shoreline Master Program Local Approval
Adobe Acrobat document Exhibit A — Locally Approved Shoreline Master Program, Articles 1-10
Adobe Acrobat document Appendix A — Official Shoreline Maps
Adobe Acrobat document Pages A1-A3
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map #1 — Gardiner
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 2 — Quimper
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 3 — Glen Cove
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 4 — Tri-Area
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 5 — Marrowstone
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 6 — Discovery Bay
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 7 — South Chimacum
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 8 — North Port Ludlow
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 9 — Port Ludlow
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 10 — Leland
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 11 — North Toandos Peninsula
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 12 — Shine
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 13 — Paradise Bay
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 14 — Thorndyke
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 15 — South Toandos / Coyle
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 16 — Quilcene
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 17 — Brinnon
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 18 — West End
Adobe Acrobat documentAppendix B — JCC 18.22 Critical Areas Ordinance
Adobe Acrobat document Exhibit B — Bibliography of Scientific and Technical Information Considered
Adobe Acrobat document Exhibit C — Consistency Report
Adobe Acrobat document Exhibit D — Integration Strategy
Adobe Acrobat document Exhibit E — Final Shoreline Inventory and Characterization Report, Revised November, 2008
Adobe Acrobat document Final Document Release Memo, November 30, 2008
Adobe Acrobat document Cover Page, Table of Contents, Acknowledgements
Adobe Acrobat document Chapter 1 — Introduction
Adobe Acrobat document Chapter 2 — Methods
Adobe Acrobat document Chapter 3 — Ecosystem Characterization
Adobe Acrobat document Chapter 4 — Reach Inventory
Adobe Acrobat document Chapter 5 — Preliminary Recommendations
Adobe Acrobat document Chapter 6 — Literature Citations
Adobe Acrobat document Appendix A — Department of Ecology Grant Agreement
Adobe Acrobat document Appendix B — 2005 Inventory Maps
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 1 — Jefferson County Within Washington (Included in main document text)
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 2 — Key for Subareas
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 3 — Fulton Creek and Duckabush River
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 4 — Brinnon
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 5 — Jackson Cove
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 6 — Quilcene Bay
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 7 — Quilcene Watershed
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 8 — Dabob Bay
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 9 — Southern Toandos Peninsula
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 10 — Northeast Toandos
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 11 — Hood Head
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 12 — Port Ludlow
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 13 — Oak Bay
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 14 — Marrowstone and Indian Islands
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 15 — Port Townsend Bay
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 16 — Chimacum Creek Watershed
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 17 — Cape George
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 18 — Discovery Bay
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 19 — Salmon Creek
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 20 — West End Rivers
Adobe Acrobat document Appendix C — Map Folio
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 1A — Jefferson County Shorelines of the State, East Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 1B — Jefferson County Shorelines of the State, West Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 1C — Jefferson County Freshwater Jurisdiction Changes, West Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 2 — Hydrology, East Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 3 — Hydrology, West Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 4 — Water Quality, East Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 5 — Water Quality, West Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 6 — Sediment, East Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 7 — Sediment, West Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 8 — Aquatic Resources and Shoreline Reaches, Southeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 9 — Aquatic Resources and Shoreline Reaches, Northeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 10 — Aquatic Resources and Shoreline Reaches, West Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 11 — Coastal Processes and Modifications, Southeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 12 — Coastal Processes and Modifications, Northeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 13 — Coastal Processes and Modifications, West Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 14 — Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Southeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 15 — Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Northeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 16 — Environmentally Sensitive Areas, West Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 17 — Critical Shoreline Habitat, Southeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 18 — Critical Shoreline Habitat, Northeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 19 — Critical Shoreline Habitat, West Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 20 — Aquatic Vegetation, East Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 21 — Land and Shoreline Use Patterns, Southeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 22 — Land and Shoreline Use Patterns, Northeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 23 — Land and Shoreline Use Patterns, West Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 24 — Shellfish Harvesting
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 25 — Forest Cover and Impervious Surface
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 26 — Geomorphic Classes, Southeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 27 — Geomorphic Classes, Northeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 28 — Quinault River
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 29 — Recommended Shoreline Environment Designations, Southeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 30 — Recommended Shoreline Environment Designations, Northeast Jefferson County
indent Adobe Acrobat document Map # 31 — Recommended Shoreline Environment Designations, West Jefferson County
Adobe Acrobat document Exhibit F — Final Shoreline Restoration Plan
Adobe Acrobat document Document Release Memo
Adobe Acrobat document Final Shoreline Restoration Plan, October 2008
Adobe Acrobat document Appendix A — Watershed Characterization
Adobe Acrobat document Appendix B — Nearshore Prioritization
Adobe Acrobat document Exhibit G — Draft Cumulative Impacts Analysis
Adobe Acrobat document Exhibit H — Final Cumulative Impacts Analysis

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