Brief Description: Establishing a schedule of time limits under which local governments must develop or amend shoreline master plans.

Sponsors: Representatives Romero, Cooper, Dunshee, Linville and Edwards; by request of Governor Locke.

Hearing Date: 2/27/03

Staff: Ethan Moreno (786-7386).

Background:

The Shoreline Management Act (SMA) governs the uses of state shorelines. The SMA requires all counties and cities with shorelines of the state to adopt master programs which regulate land use activities in shoreline areas of the state.

The SMA also requires the Department of Ecology (DOE) to adopt state shoreline master program guidelines for local governments to use when developing their master programs. Local governments must develop or amend shoreline master programs within 24 months after the adoption of guidelines by the DOE.

The DOE is authorized to make and administer grants of legislatively appropriated funds to local governments for developing master programs. Grants must not be made in an amount in excess of the recipient's contribution to the estimated cost of the program.

Summary of Bill:

The Shoreline Management Act (SMA) provision requiring local governments to develop or amend regulatory shoreline master programs within 24 months after the adoption of guidelines by the Department of Ecology (DOE) is replaced with a schedule to be adopted by the Legislature.

The financial limits on legislatively appropriated grant funds authorized and administered by the DOE to local governments for shoreline master program development are removed.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 10, 2003.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.