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Shoreline Master Program (SMP)
2022 Periodic Update Process
State law currently requires agencies to periodically review and update their local SMP regulations and plans. The Planning Commission held multiple work sessions and then a noticed public hearing on the project on February 23, 2022, resulting in a recommendation of approval to City Council on April 13, 2022. The Puyallup City Council then held a public hearing on October 25, 2022 and approved the proposed amendments to the Shoreline Master Program (SMP) and associated amendments to the city's critical area code on November 1, 2022, which are currently pending Department of Ecology approval. Informational flyers on the SMP update project, as well as a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) flyer, are linked under the Periodic Update Documents section of this webpage.
Amendments
Following the Planning Commission recommendation, the drafts were sent to Ecology for initial determination. Ecology provided several recommended and required changes for the draft SMP amendments, which were incorporated into the document. The final drafts are currently pending Ecology approval. Please see links below:
- Updated Shoreline Master Plan (SMP)
- Updated SMP showing track changes
- Associated Critical Area Code Amendments (PMC Chapter 21.06)
Critical Area Code Update
Staff at the Department of Ecology (ECY) recommended specific changes to the city's critical area code as part of the review of the city's SMP update. The ECY outlined the "required changes" that relate to wetlands not currently regulated by the City of Puyallup's critical area ordinance. The associated code amendments are linked in the section above.
Public Comment
The City of Puyallup (City) and the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) requested public comments on proposed amendments to the City’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP); the joint local/state public comment period ran from Wednesday, February 2, 2022 through Friday, March 4, 2022 at 5 pm. The public also had opportunities to provide written and verbal comments at the Planning Commission and City Council public hearings.
Prior Puyallup Shoreline Master Program (January 2016)
The SMP contains several main sections: an inventory of shoreline conditions; goals, policies, and regulations pertaining to shoreline activities, and administrative provisions as well as public access and restoration plans, respectively. The SMP includes development standards and regulations for a wide range of specific uses and shoreline modifications, such as residential and commercial use, dredging, bulkheads, shoreline stabilization, etc. The content of the SMP document is as follows:
- Cover (PDF)
- Table of Contents (PDF)
- Chapter 1 - Introduction (PDF)
- Chapter 2 - Definitions and Acronyms (PDF)
- Chapter 3 - Shoreline Inventory and Restoration Planning - Summary (PDF)
- Chapter 4 - Shorelines of Statewide Significance (PDF)
- Chapter 5 - General Goals, Policies, and Regulations (PDF)
- Chapter 6 - Shoreline Jurisdiction and Environment Designations (PDF)
- Chapter 7 - Shoreline Use and Modifications - Policies and Regulations (PDF)Chapter 8 - Administrative Procedures (PDF)
Additional Appendices
What is the Shoreline Master Program (SMP)?
Shoreline master programs (SMPs) regulate new development, land modifications, and use of shorelines along larger rivers, lakes over 20 acres, and marine waterfronts. In the City of Puyallup, the only waterways covered under the Shoreline Master Program are the Puyallup River and Clark's Creek.
The Puyallup SMP defines how the shoreline areas of the City and its urban growth area will be managed. Lands within 200 feet of the Puyallup River and Clark's Creek, and their associated wetlands, are subject to the policies and regulations of the SMP. Other streams and water bodies are regulated by the city’s critical areas ordinance only. All properties must comply with the city’s zoning and comprehensive plan, and properties subject to the SMP must comply with critical areas as well.
The Shoreline Management Act (SMA) of 1971, ratified by Washington voters in 1972, establishes the basic framework for developing local Master Programs under the basic concept that piecemeal development of the state's shoreline areas would cause irreversible harm without master planning efforts at the local level. The SMA maintains 3 core principles:
- Shoreline uses - What type of uses will be allowed along with local shoreline areas and how will they develop?
- Shoreline environmental protection - How will the critical functions of the shoreline environment be protected, preserved, and restored?
- Shoreline public access - How will the public be provided the opportunity to see, touch, feel and experience the shoreline areas?
Shoreline Characterization & Inventory Report
The first step in the comprehensive SMP update process is the development of a shoreline inventory and characterization. The inventory and characterization document current shoreline conditions and provide a basis for updating the City's SMP goals, policies, and regulations. The characterization identifies existing conditions, evaluates existing functions, and values of shoreline resources, and explores opportunities for conservation and restoration of ecological functions. After technical review by city staff, tribes, Ecology, and other state agencies, the City completed the shoreline inventory and characterization report (PDF) in July 2007.
Shoreline Restoration Plan
The SMP guidelines require that local governments develop SMP policies that promote "restoration" of damaged shoreline ecological functions and develop a "real and meaningful" strategy to implement restoration objectives. Planning for shoreline restoration includes identifying opportunities (both programmatic and site-specific), establishing goals and policies, working cooperatively with other regional entities, and supporting restoration through other regulatory and non-regulatory programs. The City completed and updated a draft shoreline restoration plan (PDF) in January 2012.