Seattles Shorelines

Today and Tomorrow

Seattle Shoreline Master Program Update
Alki Community Council Meeting 9/18/14
Overview
! Reasons for Shoreline Master Program
update
! Components of the update
! Update process
! Major issues
Shoreline Background
!1971 State Shoreline Management Act
!1972 City of Seattle adopted first Shoreline Master
Program (SMP)
!1987 Most recent update of Seattle SMP (currently in
effect)
!2003 WA Department of Ecology adopts new Shoreline
Guidelines
Ecology Shoreline Master Program
Guidelines
! Guidelines adopted by Ecology in 2003
negotiated settlement between government,
business and environmental communities.
WAC 173-26
! Timelines established for local jurisdictions
to update their SMPs
! Ecology staff assigned to work with each
local jurisdiction
New Shoreline Master Program
Requirements
"#Shoreline Inventory and
Characterization
$#Public Participation Plan
%#Shoreline Vision and Intent
&#Shoreline Environmental
Designations
'#Develop Policies and
Regulations
(#Cumulative Impact Analysis
)#Restoration Plan
! Establish use preferences:
* Water-dependent
* Water-related
* Water-enjoyment
! Ensure ecological protection
(No Net Loss)
! Provide for public access
! Provide shoreline views
! Protect cultural/historic/archeological resources
Ecology Requirements
Seattle Shorelines
Within SMP District
! Pugei Sound
! Slilslole Bay
! Ellioii Bay
! Duwamisl Rivei
! Slip Canal]Lale Union
! Lale Waslingion
! Gieen Lale
Duwamish River
Shilshole Bay
Process
! Shoreline Visioning Process survey and
meetings - Report
! Shoreline Inventory and Characterization
Report
! Shoreline Environment Designations
! Citizen Advisory Committee Meetings
May 2008 June 2009, Final meeting March 2011
! Industrial Lands Market Study
Environmental Designations
Overview
! Environmental Designations
are the overlay zones that
make up the shoreline district
! Each has:
A stated purpose
Locational criteria
Use regulations
Development standards
Current Shoreline Environments
o Urban General,
o Urban Industrial
o Urban Maritime and
o Urban Stable/Urban Commercial
o Urban Residential
o Conservancy Management
o Conservancy Navigation
o Conservancy Waterway
Steps in Determining Shoreline
Environments
!Analyze existing conditions (Inventory)
!Identify ecologically intact areas
(Characterization)
!Analyze effectiveness of existing designations
!Assess future needs (Land Use Needs Market
Study)
!Public Input (CAC, IDT, Public Meetings)
Proposed Edits to Shoreline
Environment Definitions
! Rename Urban Stable (US) as Urban Commercial
(UC)
! Add management policies for each Environmental
Designations to Comprehensive Plan
! Edit where necessary to align with Dept. of Ecology
language
Development Standards
Urban Industrial Shoreline
Environment
Overview
! General development standards
! Commercial uses
! Industrial uses
! Parking
SMP Regulations
! Land Uses
! Heigli 8 Loi Coveiage
! Seibacls
! Pailing
! Public Access]View Coiiidois
! Oveiwaiei Coveiage
! Sloieline Siabilizaiion
! Diedging and Filling
Urban Industrial
Urban Industrial
Haiboi Avenue SW
Urban Industrial Purpose Statement
"io piovide foi ecieni use of indusiiial sloielines
by majoi caigo faciliiies and oilei waiei-
dependeni and waiei-ielaied indusiiial uses."
Commercial/Industrial Uses
! Allow 20 % of a lot to be used for certain non-water-depend
based on results of market study uses include material
suppliers, repair shops, and crane operators. Existing 10%
! Allow water-related
institutions in industrial
areas.
! Allow uses that are not
water-dependent on
upland lots.
Commercial/Industrial Standards
! No majoi clanges in
leigli oi loi coveiage
! i' building sei-bacl foi
waiei-dependeni uses
! 6o' building sei-bacl
foi non-waiei-
dependeni uses
Relevant general principles from the WAC
! Allow oveiwaiei coveiage foi
waiei-dependeni uses and
public access
! Size of oveiwaiei siiuciuie is
ile minimum necessaiy foi
ile pioposed oi exisiing use
! Design of siiuciuies slould
minimize ile impacis io
ecological funciion
! Miiigaiion iequiied io aclieve
"no nei loss" of ecological
funciions
Public Access
Urban Industrial
! Only piovide public access excepiion foi
waiei-dependeni uses, noi waiei-ielaied.
! Considei alieinaiives foi non-waiei-dependeni
indusiiial:
! Paymeni-in-lieu iowaid iegional public access
impiovemenis
! Ecological iesioiaiion
Shoreline Setback and Vegetation
! Exisiing vegeiaiion
needs io be
pieseived and if
disiuibed miiigaiion
is iequiied foi loss
io ecological
funciion.
! Sloieline seibacl '
Excepiions made foi
small lois wiil
minimal oi no diy
land.
Cumulative Impacts Analysis
! Build-out analysis demonstrates that
SMP regulations will accomplish no net
loss of ecological functions
! Activities that can be influenced by SMP
policies and regulations
! Concentrate on areas not already built
out and areas where redevelopment is
likely
Major Issues
! Uses allowed in industrial areas
! Live-aboard regulations
! Floating homes
! Providing public access
! Non-conforming uses
! Uses allowed in Lake Union and the Ship Canal
! How is No Net Loss measured and how does
NNL relate to development standards
! Protection of shoreline environment/mitigation
Development Standards Parking
! Piolibii new pailing oveiwaiei oi in buei
! Remove limiiaiion on pailing ieduciions ilai
iley can noi "encouiage ile use of scaice, on-
siieei pailing in ile neiglboilood".
Cumulative Impacts Analysis
! Build-out analysis demonstrates that
SMP regulations will accomplish no net
loss of ecological functions
! Activities that can be influenced by SMP
policies and regulations
! Concentrate on areas not already built
out and areas where redevelopment is
likely
Measuring No Net Loss of
Ecological Function
! Standards based on best
available science
! Department history of
review of project types
Protection of Shoreline
Environment
! Best Available Science
aquatic env. is the science
we cant see therefore more
difficult to understand
! Balance maritime uses with
shoreline protection and the
requirement for no net loss
of ecological function
Ecological Characterization
! Ecological Claiacieiizaiion is baseline
infoimaiion aboui ile ecological condiiions
of Seaiile's sloielines
! Infoimaiion inuences SMP updaie piocess
* Shoreline environment designations
* Identify areas to be protected
* Identify areas to be restored and what functions
are degraded
* Measure cumulative impacts to determine if we
are sufficiently protecting the shoreline
environment
Level of Impairment
Five Categories Indicating Ecological Condition
Category 1) Least Impaired
Category 2) Less Impaired
Category 3) Moderately Impaired
Category 4) More Impaired
Category 5) Most Impaired
Overall City
Conditions
Category 1 - highest habitat function
least impaired shorelines
Arboretum Lincoln Park
Category 2 - higher habitat function
less impaired shorelines
Webster Point Pipers Creek
Category 3 - medium habitat function
moderately impaired shorelines
South West Seattle/
Seola Beach Creek
North of Golden
Gardens
!"#$%&'( * + ,&-$' ."/0#"# 12345&3
6&'$ 067"0'$8 9.&'$,03$9
Shilshole Bay Marina
Duwamish River
Category 5 - lowest habitat function
most impaired shorelines
Fishermens Terminal
Harbor Island
Sub Reaches
South West Seattle/
Seola Beach Creek
South West Seattle/
Seola Creek
Sub-Reaches
Duwamish/Kellogg
Island
Duwamish/Kellogg
Island
Proposed SMP Regulations Review
! Between February 2011 and June 2012 - two public
review and comment periods
! June 2012 - SEPA decision on SMP regulations based
on WAC requirements and public input
! July 2012 - address comments revise regulations
! City Council - review and approval 9 public meetins
! Department of Ecology - review and approval including
comment period
!"#$#%&'( *+,-+. /#* 012 34-5+$-6+
7#89$-:6"+
! S]::]i Depaiimeni of Ecology deieimines Seaiile las
a compleie Applicaiion and foimally begins ieview
! q]]i - io](]i Ecology's o day public commeni ""
! q]ii]i Ecology lolds public leaiing
! DPD iesponds io commenis
! 6]:oi( Ecology compleies ieview foi compliance wiil
Sloieline Masiei Piogiam Guidelines]WAC iy-:6
!"#$#%& ;+,-+. < 012 34-5+$-6+(=
>?7 @AB<CD 7#89$-:6"+
! Ecology submiis io Seaiile iequiied clanges needed
io meei Guidelines
! Seaiile and Ecology agiee on meilod io meei
iequiied clanges
! Seaiile Ciiy Council appioves ile iequiied clanges
! DPD begins implemeniing ile new SMP (i( days afiei
Mayoi signs ile new oidinance)
! Expecied daie foi new SMP io iale eeci is
}anuaiy]Febiuaiy :oi