Apologies, I meant to include
the following in yesterday’s email:
For more information on buffers,
non-conforming uses/structures and more SMP issues, read the FAQ
Handout for answers to frequently asked questions.
To follow the State review
process, go to the Ecology
website.
Thanks,
Michelle
No reply to this message
is required. You have received this message as a member of the Jefferson
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List. If you do not wish to receive further project notices, reply to this
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michelle McConnell, Associate Planner - LRP Lead
Jefferson County Department of Community Development
All e-mail sent to this address will be received by the
Jefferson County e-mail system and is subject to Public Disclosure under
Chapter 42.56 RCW and as such may be viewed by parties other than the intended
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From: Michelle McConnell
Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2010 4:15 PM
To: Michelle McConnell
Subject: SMP: State review continues
Greetings & Happy Summer Interested Parties!
STATE PROCESS
The State’s review of our Locally
Approved SMP (LA-SMP) continues with WA Department of Ecology:
1.
The County is currently working to provide Ecology some
feedback on the issues raised by the 300+ comment letters received during the
state-wide public comment period.
2.
After our Response to Comments is submitted to Ecology
(within the next month or so), Ecology will prepare their Findings and
Conclusions along with their decision to A) approve; B) approve with required
changes; or C) deny the SMP. If changes are required, some dialogue may
be required to find complete agreement between the State and the County.
3.
After Ecology approval, the final step is for the Board
of County Commissioners to adopt the new SMP by ordinance as new components of
the Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Code.
So while the process is moving forward, we still have
a few months to go before final adoption and the new SMP takes effect.
Stay tuned… this email list will continue to receive project updates.
NEWSPAPER CLARIFICATIONS
You may have seen the recent articles in last week’s Leader
newspaper – a few points of clarification are needed:
·
Buffers & Setbacks – While it may seem a
finer point, there is a difference between the terms buffers and setbacks as
proposed by the LA-SMP. The 150-foot distance proposed is a standard
shoreline buffer for stream/river and marine shorelines that fall under
SMP jurisdiction. There are separate 5-foot side-yard and 10-foot
building setbacks proposed as well. Far from a ‘one-size-fits-all’
approach, the LA-SMP also proposes 6 options to adjust the standard shoreline
buffer when specific situations arise.
The current SMP has only requires
setbacks: 30 to 100-feet for residential and a minimum of 15-feet for
commercial and urban development. The County’s Critical Areas Ordinance
has included a 150-foot buffer for fish & wildlife habitat conservation
areas since early-2008, and has successfully withstood legal challenge.
The City of Port Townsend SMP requires buffers that range from 50 to
200-feet. Other jurisdictions around Puget Sound also have 150-foot
buffers in place (e.g. Whatcom County).
·
SMP jurisdiction – Not all shoreline
areas in the county meet the statutory definition for ‘Shoreline of the
State’. The SMP will apply to all shorelines that meet the criteria for
SMP jurisdiction. Lakes less than 20 acres in size, rivers/streams with
less than 20 cubic feet per second mean annual flow, and lands under federal or
tribal ownership do not qualify.
Thanks for your continued interest,
Michelle
No
reply to this message is required. You have received this message as a
member of the Jefferson County Shoreline Master Program (SMP) Interested
Parties Email Distribution List. If you do not wish to receive further project
notices, reply to this message with "UNSUBSCRIBE" as the subject and
body text. Anyone who wants to be added to the list may send an email with
"SUBSCRIBE" as the subject and body text. Please note: Recipient
names and email addresses are not shown to keep that information private.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michelle McConnell, Associate Planner - LRP Lead
Jefferson County Department of Community Development
Long Range Planning Division
621 Sheridan St., Port Townsend, WA 98368
MAIN
360.379.4450 DIRECT
360.379.4484 FAX 360.379.4473
WEB www.co.jefferson.wa.us/commdevelopment
OFFICE OPEN: 9:00 a - 4:30 p Monday -
Thursday; Closed Friday
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All e-mail sent to this address will be received by the
Jefferson County e-mail system and may be subject to Public Disclosure under
Chapter 42.56 RCW and as such may be viewed by parties other than the intended
recipient.
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