Council study session previews one-parcel Shoreline Master Program amendment to expand Edgewater Park

Tiffany Spear, a city staff member, briefed Lakewood City Council on June 8 about a locally initiated amendment to the city’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP) that would re-designate a single parcel—9132 Edgewater Drive—from 'shoreline residential' to 'urban park' so the parcel can be incorporated into the planned Edgewater Park expansion.

Spear explained that SMP updates follow a state-mandated review process and that the city already held a joint public hearing with the Washington Department of Ecology. She told council the packet (page 59) includes both a clean and a draft SMP document per state requirements and that the only substantive change in this amendment is the map designation for the one parcel; the SMP’s other text remains unchanged.

Councilors pressed technical questions about how shoreline buffers and impervious-surface limits apply to the parcel and nearby properties. Staff said the amendment covers only the one parcel and that additional changes to parcel mapping would require separate public hearings and environmental assessments. Director Roxan Miles said the park project will need permitting and likely variance processes because existing impervious surfaces and planned amenities will have to be reconciled with shoreline rules; staff said restoration and stormwater treatment are part of the mitigation approach.

Spear confirmed the amendment will be scheduled for council action at the next regular meeting and reminded members that the SMP is subject to a mandatory comprehensive review in 2029 under state law. She said staff will verify GIS maps and provide further details about how the project’s shoreline treatments and any required variances will be handled.