Presentation from the Decemer3rd and 4th Open House Meetings

Pierce County is undertaking an update of the Pierce County Shoreline Master Program (SMP) that will be developed consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements of the Shoreline Management Act and its implementing rules, including the Shoreline Master Program Guidelines. The goal is to complete this process by the end of 2009. The SMP update process includes:

• completion of an inventory and analysis report with corresponding maps with illustrations that characterize shoreline ecological conditions;
• development of shoreline policies, environment designations, and use regulations;
• preparation of a shoreline restoration plan;
• cumulative impacts analysis;
• a formal local adoption process.

Pierce County will incorporate public participation and technical advice in all phases of the SMP update. The County has enlisted the consultant services of ESA Adolfson to help with the process. To view the timeline, see the Work Program.

The County will coordinate throughout the SMP update process with Department of Ecology and other applicable state agencies, neighboring jurisdictions, and Indian tribes as provided in the Guidelines and SMA procedural rules. In addition, the County will consult with other appropriate entities which may have useful scientific, technical or cultural information, including federal agencies, watershed management planning units, salmon recovery lead entities, universities and other institutions.

Use these links to view the existing shoreline regulations and the existing master program . Also a map of the existing shoreline jurisdictions and environments is available.

To receive future meeting agendas and open house announcements or to have any questions answered about this planning process please contact Mike Erkkinen at (253) 798-2705 or by email at merkkin@co.pierce.wa.us. And you can join the mailing list of interested parties, by sending a comment here.