Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Shoreline Master Program topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lakewood planning commissioners hold joint hearing on Shoreline Master Program updates
Summary
At a joint hearing with the Washington Department of Ecology, Lakewood staff presented locally initiated 2024 updates to the Shoreline Master Program that move wetland-buffer rules into the city's critical areas ordinance and add Ecology-recommended limits on utility trenching in higher-category wetlands; public comment runs through Oct. 17.
The Lakewood Planning Commission on Oct. 2 held a joint public hearing with the Washington Department of Ecology on locally initiated updates to the city's Shoreline Master Program.
Miss Spear, who introduced the item, said the city is proposing mainly housekeeping changes and a limited number of substantive edits to align the SMP with the recent critical areas ordinance adopted this year. "Probably the biggest substantive change that's being talked about is taking language regarding wetland buffers out of the shoreline master program and dropping it into the critical areas ordinance," she said, adding that the move does not remove the city's regulation of those resources but consolidates the rules into title 14.
Staff also noted Ecology recommended that utility line trenching "would not be allowed in category 1 or 2 wetlands and would be discouraged in category 3 and 4 wetlands," language the commission reviewed as part of the amendments. Miss Spear said the revised SMP references the new code chapters and reflects renumbering in the municipal code; the SMP text has been incorporated into the Lakewood Municipal Code (title 16) and will be in effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
The city opened a 30-day public comment window starting Sept. 18 and running through Oct. 17. Miss Spear told commissioners that this joint hearing is the only public hearing in the process and that the ordinance will move to the city council after the commission's action and staff review; she said the changes rely on WAC 173-26-104 procedures for optional joint reviews with Ecology.
Public comment during the SMP hearing included a follow-up from Mister Foley urging staff to address submerged hazards in local lakes rather than marking them with cones. The hearing record and written comments will be used by staff as the amendment proceeds to council; staff said the package is scheduled for council consideration on Nov. 6.
Next steps: the comment period remains open through Oct. 17, staff will collate the hearing record and written input, and the item will be transmitted to the city council for action in early November.
