Bonney Lake staff propose code fix to allow repair/replacement of existing bulkheads without conditional-use permit

City staff told the Community Development Committee on Feb. 17 that they will propose a targeted amendment to the Shoreline Master Program use matrix to make repair or replacement of existing bulkheads a permitted activity rather than a shoreline conditional-use permit.

The motivation is technical: under the city's current code, listing shoreline stabilization as a conditional-use activity unintentionally prevents property owners from using state exemptions for maintenance or repair. "When you make it a shoreline conditional use, none of the exemptions apply," Director Sullivan explained; staff proposed that new bulkheads remain conditional uses, while repair or replacement of existing bulkheads be permitted under stated limits.

Standards and process: Staff said repairs would need to match the existing bulkhead's length and height and comply with existing standards; the Department of Ecology must still approve the Shoreline Master Program amendment before council can take final action. Committee members raised enforcement questions and whether new materials could be used; staff noted the code already requires a showing that, for example, rock protection no longer functions before switching materials.

Why it matters: Permitting repair as a permitted action would allow property owners to rely on state exemptions in appropriate cases, reducing delay and cost for routine maintenance while preserving oversight for larger new bulkheads.

Next steps: Staff will draft revised verbiage that flips the use-matrix entry for shoreline stabilization and insert an explicit line for "shoreline stabilization repair/replacement" as permitted where standards are met; the amendment will go through planning commission review, a public hearing, and then back to council for final action contingent on Department of Ecology approval.