(1) The policies and standards in this section apply to establishment of new harbor areas by the harbor line commission under Article XV of the Washington Constitution and to establishment of new harbor areas in Lake Washington by the commissioner of public lands under RCW 79.125.520.

(2) New harbor areas will only be established to serve the following purposes:

(a) Reserving adequate urban space for navigation and commerce facilities; and

(b) Preventing urban development from disrupting navigation.

(3) New harbor areas will only be established when a need is demonstrated by existing development or by plans, studies, project proposals or other evidence of development potential in, or waterward of, the proposed harbor area.

(4) Unless there is an overriding statewide navigation and commerce need, new harbor areas will only be established when:

(a) Compatible with local land use and shoreline management plans;

(b) Supported by the city, county and port district;

(c) The area is physically and environmentally suitable for navigation and commerce purposes; and

(d) Necessary support facilities and services are likely to be available.

(5) The shoreline length of a new harbor area established along a city's waterfront will be determined by the need and purposes to be served and by conformance with subsection (4) of this section.

(6) Harbor line placement standards.

(a) Harbor lines will be placed to serve constitutional harbor area purposes as they relate to the individual site in question.

(b) Harbor lines will be placed to provide practical development guidance. Harbor lines will relate to navigation and commerce development which has occurred or can reasonably be expected to occur.

(c) Inner harbor lines will be placed at the boundary of public aquatic land ownership. Inner harbor lines may be placed waterward of the boundary of public ownership to avoid conflicts with other guidelines in this section.

(d) Outer harbor lines will generally be placed near the ends of existing conforming structures located on public aquatic lands. The lines shall provide adequate space for navigation and commerce and prevent development from interfering with navigation.

(e) Unless there is an overriding statewide navigation and commerce need, harbor lines will be placed in accordance with:

(i) Local, state and federal land use plans and environmental regulations;

(ii) Maintenance of environmental quality;

(iii) Existing abutting harbor lines; and

(iv) Existing aquatic land development.