14.50.450.01 Policies.
A. Protect and enhance the public’s visual and physical access to shorelines of the state to the greatest extent feasible.
B. Increase the amount and diversity of public access opportunities to shorelines where consistent with the natural shoreline character, property rights and public safety.
C. Maintain, enhance, and increase public access in accordance with the following priorities unless found infeasible:
1. Maintain existing public access sites and facilities, rights-of-way, and easements.
2. Enhance public access opportunities on existing public lands and easements.
3. Acquire property or easements to add opportunities for public access to shorelines.
4. Encourage public access to shorelines as part of shoreline development.
D. Ensure shoreline development plans by public entities include public access measures unless it is unsafe, unsecure, or negatively affects the shoreline environment.
E. Ensure that development does not impair or detract from public access to the water through standards for design, construction and operation.
F. Provide public access as close as feasible to the OHWM without adversely affecting a sensitive environment and design with provisions for access for all persons.
G. Development, uses and activities on or near the shoreline should not impair or detract from the public’s visual access to the water.
H. Balance enhancement of views with the protection of shoreline vegetation that may partially impair views.
I. Maintain, enhance and preserve visual access of the shoreline from street-ends, public utilities and rights-of-way.