The city of Bellingham, through adoption of this shoreline master program, intends to implement the Washington State Shoreline Management Act and its policies including protecting the state’s shorelines and their associated natural resources, identifying areas for preferred uses, and providing opportunities for the general public to have access to and enjoy shorelines in general.

The Shoreline Management Act (SMA or the Act), RCW 90.58.020, states:

The legislature finds that the shorelines of the state are among the most valuable and fragile of its natural resources and that there is great concern throughout the state relating to their utilization, protection, restoration and preservation. In addition it finds that ever increasing pressures of additional uses are being placed on the shorelines necessitating increased coordination in the management and development of the shorelines of the state. The legislature further finds that much of the shorelines of the state and the uplands adjacent thereto are in private ownership; that unrestricted construction on the privately owned or publicly owned shorelines of the state is not in the best public interest and therefore, coordinated planning is necessary in order to protect the public interest associated with the shorelines of the state while, at the same time, recognizing and protecting private property rights consistent with the public interest. There is, therefore, a clear and urgent demand for a planned, rational, and concerted effort, jointly performed by federal state and local governments, to prevent the inherent harm in an uncoordinated and piecemeal development of the state’s shorelines.

It is the policy of the state to provide for the management of the shorelines of the state by planning for and fostering all reasonable and appropriate uses. This policy is designed to insure the development of these shorelines in a manner which, while allowing for limited reduction of rights of the public in the navigable waters, will promote and enhance the public interest. This policy contemplates protecting against adverse effects to the public health, the land and its vegetation and wildlife, and the waters of the state and their aquatic life, while protecting generally public rights of navigation and corollary rights incidental thereto.

The Act places additional importance on those shorelines of the state that are within the interest of all the citizens of Washington State. These are called shorelines of statewide significance (SSWS). In Bellingham, these are the shorelines of Bellingham Bay and Lake Whatcom.¹ RCW 90.58.020 of the Shoreline Management Act goes on to state the following:

The legislature declares that interest of all people shall be paramount in the management of shorelines of statewide significance. The department (of Ecology) in adopting guidelines for shorelines of statewide significance, and local government in developing master programs for shorelines of statewide significance shall give preference to uses in the following order of preference which:

1. Recognize and protect the statewide interest over local interest;

2. Preserve the natural character of the shoreline;

3. Result in long-term over short term benefit;

4. Protect the resources and ecology of the shoreline;

5. Increase public access to publicly owned areas of the shorelines;

6. Increase recreational opportunities for the public in the shoreline;

7. Provide for any other element as defined in RCW 90.58.100 deemed appropriate or necessary.

In the implementation of this policy, the public’s opportunity to enjoy the physical and aesthetic qualities of natural shorelines of the state shall be preserved to the greatest extent feasible consistent with the overall best interest of the state and the people generally. To this end uses shall be preferred which are consistent with control of pollution and prevention of damage to the natural environment, or are unique to or dependent upon use of the state’s shoreline. Alterations of the natural condition of the shorelines of the state, in those limited instances when authorized, shall be given priority for single-family residences and their appurtenant structures, ports, shoreline recreational uses including but not limited to industrial and commercial developments which are particularly dependent on their location on or use of the shorelines of the state and other development that will provide an opportunity for substantial numbers of the people to enjoy the shorelines of the state. Alterations of the natural condition of the shorelines and shorelands of the state shall be recognized by the department. Shorelines and shorelands of the state shall be appropriately classified and these classifications shall be revised when circumstances warrant regardless of whether the change in circumstances occurs through man-made causes or natural causes. Any areas resulting from alterations of the natural condition of the shorelines and shorelands of the state no longer meeting the definition of ‘shorelines of the state’ shall not be subject to the provisions of Chapter 90.58 RCW.

Permitted uses in the shorelines of the state shall be designed and conducted in a manner to minimize, insofar as practical, any resultant damage to the ecology and environment of the shoreline area and any interference with the public’s use of the water. (RCW 90.58.020)

In order to implement this policy, the city, through this master program, strives to achieve the following objectives which are also identified in WAC 173-26-251(3) (Shoreline Guidelines) and BMC 22.04.030, General policies: