Island County SMP

Island County SMP Shoreline Residential Development Workshop December 5, 2011

Are County’s shoreline rules the right rules to accomplish the purposes of the SMA and the community’s vision? • What changes to the shoreline rules regarding residential development and redevelopment are needed? Workshop Goals

Introduction – 4.30 • Presentation – 4.35 • Breakout Vote – 5.10 • Break – 5.30 • Group Discussion - 5.45 • Q & A – 6.15 • Close – 6.30 Agenda

Inventory and Characterization

Existing land use classification (from Island County Assessor)

Zoning in Island County Shorelines

Existing and potential parcels in Island County shorelines

Existing residential lots and residences per zone

36 areas • 32% of all shoreline parcels in county RAIDs in Island County Shorelines

Sandy Point RAID

Setbacks of existing development in RAIDs from Ordinary High Water Mark(percent of all parcels in RAIDs)

Bing, 2011 Bing, 2011 Effects of Residential Development Bing, 2011

Functions of Native Shoreline Vegetation • Filters pollutants and fine sediments, • Provides wildlife habitat • Provides food for aquatic species • Stabilizes soils • Stabilizes banks; reduce occurrences of landslides, damage to structures and threats to safety. Loss of Shoreline Vegetation

Changes in Salmon Behavior – • Young Salmon fry avoid docks and piers moving away from the shore subject to attack by larger predators • Less Food – • With less light, Salmon eat less • fewer small species that salmon eat • Reduces Sea Grasses – • Rich feeding area for marine birds and fish, • shelter to species such as Dungeness crab, salmon and herring • Sediment Movement - • Littoral drift is affected by placement of overwater structures • Loss of Habitat • Habitat is lost or fragmented during construction Overwater Structures

Current Standards

General Requirements: • Residential development not permitted seaward of OHWM • Runoff must not pollute adjacent waters or cause soil or beach erosion • Construction must not adversely impact geohydraulic processes • Natural vegetation between the OHWM and the top of banks and bluffs ten (10) feet or higher shall be retained Existing Shoreline Regulations

FWHCA Buffer: 75’ Normal Appurtenance may be located in setback 5’ (50 ft for new lots) 50’ (75 in N and C) Side Yard Setback Puget Sound Shoreline Setback Front/Street Yard Setback Home Local Access Street 20’ (100 ft for new lots and/or larger roadways OHWM Example Residential Lot (R and RR)

Shoreline Setbacks: • Appurtenances may be located within setback provided: • Do not obstruct view of shorelines from adjacent primary residences • Are not located within the native vegetation buffer Existing Shoreline Regulations

Shoreline Setbacks: • Common line setbacks may be allowed (min. 25’ or 50’ for C and N): Existing Shoreline Regulations

Wetland Buffers: • 30 – 300 feet depending on • Land Use Intensity • Wetland Type • Wetland Function • Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas • 75 foot buffer • Areas with which endangered, threatened, and sensitive species listed by the federal or state government have a primary association. • Streams. • Commercial and recreational shellfish beds. • Kelp and eelgrass beds. • Herring and smelt spawning areas. • State natural area preserves. • State natural resource conservation areas. • Species and habitats of local importance Critical Areas

Note that SFR is a priority use • “…when developed in a manner consistent with the control of pollution and prevention of damage to the natural environment.” • Prohibit new floating homes and houseboats? • Require Public Access for multi-family development and subdivision into more than 4 lots? • Subdivision must preclude the future need for shoreline stabilization Gap Analysis

State Guidelines establish SFR as a “priority use” • Construction of a SFR with normal appurtenances is exempt from SSDP • Construction of a dock or pier associated with SFR is exempt from SSDP • Ecology Recommended Vegetative Buffers: Shoreline Guidelines

Island County SMP