Article 1. Introduction
14.50.010 Requirements of the Shoreline Management Act.
The State Legislature passed Washington’s Shoreline Management Act (SMA) (Chapter 90.58 RCW) in 1971 and citizens of the state approved the SMA through referendum in 1972 “…to prevent the inherent harm in an uncoordinated and piecemeal development of the state’s shorelines.” The SMA requires that the city of Aberdeen plan for the use of shorelines of the state within its municipal boundaries. The SMA and Chapter 173-26 WAC established broad policies that give preference to shoreline uses that:
•Encourage water-dependent uses: “…uses shall be preferred which are consistent with control of pollution and prevention of damage to the natural environment, or are unique to or dependent upon use of the states’ shorelines…”
•Protect shoreline natural resources: including “…the land and its vegetation and wildlife, and the waters of the state and their aquatic life…”
•Promote public access: “…the public’s opportunity to enjoy the physical and aesthetic qualities of natural shorelines of the state shall be preserved to the greatest extent feasible consistent with the overall best interest of the state and people generally.”
The SMA recognizes that “…shorelines are among the most valuable and fragile…” of the state’s resources. The city recognizes and protects private property rights in shoreline jurisdiction, while aiming to preserve the quality of these unique resources for all state residents.
The primary purpose of the SMA is to manage and protect the state’s shoreline resources by planning for reasonable and appropriate uses. In order to protect the public interest in preserving these shorelines, the SMA establishes a coordinated planning program between the city and the state to address development and uses occurring in the state’s shorelines.
Under the SMA, the Shoreline Master Program (SMP) was created and implemented based on a cooperative program of shoreline management between the city and the state. With citizen contributions collected through the city’s shoreline planning process, the city developed this SMP and it will implement and administer it through shoreline permits and reviews. The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) provided funding for the update and reviews and approves the city’s SMP and certain local shoreline permit decisions.