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08/12/2009: "DOE Offers $400K For Shoreline Update"

An offer of money and assistance from the State Department of Ecology (DOE) and the San Juan Initiative (Initiative) has resulted in a vote and a directive from the County Council to “begin the project planning and contracting processes to start the comprehensive SMP (Shoreline Master Plan) update in January of 2010…”

At a recent forum that presented another view of CAO requirements, former member of the State Office of Attorney General, Dennis Reynolds, warned that if DOE offers money, be certain the contract does not give DOE the power to reject the work beyond their normal review and approval authority.

County Administrator Pete Rose -who was in the audience at the forum- told The Island Guardian he recalled Mr. Reynolds comment, and such a requirement in the contract would be a “lightning bolt” that Rose would not fail to take note of.


DOE has offered $400,000.00 to help offset planning costs to update the SMP, while the San Juan Initiative has offered to form a partnership with the County for more public outreach; including public discussion and education on the updates of the SMP, and the uplands regulations.

Rose told the council the “elephant in the room is getting clear direction from the council as to whether it is your interest to continue on a shoreline CAO [Critical Areas Ordinance] segment.”

Rose advised the council that, based on his new involvement in the planning department “we do not have the time [to work on the SMP], but whatever we do, it needs more public outreach.”

Senior Planner Shireene Hale said the County will have all of the pieces of scientific information needed for shoreline critical areas by the end of the year; and said noted “Most counties take three years to complete a SMP update.” The update is required to be completed by 2012.

Gene Knapp may have identified the real elephant in the room when he quoted a sentence on page nine of the Staff Report.

Knapp raised the question that others have raised, which is: are buffers “optional areas to be considered for inclusion in the SMP.” Knapp pointed out that buffers are listed as options.

Knapp’s observation resulted in a moment of silence, until Rose hesitantly responded “there are areas out there that require protection…how you go at that, is at the root of all of the discussion we have had in the chambers, and in the community.” None of the other council members responded, and the matter was dropped.

Jim Kramer and Amy Windrope were then asked by Councilmember Lovel Pratt to address the Council on what their involvement would entail.

Kramer said the Initiative has tried to find the balance between protection of the environment and how property owners can better manage their property and enjoy it, and have the kinds of things they want in a shoreline property.

To that end, Kramer said he wanted to emphasize their policy group “feels very strongly a process of outreach would include both those who are very much opposed to something going forward, as well as those very much in favor with something going forward, so those voices are a part of the discussion.”

As for that first elephant in the room, the one that would provide clear direction to the staff, it may -once again- still be in the room.

When the topic of updating of the SMP came up at the following Tuesday council meeting, Lovel Pratt and Chair Rich Peterson were at odds as to what direction had been given to staff.

There was a brief back-and-forth between the two, with Councilman Myhr opining the direction was not completely clear.

Peterson said a motion had been made, passed, and staff had been authorized to begin a process of scoping the project and developing a plan, but not yet authorized to move forward until the Council had approved the project.

The Council had voted on, and approved the following:

Moved by Pratt, seconded by Myhr, that the County Council begin the process of the Comprehensive Shoreline Master Program Update no later than January 1, 2010 and to direct the Staff to immediately begin work on:
• Begin the process of scoping the project;
• Begin the process of developing the grant agreement;
• Develop a public participation plan and bringing it to the County Council for review and approval;
• Authorize the San Juan initiative to facilitate a portion of the public participation plan as presented in Attachment C of the staff report;
• Develop a calendar for the SMA update process;
• Advance the Shoreline essential public facility amendments as a minor SMA amendment.
Motion carried unanimously.

The process of “beginning,” as per the motion, is to be completed no later than January 1, 2010; after which, presuming Council approval, and based on the developed calendar, staff will do the actual work of drafting an updated Shoreline Master Program