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               ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5075

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State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Agriculture & Environment (originally sponsored by Senators Swecker and Rasmussen)

Read first time 02/06/97.

Regulating use activities. 

    AN ACT Relating to shoreline management; and adding a new section to chapter 90.58 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 90.58 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The legislature finds that aquaculture is of state-wide and national interest.  Properly managed, it can result in long-term over short-term benefits and can protect the resources and ecology of the shoreline.  Aquaculture is dependent on the use of the water area and, when consistent with control of pollution and prevention of damage to the environment, is a preferred use of the water area.

    (2) No master program may prohibit aquacultural uses or structures, or condition aquacultural uses to the extent that such a use could not be feasibly located within the area governed by the master program.  If a local government limits an aquacultural use in a designated area, the local government shall designate a suitable area where the aquacultural use is permitted.

    (3) Each local government shall revise the local master program to comply with this section during the next normally scheduled amendment of the master program.  Any other amendments to the local master program shall be held in abeyance until the master program is revised to comply with this section.  Once the master program is revised, permits for aquacultural uses shall be processed under the same timelines as other substantial development permits.

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