Shoreline Management Act

In 1971, citizens in Washington state launched a state initiative to prevent further degradation and haphazard planning of the state's shorelines.  This initiative became law, and is known as the Shoreline Management Act.

The Act requires that cities and counties plan for future development of shorelines, including saltwater, lake, rivers and large streams.

Shoreline Master Programs (SMPs) must protect against adverse impacts to the public and shoreline environments; plan reasonable uses of the shoreline, including adequate land for water-dependent uses, and protect public navigation and access.

In the 1990's, people realized that SMPs were not as effective in protecting healthy shorelines as they could be. In 2003, new state shorelines were adopted that reflect advances made in science, planning, and innovations in shoreline management practice. 

By state law, the SMP update must include the following:

• protect water quality and shoreline habitat, ensuring no net loss of ecological functions
• preserve and enhancing public access
• ensure that new docks, piers, boat launches, and shoreline armoring, are salmon friendly
• analyze the cumulative impacts of shoreline development
• encourage restoration of degraded shorelines
• make sure there is adequate shoreline available for water-dependent or water-oriented uses, including single family development

The SMP updates typically start with an inventory of existing shoreline land uses and the physical and biological features of the community's shorelines. This is an excellent opportunity for local citizens to become involved to share their knowledge of the history of their shorelines, as well as share their vision of the future.

The SMPs approval by city or county officials requires a public review and public hearing process.  After the local elected officials approve the SMP, it must be reviewed and approved by the Washington Department of Ecology. Opportunities for public input are also required during this process.

Principles for shoreline protection

By implementing strong protections in the CAO and SMP, local governments have the power to protect the health, property and environment of Washington's citizens.

We are asking local governments to adopt the following:

• Preserve and protect natural shoreline conditions. We cannot afford to lose any more of Puget Sound's shoreline habitat. The first priority of local development policies must be to preserve and protect functioning shoreline habitat by requiring buffers, adequate setbacks, effective stormwater programs, and restrictions on harmful activities near critical habitat areas and their buffers.
• Restore degraded shoreline habitat. Where shoreline habitat is degraded, development regulations must provide for restoring critical habitat that has been lost over time.
• When harm cannot be avoided, minimize effects of activities on the shoreline. Regulations must include provisions that minimize the effects of shoreline uses and development on nearshore habitat. Mitigation measures must be used only as a last resort and must ensure 'no net loss' of the ecological functions of the shoreline over time.
• Base regulatory decisions on best available science. Decisions affecting the health of the shoreline must be based on science, not politics. Local governments must incorporate the best available science when making decisions to protect habitat from harmful activities along the shoreline.
• Enforce and fully fund shoreline protection programs. Without strict enforcement, even the strongest laws and regulations are only empty promises. Shoreline programs must be backed with full funding and strong enforcement that allows local governments to take swift action when regulations are violated.