Douglas County Regional Shoreline Master Program

The Douglas County Regional Shoreline Master Program was adopted by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners by Ordinance TLS #09-08-41B & TLS #08-09-32B, and became effective on August 27, 2009 with the final approval of the Washington State Department of Ecology.

What is the Shoreline Management Act?

In response to a voter initiative concerned with the utilization, protection, restoration and preservation of Washington’s shorelines, the legislature enacted the Shoreline Management Act (SMA) in June of 1971 and adopted associated guidelines in 1972 for local governments to use when implementing the Act. These guidelines require local governments to develop an individual Shoreline Master Program (SMP) which contains policies, goals, and regulations to guide development of the shorelines within the local area. The SMP functions as an element of the local comprehensive plan for shoreline areas. Together, the SMA combined with the individual city and county Shoreline Master Programs comprise the "State Master Program".

What is regulated under the SMA?

In general, lakes over 20 acres in size, rivers whose mean annual flow is greater than 20 cubic feet per second, and uplands, along with associated wetlands and floodplains within 200 feet of any such waters are regulated under the SMA. Shoreline areas called “Shorelines of Statewide Significance” are given special protection under the SMA. These include lakes with a surface area of 1,000 acres or greater, and rivers (east of the Cascade Range) whose mean annual flow is 200 cubic feet per second or greater. The Columbia River is an example of a River of Statewide Significance.  To learn more about the SMA, click the following link to the Department of Ecology website for an introduction to the SMA.
Introduction to the SMA