WSR 02-14-157

PROPOSED RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

NATURAL RESOURCES

[ Filed July 3, 2002, 11:40 a.m. ]

     Supplemental Notice to WSR 02-03-111.

     Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 01-10-068.

     Title of Rule: Residential use of state-owned aquatic lands.

     Purpose: The proposed rules clarify the department's proprietary management responsibilities and objectives regarding residential uses (floating houses and vessels used as residences) on state-owned aquatic lands.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 79.90.080.

     Statute Being Implemented: Chapter 79.90 RCW.

     Summary: The proposed rules define residential uses on state-owned aquatic lands; clarify the "grandfathering" of house boats; and clarify other management issues regarding residential uses, including waste disposal and open water moorage.

     Reasons Supporting Proposal: Many management issues regarding residential uses are currently not addressed in either statute or rule. The new rules will provide much needed clarity for both staff and the public about the department's management of residential uses on state-owned aquatic lands.

     Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Kristin Swenddal, 1111 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504, (360) 902-1124; Implementation and Enforcement: Loren Stern, 1111 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504, (360) 902-1100.

     Name of Proponent: Department of Natural Resources, governmental.

     Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

     Explanation of Rule, its Purpose, and Anticipated Effects: The proposed rules define residential use of a floating structure; clarify the water-oriented "grandfathering" of house boats under RCW 79.90.465(2); set percent limits on residential uses in marinas and other moorage facilities; clarify requirements for sewage and waste disposal from residential uses; prohibit open water moorage and anchorage of residential uses except in designated areas; allow vessel[s] used as residences in harbor areas; and provide for substantial local government discretion regarding residential uses. The new rules will provide much needed clarity for both staff and the public about the department's management of residential uses on state-owned aquatic lands.

     Proposal Changes the Following Existing Rules: Many management issues regarding residential uses currently not addressed in statute or rule will now be addressed; the definition of floating houses (e.g. house boats) is updated; vessels used for residential uses will now be allowed in harbor areas.

     A small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW.

Small Business Economic Impact Statement

     Executive Summary: New rules on residential use were first released along with an accompanying small business economic impact statement (SBEIS) to the public on February 6, 2002. The Department of Natural Resources (department) held four public meetings on the new rules and received numerous public comments both at these meetings and in writing. On March 15, 2002, the public comment period on the new rules closed. Based on the comments the department revised [received] the department revised the new rules. The proposed revised new rules incorporating these changes were released in July of 2002. This SBEIS was revised to reflect the changes made in the rules.

     The Department of Natural Resources prepared an SBEIS as required by RCW 19.85.030 to analyze the costs of compliance with its proposed new rules on small and large for-profit marina businesses (referred to in the SBEIS as "marina businesses").

     Requirements of Proposed Rules:

     1. The proposed rules define floating house and residential use.

     2. The proposed rules provide clarification of grandfathered and nongrandfathered floating houses.

     3. The proposed rules will limit the proportion of residential slips (vessels used as residences and floating houses) to 10% unless otherwise specified by local government.

     4. The proposed rules prohibit residential uses in open waters, except in areas under lease to local government.

     5. The proposed rules require verification by marina businesses of upland disposal of treated and untreated sewage from residential slips on state-owned aquatic lands.

     6. Marinas are required to develop and implement best management practices to avoid or minimize discharge of gray water into waters above state-owned aquatic land.

     The primary businesses affected by the rules are marina businesses that lease state-owned aquatic lands for use as residential slips. A total of one hundred seventy-two marina businesses that lease state-owned aquatic lands may be affected. To collect information on the potential cost of the proposed rule, the department sent questionnaires to all marinas that lease state-owned aquatic lands. To follow up, the department conducted telephone interviews with the marina businesses that indicated they had residential use, to gather additional information and to clarify any questions about the information provided on the questionnaire. A telephone sampling of marina businesses that did not return the questionnaire was conducted to determine if they have residential use and if so, if they would be impacted by the 10% limit.

     Based on the information collected in the returned questionnaires and follow-up telephone survey, the total estimated cost of the proposed new rules for for-profit marina businesses, when fully implemented, was made up of three parts: The cost of the 10% limit on residential use ($285,066.81 per year); the cost of the floating houses grandfathering restrictions ($8,325.00 per year); and the cost of reporting to verify upland disposal of waste ($11,460.96 per year). The total estimated cost of the proposed rules is $304,852.77 per year, or an average of $1,772.40 per year per affected marina.

     The cost shown above will not be realized until the rules are fully implemented. The major parts of the rules will not impact existing leases and will only take effect when the department enters into a new lease. The average lease with residential use expires in seven years. In addition, at the time the department enters into a new agreement for existing leased area, the 10% limit on residential use will be reached by attrition.

     Only two of the for-profit marina businesses indicated that they had more than fifty employees. These two businesses indicated that they had vessels used as residences on state-owned aquatic lands, but neither was above the 10% limit.

     The department has provided several mitigation efforts in the proposed rule.

     1. Residents within a marina that exceed the limit when the department enters into a new agreement for lease of the area will be allowed to stay, as long as they meet all other applicable requirements. No new residential use will be allowed until the limit is reached by attrition.

     2. Slips that otherwise would have been occupied as residences would be available for recreational moorage.

     3. If a marina (or the portion of it on state-owned aquatic lands) is small enough so that even one residential use would put it over the percent limit, the proposed rules allow for one residential use.

     4. Local governments have the ability to set the percent limit on residential uses, from 0% to 100%.

     5. If the local government sets a percent limit, the limit would apply to both the state and privately owned aquatic lands as a whole and marina businesses could have more than 10% on the state-owned aquatic lands portion of their marina as long as the total does not exceed the limit set by local government.

     6. The cost of verifying upland disposal of waste from residential slips on state-owned aquatic lands is mitigated by explicitly allowing for maximum flexibility in how this can be accomplished.

     For a copy of the full text of the SBEIS contact Kristin Swenddal, Policy Unit Supervisor, Aquatic Resources Division, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, 1111 Washington Street S.E., P.O. Box 47027, Olympia, WA 98504-7027, phone (360) 902-1124, fax (360) 902-1786, e-mail kristin.swenddal@wadnr.gov.

     A copy of the statement may be obtained by writing to Phil Aust, Department of Natural Resources, 1111 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504, phil.aust@wadnr.gov, phone (360) 902-1031, fax (360) 902-1786.

     RCW 34.05.328 applies to this rule adoption. This is a significant legislative rule.

     Hearing Location: Olympia, 80 people, at the Natural Resources Building, Room 172 1st Floor, 1111 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504, on August 12, 2002, Monday. Contact Tommy Duerr, (360) 902-1160; and Friday Harbor, 50 people, at Skagit Valley College, San Juan Center, Room A, 221 Weber Way, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, on August 13, 2002, Tuesday. Contact Kathy, (360) 378-3220. Bob's Taxi, (360) 378-6777.

     Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Sara Murphy by August 10, 2002 (or one day before each hearing), TDD (360) 902-1125, or (360) 902-1589.

     Submit Written Comments to: Kristin Swenddal, 1111 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504, Kristin.swenddal@wadnr.gov, fax (360) 902-1786, by August 20, 2002.

     Date of Intended Adoption: September 3, 2002.

July 3, 2002

Doug Sutherland

Commissioner of Public Lands

OTS-5416.5


AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 580, filed 11/5/91, effective 12/6/91)

WAC 332-30-106   Definitions.   All definitions in this section shall apply to the department and to port districts managing aquatic lands under a management agreement (WAC 332-30-114). For the purpose of this chapter:

     (1) "Accretion" means the natural buildup of shoreline through the gradual deposit of alluvium. The general principle of common law applicable is that a riparian or littoral owner gains by accretion and reliction, and loses by erosion. Boundary lines generally will change with accretion.

     (2) "Alluvium" means material deposited by water on the bed or shores.

     (3) "Anniversary date" means the month and day of the start date of an authorization instrument unless otherwise specified in the instrument.

     (4) "Aquaculture" means the culture and/or farming of food fish, shellfish, and other aquatic plants and animals in fresh water, brackish water or salt water areas. Aquaculture practices may include but are not limited to hatching, seeding or planting, cultivating, feeding, raising, harvesting of planted crops or of natural crops so as to maintain an optimum yield, and processing of aquatic plants or animals.

     (5) "Aquatic lands" means all state-owned tidelands, shorelands, harbor areas, and the beds of navigable waters (RCW 79.90.010). Aquatic lands are part of the public lands of the state of Washington (see subsection (49) of this section). Included in aquatic lands are public places subsection (51) of this section, waterways subsection (74) of this section, bar islands, avulsively abandoned beds and channels of navigable bodies of water, managed by the department of natural resources directly, or indirectly through management agreements with other governmental entities.

     (6) "Aquatic land use classes" means classes of uses of tideland, shorelands and beds of navigable waters that display varying degrees of water dependency. See WAC 332-30-121.

     (7) "Authorization instrument" means a lease, material purchase, easement, permit, or other document authorizing use of state-owned aquatic lands and/or materials.

     (8) "Avulsion" means a sudden and perceptible change in the shoreline of a body of water. Generally no change in boundary lines occurs.

     (9) "Beds of navigable waters" means those submerged lands lying waterward of the line of extreme low tide in navigable tidal waters and waterward of the line of navigability in navigable lakes, rivers and streams. The term, "bedlands" means beds of navigable waters.

     (10) "Commerce" means the exchange or buying and selling of goods and services. As it applies to aquatic land, commerce usually involves transport and a land/water interface.

     (11) "Covered moorage" means slips and mooring floats that are covered by a single roof with no dividing walls.

     (12) "Department" means the department of natural resources.

     (13) "Dredging" means enlarging or cleaning out a river channel, harbor, etc.

     (14) "Educational reserves" means accessible areas of aquatic lands typical of selected habitat types which are suitable for educational projects.

     (15) "Enclosed moorage" means moorage that has completely enclosed roof, side and end walls similar to a car garage i.e. boathouse.

     (16) "Environmental reserves" means areas of environmental importance, sites established for the continuance of environmental baseline monitoring, and/or areas of historical, geological or biological interest requiring special protective management.

     (17) "Erosion" means the gradual cutting away of a shore by natural processes. Title is generally lost by erosion, just as it is gained by accretion.

     (18) "Extreme low tide" means the line as estimated by the federal government below which it might reasonably be expected that the tide would not ebb. In Puget Sound area generally, this point is estimated by the federal government to be a point in elevation 4.50 feet below the datum plane of mean lower low water, (0.0). Along the Pacific Ocean and in the bays fronting thereon and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the elevation ranges down to a minus 3.5 feet in several locations.

     (19) "Fair market value" means the amount of money which a purchaser willing, but not obligated, to buy the property would pay an owner willing, but not obligated, to sell it, taking into consideration all uses to which the property is adapted and might in reason be applied (Donaldson v. Greenwood, 40 Wn.2d 238, 1952). Such uses must be consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations affecting the property as of the date of valuation.

     (20) "First class shorelands" means the shores of a navigable lake or river belonging to the state not subject to tidal flow, lying between the line of ordinary high water and the line of navigability, or the inner harbor line where established and within or in front of the corporate limits of any city, or within two miles thereof upon either side (RCW 79.90.040). These boundary descriptions represent the general rule; however exceptions do exist. To determine if the shorelands are within two miles of the corporate limits of a city, the distance is measured along the shoreline from the intersection of the corporate limit with the shoreline.

     (21) "First class tidelands" means the shores of navigable tidal waters belonging to the state lying within or in front of the corporate limits of any city, or within one mile thereof upon either side and between the line of ordinary high tide and the inner harbor line; and within two miles of the corporate limits on either side and between the line of ordinary high tide and the line of extreme low tide (RCW 79.90.030). In general, the line of ordinary high tide is the landward boundary. The line of extreme low tide, or the inner harbor line where established, is the waterward boundary. To determine if the tidelands are within two miles of the corporate limits of a city, the distance is measured along the shoreline from the intersection of the corporate limit with the shoreline.

     (22) "Fiscal year" means a period of time commencing on the first day of July and ending on the thirtieth day of June of the succeeding year. A fiscal year is identified by the year in which it ends, e.g., fiscal year 1985 is the period July 1, 1984 through June 30, 1985.

     (23) "Floating house" means any floating structure that is designed, or has been substantially and structurally remodeled or redesigned, to serve primarily as a residence. "Floating houses" include house boats, house barges, or any floating structures that serve primarily as a residence and do not qualify as a vessel as provided in subsection (74) of this section. A floating structure that is used as a residence and is capable of navigation, but is not designed primarily for navigation, nor normally is capable of self propulsion and use as a means of transportation is a floating house, not a vessel.

     (24) "Governmental entity" means the federal government, the state, county, city, port district, or other municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof.

     (((24))) (25) "Harbor area" means the area of navigable waters determined as provided in section 1 of Article XV of the state Constitution which shall be forever reserved for landings, wharves, streets, and other conveniences of navigation and commerce (RCW 79.90.020). Harbor areas exist between the inner and outer harbor lines as established by the state harbor line commission.

     (((25))) (26) "Harbor area use classes" means classes of uses of harbor areas that display varying degrees of conformance to the purpose for which harbor areas were established under the Constitution.

     (((26))) (27) "Harbor line" means either or both: (a) A line (outer harbor line) located and established in navigable waters as provided for in section 1 of Article XV of the state Constitution beyond which the state shall never sell or lease any rights whatever to private persons (RCW 79.90.015). (b) A line (inner harbor line) located and established in navigable waters between the line of ordinary high tide and the outer harbor line, constituting the inner boundary of the harbor area (RCW 79.90.025).

     (((27) "Houseboat" means a floating structure normally incapable of self propulsion and usually permanently moored that serves as a place of residence or business. Otherwise called a floating home.))

     (28) "Inflation rate" means, for a given year, the percentage rate of change in the previous calendar year's all commodity producer price index of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States department of commerce (RCW 79.90.465). The rate published by the bureau during May of each year for the previous calendar year shall be the rate for the previous calendar year.

     (29) "Interest rate" shall be twelve percent per annum (RCW 79.90.520).

     (30) "Interim uses" means certain uses which may, under special circumstances, be allowed to locate in harbor areas (see WAC 332-30-115(5)).

     (31) "Inventory" means both a compilation of existing data on man's uses, and the biology and geology of aquatic lands as well as the gathering of new information on aquatic lands through field and laboratory analysis. Such data is usually presented in map form such as the Washington Marine Atlas.

     (32) "Island" means a body of land entirely and customarily surrounded by water. Land in navigable waters which is only surrounded by water in times of high water, is not an island within the rule that the state takes title to newly formed islands in navigable waters.

     (33) "Line of navigability" means a measured line at that depth sufficient for ordinary navigation as determined by the board of natural resources for the body of water in question.

     (34) "Log booming" means placing logs into and taking them out of the water, assembling and disassembling log rafts before or after their movement in water-borne commerce, related handling and sorting activities taking place in the water, and the temporary holding of logs to be taken directly into a processing facility (RCW 79.90.465).

     (35) "Log storage" means the water storage of logs in rafts or otherwise prepared for shipment in water-borne commerce, but does not include the temporary holding of logs to be taken directly into a vessel or processing facility (RCW 79.90.465).

     (36) "Marine land" means those lands from the mean high tide mark waterward in marine and estuarine waters, including intertidal and submerged lands. Marine lands represents a portion of aquatic lands.

     (37) "Meander line" means fixed determinable lines run by the federal government along the banks of all navigable bodies of water and other important rivers and lakes for the purpose of defining the sinuosities of the shore or bank and as a means of ascertaining the areas of fractional subdivisions of the public lands bordering thereon.

     (38) "Moorage facility" means a marina, open water moorage and anchorage area, pier, dock, mooring buoy, or any other similar fixed moorage site.

     (39) "Motorized vehicular travel" means movement by any type of motorized equipment over land surfaces.

     (((39))) (40) "Multiple use management" means a management philosophy which seeks to insure that several uses or activities can occur at the same place at the same time. The mechanism involves identification of the primary use of the land with provisions such as performance standards to permit compatible secondary uses to occur.

     (((40))) (41) "Navigability or navigable" means that a body of water is capable or susceptible of having been or being used for the transport of useful commerce. The state of Washington considers all bodies of water meandered by government surveyors as navigable unless otherwise declared by a court.

     (((41))) (42) "Navigation" means the movement of vessels to and from piers and wharves.

     (((42))) (43) "Nonwater-dependent use" means a use that can operate in a location other than on the waterfront. Examples include, but are not limited to, hotels, condominiums, apartments, restaurants, retail stores, and warehouses not part of a marine terminal or transfer facility (RCW 79.90.465).

     (((43))) (44) "Open moorage" means moorage slips and mooring floats that have completely open sides and tops.

     (((44))) (45) "Open water moorage and anchorage areas" are areas of state-owned aquatic lands leased for moorage and anchorage that do not abut uplands and do not include a built connection to the uplands. They are generally in the center of a waterbody, to provide moorage in addition to any marinas and docks along the edge of the waterbody. They may contain mooring buoys, floating moorage docks, other moorage facilities not connected to the shoreline, and/or anchorage areas, as determined by the lessee and approved by the department. These areas are leased in accordance with WAC 332-30-139(4) and subject to the restrictions therein.

     (46) "Optimum yield" means the yield which provides the greatest benefit to the state with particular reference to food production and is prescribed on the basis of the maximum sustainable yield over the statewide resource base as modified by any relevant economic, social or ecological factor.

     (((45))) (47) "Ordinary high tide" means the same as mean high tide or the average height of high tide. In Puget Sound, the mean high tide line varies from 10 to 13 feet above the datum plane of mean lower low water (0.0).

     (((46))) (48) "Ordinary high water" means, for the purpose of asserting state ownership, the line of permanent upland vegetation along the shores of nontidal navigable waters. In the absence of vegetation, it is the line of mean high water.

     (((47))) (49) "Port district" means a port district created under Title 53 RCW (RCW 79.90.465).

     (((48))) (50) "Public benefit" means that all of the citizens of the state may derive a direct benefit from departmental actions in the form of environmental protection; energy and mineral production; utilization of renewable resources; promotion of navigation and commerce by fostering water-dependent uses; and encouraging direct public use and access; and generating revenue in a manner consistent with RCW 79.90.455.

     (((49))) (51) "Public lands" means lands belonging to or held in trust by the state, which are not devoted to or reserved for a particular use by law, and include state lands, tidelands, shorelands and harbor areas as herein defined, and the beds of navigable waters belonging to the state (RCW 79.01.004).

     (((50))) (52) "Public interest" means ...(reserved)

     (((51))) (53) "Public place" means a part of aquatic lands set aside for public access through platted tidelands, shorelands, and/or harbor areas to the beds of navigable waters.

     (((52))) (54) "Public tidelands" means tidelands belonging to and held in public trust by the state for the citizens of the state, which are not devoted to or reserved for a particular use by law.

     (((53))) (55) "Public trust" means that certain state-owned tidelands, shorelands and all beds of navigable waters are held in trust by the state for all citizens with each citizen having an equal and undivided interest in the land. The department has the responsibility to manage these lands in the best interest of the general public.

     (((54))) (56) "Public use" means to be made available daily to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis, and may not be leased to private parties on any more than a day use basis.

     (((55))) (57) "Public use beach" means a state-owned beach available for free public use but which may be leased for other compatible uses.

     (((56))) (58) "Public utility line" means pipes, conduits, and similar facilities for distribution of water, electricity, natural gas, telephone, other electronic communication, and sewers, including sewer outfall lines (RCW 79.90.465).

     (((57))) (59) "Real rate of return" means the average for the most recent ten calendar years of the average rate of return on conventional real property mortgages as reported by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board or any successor agency, minus the average inflation rate for the most recent ten calendar years (RCW 79.90.465).

     (((58))) (60) "Reliction" means the gradual withdrawal of water from a shoreline leaving the land uncovered. Boundaries usually change with reliction.

     (((59))) (61) "Renewable resource" means a natural resource which through natural ecological processes is capable of renewing itself.

     (((60))) (62) "Residential use" means any noncommercial habitation of:

     (a) A floating house, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(23); or

     (b) A vessel, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(74), when any one of the following applies:

     (i) Any person or succession of different persons occupies the vessel in a specific location, and/or in the same area on more than a total of thirty days in any forty-day period or on more than a total of ninety days in any three hundred sixty-five-day period. "In the same area" means within a radius of one mile of any location where the same vessel previously moored or anchored on state-owned aquatic lands. A vessel that is occupied and is moored or anchored in the same area, but not for the number of days described in this subsection, is considered used as a recreational or transient vessel;

     (ii) The city or county jurisdiction, through local ordinance or policy, defines the use as a residential use or identifies the occupant of the vessel as a resident of the vessel or of the facility where it is moored;

     (iii) The operator of the facility where the vessel is moored, through the moorage agreement, billing statement, or facility rules, defines the use as a residential use or identifies the occupant of the vessel as a resident of the vessel or of the facility; or

     (iv) The occupant or occupants identify the vessel or the facility where it is moored as their residence for voting, mail, tax, or similar purposes.

     (63) "Riparian" means relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural water course, such as a stream, lake or tidewater.

     (((61))) (64) "Scientific reserves" means sites set aside for scientific research projects and/or areas of unusually rich plant and animal communities suitable for continuing scientific observation.

     (((62))) (65) "Second class shorelands" means the shores of a navigable lake or river belonging to the state, not subject to tidal flow, lying between the line of ordinary high water and the line of navigability, and more than two miles from the corporate limits of any city (RCW 79.90.045). These boundary definitions represent the general rule; however, exceptions do exist. To determine if shorelands are more than two miles from the corporate limits of a city, the distance is measured along the shoreline from the intersection of the corporate limit with the shoreline.

     (((63))) (66) "Second class tidelands" means the shores of navigable tidal waters belonging to the state, lying outside of and more than two miles from the corporate limits of any city and between the line of ordinary high tide and the line of extreme low tide (RCW 79.90.035). In general, the line of ordinary high tide is the landward boundary. The line of extreme low tide is the waterward boundary. To determine if the tidelands are more than two miles from the corporate limits of a city, the distance is measured along the shoreline from the intersection of the corporate limit with the shoreline.

     (((64))) (67) "Shore" means that space of land which is alternately covered and left dry by the rising and falling of the water level of a lake, river or tidal area.

     (((65))) (68) "State-owned aquatic lands" means those aquatic lands and waterways administered by the department of natural resources or managed under department agreement by a port district. "State-owned aquatic lands" does not include aquatic lands owned in fee by, or withdrawn for the use of, state agencies other than the department of natural resources (RCW 79.90.465).

     (((66))) (69) "Statewide value." The term statewide value applies to aquatic land uses and natural resources whose use, management, or intrinsic nature have statewide implications. Such uses and resources may be either localized or distributed statewide. Aquatic land uses of statewide value provide major statewide public benefits. Public use and access, renewable resource use and water-dependent use have been cited by the legislature as examples of such uses. Aquatic land natural resources of statewide value are those critical or uniquely suited to aquatic land uses of statewide value or to environmental quality. For example, wild and scenic rivers, high quality public use beaches and aquatic lands fronting state parks are of statewide value for public use and access. Commercial clam and geoduck beds and sites uniquely suited to aquaculture are of statewide value to renewable resource use. Harbor areas are of statewide value to water-dependent navigation and commerce. Certain aquatic land habitats and plant and animal populations are of statewide value to recreational and commercial fisheries, wildlife protection, and scientific study.

     (((67))) (70) "Streamway" means stream dependent corridor of single or multiple, wet or dry channel, or channels within which the usual seasonal or storm water run-off peaks are contained, and within which environment the flora, fauna, soil and topography is dependent on or influenced by the height and velocity of the fluctuating river currents.

     (((68))) (71) "Terminal" means a point of interchange between land and water carriers, such as a pier, wharf, or group of such, equipped with facilities for care and handling of cargo and/or passengers (RCW 79.90.465).

     (((69))) (72) "Thread of stream - thalweg" means the center of the main channel of the stream at the natural and ordinary stage of water.

     (((70))) (73) "Town" means a municipal corporation of the fourth class having not less than three hundred inhabitants and not more than fifteen hundred inhabitants at the time of its organization (RCW 35.01.040).

     (((71))) (74) "Vessel" means a floating structure that is designed primarily for navigation, is normally capable of self propulsion and use as a means of transportation, and meets all applicable laws and regulations pertaining to navigation and safety equipment on vessels, including, but not limited to, registration as a vessel by an appropriate government agency.

     (75) "Water-dependent use" means use which cannot logically exist in any location but on the water. Examples include, but are not limited to, waterborne commerce; terminal and transfer facilities; ferry terminals; watercraft sales in conjunction with other water dependent uses; watercraft construction, repair, and maintenance; moorage and launching facilities; aquaculture; log booming; and public fishing piers and parks (RCW 79.90.465(1)).

     (((72))) (76) "Waterfront" means a parcel of property with upland characteristics which includes within its boundary, a physical interface with the existing shoreline of a body of water.

     (((73))) (77) "Water oriented use" means use which historically has been dependent on a waterfront location, but with existing technology could be located away from the waterfront. Examples include, but are not limited to, wood products manufacturing, watercraft sales, fish processing, petroleum refining, sand and gravel processing, log storage, and houseboats (RCW 79.90.465).

     (((74))) (78) "Waterway" means an area platted across aquatic lands or created by a waterway district providing for access between the uplands and open water, or between navigable bodies of water.

     (((75))) (79) "Wetted perimeter" means a fluctuating water line which separates submerged river beds from the dry shoreland areas at any given time.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 79.01.132, 79.01.216, 79.90.520, 79.90.535 and 1991 c 64 §§ 1 and 2. 91-22-079 (Order 580), § 332-30-106, filed 11/5/91, effective 12/6/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 79.90.105, 79.90.300, 79.90.455, 79.90.460, 79.90.470, 79.90.475, 79.90.520, 79.68.010, 79.68.68 [79.68.080], and chapter 79.93 RCW. 85-22-066 (Resolution No. 500), § 332-30-106, filed 11/5/85. Statutory Authority: 1984 c 221 and RCW 79.90.540. 84-23-014 (Resolution No. 470), § 332-30-106, filed 11/9/84. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.30.150. 80-09-005 (Order 343), § 332-30-106, filed 7/3/80.]


AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 404, Resolution No. 433, filed 10/6/83)

WAC 332-30-109   Harbor area.   (1) Harbor areas shall be reserved for landings, wharves, streets and other conveniences of navigation and commerce.

     (2) Water dependent commerce shall be given preference over other uses of harbor areas.

     (3) Every consideration shall be given to meeting the expanding need for navigation and water dependent commerce in existing harbor areas.

     (4) Several industries using the same harbor area facility shall be given preference over single industry use.

     (5) Shallow draft uses, such as barge terminals and marinas, shall be preferred over deep draft uses, in areas requiring extensive maintenance dredging.

     (6) Harbor lines may be adjusted, when authorized by the legislature, to provide reasonable opportunity to meet the present and future needs of commerce and navigation.

     (7) In harbor areas where no current constitutional use (navigation and commerce) is called for or practical and other uses are in demand, interim uses may be authorized by the board of natural resources if in the public interest.

     (8) The department will, where in the public interest, promote the conversion of existing nonconforming uses to conforming uses by assisting if possible, such users in resiting their operations and by withdrawing renewal options on affected state harbor area leases.

     (9) The department will promote full development of all existing suitable harbor areas for use by water dependent commerce.

     (10) Abandoned structures determined to be unsightly or unsafe by the department shall be removed from harbor areas by the owner of the structures upon demand by the department or by the department in which case the owner will be assessed the costs of such removal.

     (11) ((Houseboats)) Floating houses are not permitted in harbor areas.

     (12) Resource management cost account portion of the revenue from leasing of harbor areas shall be used to reduce the general tax burden and for aquatic land management programs that are of benefit to the public.

     (13) Harbor areas will be managed to produce revenue for the public unless withdrawn as a public place.

     (14) Harbor area lease renewal applications must be returned to the department within sixty days of expiration of prior lease term. If not timely returned, the harbor area involved will be put up for public auction.

     (15) The department will encourage local government, state and federal agencies to cooperate in planning for the following statewide harbor management needs:

     (a) Reserve adequate and appropriate space within the jurisdiction to serve foreseeable navigation and commerce development needs.

     (b) Coordinate plans for aquatic land and upland development so that areas reserved for navigation and commerce will be usable in the future.

     (c) Identify areas where interim uses may be allowed.

     (d) Identify needed changes in harbor lines.

     (e) Minimize the environmental impacts of navigation and commerce development.

     (f) Prevent existing and future interim uses in harbor areas from lowering the suitability of harbor areas for navigation and commerce development.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 79.92 RCW. 83-21-004 (Order 404, Resolution No. 433), § 332-30-109, filed 10/6/83. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.30.150. 80-09-005 (Order 343), § 332-30-109, filed 7/3/80.]


AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Resolution No. 500, filed 11/5/85)

WAC 332-30-115   Harbor area use classes.   These classes are based on the degree to which the use conforms to the intent of the constitution that designated harbor areas be reserved for landings, wharves, streets and other conveniences of navigation and commerce.

     (1) Water-dependent commerce. Water-dependent commerce are all uses that cannot logically exist in any other location but on the water and are aids to navigation and commerce. These are preferred harbor area uses. Leases may be granted up to the maximum period allowed by the Constitution and may be renewed. Typical uses are:

     (a) Public or private vessel terminal and transfer facilities which handle general commerce including the cargo handling facilities necessary for water oriented uses.

     (b) Public and private terminal facilities for passenger vessels.

     (c) Watercraft construction, repair, maintenance, servicing and dismantling.

     (d) Marinas and mooring areas.

     (e) Tug and barge companies facilities.

     (f) Log booming.

     (2) Water-oriented commerce. Water oriented commerce are commercial uses which historically have been dependent on waterfront locations, but with existing technology could be located away from the waterfront. Existing water-oriented uses may be asked to yield to water dependent commercial uses when the lease expires. New water-oriented commercial uses will be considered as interim uses. Typical uses are:

     (a) Wood products manufacturing.

     (b) Watercraft sales.

     (c) Fish processing.

     (d) Sand and gravel companies.

     (e) Petroleum handling and processing plants.

     (f) Log storage.

     (3) Public access. Facilities for public access are lower priority uses which do not make an important contribution to navigation and commerce for which harbor areas are reserved, but which can be permitted providing that the harbor area involved is not needed, or is not suitable for water-dependent commerce. Leases may be issued for periods up to thirty years with possible renewals. Typical uses are:

     (a) Public fishing piers.

     (b) Public waterfront parks.

     (c) Public use beaches.

     (d) Aquariums available to the public.

     (e) Underwater parks and reefs.

     (f) Public viewing areas and walkways.

     (4) Residential use. ((Residential uses include apartments, condominiums, houseboats, single and multifamily housing, motels, boatels and hotels.)) Residential uses do not require harbor area locations and are frequently incompatible with water-dependent commerce. New residential uses will not be permitted to locate in harbor areas, except that vessels used as a residence will be permitted wherever other vessels are permitted if the residential uses are otherwise allowed by WAC 332-30-171 and meet all applicable laws and lease requirements. This restriction on new leases differentiates residential uses from interim uses. Existing residential uses may be asked to yield to other uses when the lease expires. Proposed renewals of residential leases will require the same analysis as specified for interim uses.

     (5) Interim uses. Interim uses are all uses other than water-dependent commerce, existing water-oriented commerce, public access facilities, and residential uses. Interim uses do not require waterfront locations in order to properly function. Leases may only be issued and reissued for interim uses in exceptional circumstances and when compatible with water dependent commerce existing in or planned for the area. See WAC 332-30-137 Nonwater-dependent uses for evaluation standards.

     (6) Areas withdrawn are harbor areas which are so located as to be currently unusable. These areas are temporarily withdrawn pending future demand for constitutional uses. No leases are issued.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 79.90.105, 79.90.300, 79.90.455, 79.90.460, 79.90.470, 79.90.475, 79.90.520, 79.68.010, 79.68.68 [79.68.080], and chapter 79.93 RCW. 85-22-066 (Resolution No. 500), § 332-30-115, filed 11/5/85. Statutory Authority: Chapter 79.92 RCW. 83-21-004 (Order 404, Resolution No. 433), § 332-30-115, filed 10/6/83. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.30.150. 80-09-005 (Order 343), § 332-30-115, filed 7/3/80.]


AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 343, filed 7/3/80)

WAC 332-30-139   Marinas and moorages.   (1) Moorage facilities developed on aquatic lands should meet the following design criteria:

     (a) Moorage shall be designed so as to be compatible with the local environment and to minimize adverse esthetic impacts.

     (b) Open moorage is preferred in relatively undeveloped areas and locations where view preservation is desirable, and/or where leisure activities are prevalent.

     (c) Covered moorage may be considered in highly developed areas and locations having a commercial environment.

     (d) Enclosed moorage should be confined to areas of an industrial character where there is a minimum of esthetic concern.

     (e) In general, covered moorage is preferred to enclosed moorage and open moorage is preferred to covered moorage.

     (f) View encumbrance due to enclosed moorage shall be avoided in those areas where views are an important element in the local environment.

     (g) In order to minimize the impact of moorage demand on natural shorelines, large marina developments in urban areas should be fostered in preference to numerous small marinas widely distributed.

     (h) The use of floating breakwaters shall be considered as protective structures before using solid fills.

     (i) Dry moorage facilities (stacked dry boat storage) shall be considered as an alternative to wet storage in those locations where such storage will:

     (i) Significantly reduce environmental or land use impacts within the water area of the immediate shoreline.

     (ii) Reduce the need for expansion of existing wet storage when such expansion would significantly impact the environment or adjacent land use.

     (2) Anchorages suitable for ((both residential and transient)) use by transient, recreational boaters will be identified and established by the department in appropriate locations so as to provide additional moorage space.

     (3) Upland sewage disposal approved by local government and appropriate state agencies is required for all vessels used as a residence ((at a marina or other location)).

     (4) The department shall work with federal, state, local government agencies and other groups to determine acceptable locations for marina development, properly distributed to meet projected public need for the period 1980 to 2010.

     (5) The department may lease open water moorage and anchorage areas only to local governments that have authorized the establishment of open water moorage and anchorage areas in their local Shoreline Master Programs within five years of the effective date of this rule. With the department's approval, the local government lessee may install mooring buoys or other floating moorage devices, designate anchorage locations, sublease moorage and anchorage in the area, collect rent and fees for such moorage and anchorage, and otherwise manage the area as a moorage facility. All open water moorage and anchorage areas must meet the following requirements:

     (a) Open water moorage and anchorage areas must meet all relevant requirements normally applicable to a marina lease, which may include the placement, design, limitation on the number of vessels or floating houses, and operation of the area and any improvements within the area, payment of rent to the department, consideration of navigational and environmental impacts, and all other applicable permits and other requirements of law.

     (b) Open water moorage and anchorage areas may not be in a harbor area nor in any location or configuration that would interfere with water-borne commerce and navigation.

     (c) The leasing of state-owned aquatic lands for open water moorage and anchorage areas is subject to all preferences accorded upland, tideland, or shoreland owners in RCW 79.94.070, 79.94.260, 79.94.280, 79.95.010, and WAC 332-30-122.

     (d) Any vessel used for residential use or floating house in an open water moorage and anchorage area must comply with WAC 332-30-171.

     (e) Except for nongrandfathered floating house moorage as defined in WAC 332-30-171 (7)(a)(ii), nonwater-dependent uses and commercial uses are prohibited in open water moorage and anchorage areas. Uses prohibited by this subsection (e) are allowed when necessary because of an emergency that immediately threatens human life or property, for the duration of the emergency only.

     The department will not lease an open water moorage and anchorage area to an entity other than a local government agency. This restriction shall not affect use authorizations to public or private entities for mooring buoys, aquaculture net pens, or other floating structures otherwise allowed by law.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.30.150. 80-09-005 (Order 343), § 332-30-139, filed 7/3/80.]


AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Resolution No. 500, filed 11/5/85)

WAC 332-30-144   Private recreational docks.   (1) Applicability. This section implements the permission created by RCW 79.90.105, Private recreational docks, which allows abutting residential owners, under certain circumstances, to install private recreational docks without charge. The limitations set forth in this section apply only to use of state-owned aquatic lands for private recreational docks under RCW 79.90.105. No restriction or regulation of other types of uses on aquatic lands is provided. This section shall not apply to port districts managing aquatic lands under a management agreement (WAC 332-30-114).

     (2) Eligibility. The permission shall apply only to the following:

     (a) An "abutting residential owner," being the owner of record of property physically bordering on public aquatic land and either used for single family housing or for a multi-family residence not exceeding four units per lot.

     (b) A "dock," being a securely anchored or fixed, open walkway structure visible to boaters and kept in good repair extending from the upland property, primarily used as an aid to boating by the abutting residential owner(s), and accommodating moorage by not more than four pleasure boats typical to the body of water on which the dock is located. Two or more abutting residential owners may install and maintain a single joint-use dock provided it meets all other design requirements of this section; is the only dock used by those owners; and that the dock fronts one of the owners' property.

     (c) A "private recreational purpose," being a nonincome-producing, leisure-time, and discretionary use by the abutting residential owner(s).

     (d) State-owned aquatic lands outside harbor areas designated by the harbor line commission.

     (3) Uses not qualifying. Examples of situations not qualifying for the permission include:

     (a) Yacht and boat club facilities;

     (b) ((Houseboats;)) Floating houses, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(23), and vessels used as a residence (as defined in WAC 332-30-106(62));

     (c) Resorts;

     (d) Multi-family dwellings, including condominium ownerships, with more than four units;

     (e) Uses other than docks such as launches and railways not part of the dock, bulkheads, landfills, dredging, breakwaters, mooring buoys, swim floats, and swimming areas.

     (4) Limitations.

     (a) The permission does not apply to areas where the state has issued a reversionary use deed such as for shellfish culture, hunting and fishing, or park purposes; published an allocation of a special use and the dock is inconsistent with the allocation; or granted an authorization for use such as a lease, easement, or material purchase.

     (b) Each dock owner using the permission is responsible for determining the availability of the public aquatic lands. Records of the department are open for public review. The department will research the availability of the public aquatic lands upon written request. A fee sufficient to cover costs shall be charged for this research.

     (c) The permission is limited to docks that conform to adopted shoreline master programs and other local ordinances.

     (d) The permission is not a grant of exclusive use of public aquatic lands to the dock owner. It does not prohibit public use of any aquatic lands around or under the dock. Owners of docks located on state-owned tidelands or shorelands must provide a safe, convenient, and clearly available means of pedestrian access over, around, or under the dock at all tide levels. However, dock owners are not required to allow public use of their docks or access across private lands to state-owned aquatic lands.

     (e) The permission is not transferable or assignable to anyone other than a subsequent owner of the abutting upland property and is continuously dependent on the nature of ownership and use of the properties involved.

     (f) Vessels used as a residence and floating houses are not permitted to be moored at a private recreational dock, except when such moorage is necessary because of an emergency that immediately threatens human life or property, for the duration of the emergency only.

     (5) Revocation. The permission may be revoked or canceled if:

     (a) The dock or abutting residential owner has not met the criteria listed in subsection (2) or (4) of this section; or

     (b) The dock significantly interferes with navigation or with navigational access to and from other upland properties. This degree of interference shall be determined from the character of the shoreline and waterbody, the character of other in-water development in the vicinity, and the degree of navigational use by the public and adjacent property owners;

     (c) The dock interferes with preferred water-dependent uses established by law; or

     (d) The dock is a public health or safety hazard.

     (6) Appeal of revocation. Upon receiving written notice of revocation or cancellation, the abutting residential owner shall have thirty days from the date of notice to file for an administrative hearing under the contested case proceedings of chapter 34.04 RCW. If the action to revoke the permission is upheld, the owner shall correct the cited conditions and shall be liable to the state for any compensation due to the state from the use of the aquatic lands from the date of notice until permission requirements are met or until such permission is no longer needed. If the abutting residential owner disclaims ownership of the dock, the department may take actions to have it removed.

     (7) Current leases. Current lessees of docks meeting the criteria in this section will be notified of their option to cancel the lease. They will be provided a reasonable time to respond. Lack of response will result in cancellation of the lease by the department.

     (8) Property rights. No property rights in, or boundaries of, public aquatic lands are established by this section.

     (9) Lines of navigability. The department will not initiate establishment of lines of navigability on any shorelands unless requested to do so by the shoreland owners or their representatives.

     (10) Nothing in this section is intended to address statutes relating to sales of second class shorelands.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 79.90.105, 79.90.300, 79.90.455, 79.90.460, 79.90.470, 79.90.475, 79.90.520, 79.68.010, 79.68.68 [79.68.080], and chapter 79.93 RCW. 85-22-066 (Resolution No. 500), § 332-30-144, filed 11/5/85.]


AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 343, filed 7/3/80)

WAC 332-30-148   Swim rafts and mooring buoys.   (1) Swim rafts or mooring buoys will not be authorized where such structures will interfere with heavily traveled routes for watercraft, commercial fishing areas or on designated public use - wilderness beaches.

     (2) Swim rafts or mooring buoys may be authorized on aquatic lands shoreward of the -3 fathom contour or within 200 feet of extreme low water or line of navigability whichever is appropriate. The placement of rafts and buoys beyond the -3 fathom contour or 200 feet will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

     (3) No more than one structure may be installed for each ownership beyond extreme low water or line of navigability. However, ownerships exceeding 200 feet as measured along the shoreline may be permitted more installations on a case by case basis.

     (4) Swim rafts or buoys must float at least 12" above the water and be a light or bright color.

     (5) Mooring buoys may be authorized beyond the limits described above on land designated by the department for anchorages.

     (6) Vessels for residences, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(62) and floating houses, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(23) shall not moor at swim rafts, mooring buoys, or other moorage facilities not connected to the shoreline, except within an open water moorage and anchorage area leased to a local government agency as provided in WAC 332-30-139(3). Such moorage may occur when necessary because of an emergency that immediately threatens human life or property, for the duration of the emergency only.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.30.150. 80-09-005 (Order 343), § 332-30-148, filed 7/3/80.]


NEW SECTION
WAC 332-30-171   Residential uses on state-owned aquatic lands.   (1) Application. This section applies to residential uses, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(61), and floating houses, moorage facilities, and vessels, as defined in WAC 332-30-106 (23), (38) and (74), as they relate to residential uses, on state-owned aquatic lands. All requirements in this section shall apply to the department and to port districts managing aquatic lands under a management agreement (WAC 332-30-114). This section does not apply to: Activities or structures on aquatic lands not owned by the state; vessels used solely for recreational or transient purposes; floating houses or vessels used as hotels, motels or boatels; or vessels owned and operated by the United States military.

     (2) Limits on the number of residential uses. Residential uses on state-owned aquatic lands shall only occur in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws. The following apply only to leases entered into following the effective date of this rule.

     (a) The total number of slips which may be allocated for residential uses in any marina, pier, open water moorage and anchorage area, or other moorage facility shall be limited to ten percent of the total number of slips within a marina, unless otherwise established as provided in (b) or (c) of this subsection. For the purposes of determining the exact number of residential slips, the department shall round to nearest whole number.

     (b) Upon the effective date of this rule, the ten percent limit can be changed by local government, through amendments to the local shoreline master program and/or issuance of a shoreline substantial development conditional use permit, if all the following conditions are met:

     (i) Methods to handle the upland disposal and best management practices for the increased waste associated with residential use; and

     (ii) Specific locations for residential use slips that do not impact habitat or interfere with water-dependent uses.

     (c) If a local shoreline master program or local ordinance had established a different limit, prior to the date this rule takes effect, the limit established in that ordinance or shoreline master program shall be the recognized limit. After the effective date of this rule, changes to the ten percent limit shall only be made through amendments to the Shoreline Master Program or adoption of shoreline substantial development conditional use permit.

     (i) If the city or county jurisdiction has not established a percentage limit, then the total number of vessels used as a residence and floating houses in any moorage facility shall be limited to ten percent of the total number of slips or spaces usable for moorage or anchorage in that facility. In this case, when a moorage facility occupies both state-owned and nonstate-owned aquatic lands, the percent limit will be calculated using only the total number of slips that are located on state-owned aquatic lands and will be applied only to the portion of the facility located on state-owned aquatic lands.

     (ii) If a county or city has established a percent limit, and a moorage facility occupies both state-owned and nonstate-owned aquatic lands, the department may authorize any or all of the floating houses or vessels with residential uses within the entire facility to be located in the portion of the facility on state-owned aquatic lands.

     (iii) If a moorage facility has so few moorage slips or spaces that the percent limit allows for less than one residential use slip, then one residential use slip may be authorized, if not otherwise prohibited by the city or county jurisdiction.

     (3) Excess residential use slips.

     (a) Within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this rule, each existing moorage facility lessee shall document the existing percentage of residential use slips within their facility and report this information to the department.

     (i) If the reported existing percentage of residential use slips is greater than the ten percent limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, then the reported existing percentage will establish the allowable residential use percentage at the beginning of a new lease for the same moorage facility, regardless of whether ownership of the facility changes. At the time the new lease is entered into, those residential uses in excess of the reported existing percentage will be required to vacate the moorage facility.

     (ii) If the reported existing percentage of residential use slips is less than or equal to the ten percent limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, then the percentage limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, will establish the allowable residential use percentage at the beginning of a new lease for the same moorage facility, regardless of whether ownership of the facility changes. At the time the new lease is entered into, those residential uses in excess of the ten percent limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, will be required to vacate the moorage facility.

     (iii) If a moorage facility lessee fails to report the existing percentage of residential slips within their facility within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this rule, then the percentage limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, will establish the allowable residential use percentage at the beginning of a new lease for the same moorage facility, regardless of whether ownership of the facility changes. At the time the new lease is entered into, those residential uses in excess of the ten percent limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, will be required to vacate the moorage facility.

     (b) For all leases entered into following the effective date of this rule, if there are more residential use slips in a moorage facility than allowed by the percent limit, then no new or additional residential use slips, including replacements for grandfathered floating houses under subsection (7)(a) of this section, shall be authorized in that facility. In such cases, any residential uses that leave the facility for a period of time greater than thirty days may not return to the facility until the total number of residential use slips is below the percent limit. For purposes of counting the thirty days described in this subsection (3)(b), the department shall not include time needed for repairs to the vessels or floating houses, nor any time when a vessel is away from the moorage facility but the owner or operator of the vessel continuously maintains a written moorage agreement for that facility.

     (c) Marina owners, operators, and/or managers may decrease the ten percent limit on a site-specific basis.

     (4) Waste disposal. The following apply to all leases entered into following the effective date of this rule:

     (a) Sewage. All treated and untreated sewage shall be disposed of upland, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. This section does not require specific disposal methods so long as the measures established by the lessee and the department ensure upland disposal.

     (b) Oil and toxic substances. All oil, grease, corrosive liquids, and other toxic substances shall be disposed of upland, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. This section does not require specific disposal methods so long as the measures established by the lessee and the department ensure upland disposal.

     (c) Solid waste. All solid waste shall be disposed of upland, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. This section does not require specific disposal methods so long as the measures established by the lessee and the department ensure upland disposal.

     (d) Gray water. Moorage facilities shall develop and implement best management practices to avoid, to the maximum extent possible, all discharges into waters above state-owned aquatic land, of wastewater from showers, baths, sinks, laundry, decks, and other miscellaneous sources, otherwise known as "gray water." For those unavoidable discharges, the best management practices shall minimize discharges, to the maximum extent possible, of gray waste water from showers, baths, sinks, laundry, decks, and other miscellaneous sources.

     (5) Responsibilities of lessees with residential uses. The following apply to leases entered into upon the effective date of this rule:

     (a) Each department lessee must establish and implement measures satisfactory to the department for ensuring upland waste disposal, and the avoidance or minimization of any discharge of waste, as described in (c) of this subsection, onto or in the waters above state-owned aquatic lands from vessels used for residential use and floating houses. This shall include a contingency plan in case of failure or unavailability of the waste disposal methods identified by the lessee and approved by the department.

     (b) Each department lessee must annually, or as otherwise provided in the lease, provide the department with evidence that all vessels used for residential use and floating houses in their facility comply with this rule and the terms of the department lease.

     (c) Each department lessee shall fully describe the waste disposal measures. These measures may include, but are not limited to:

     (i) Connection to an upland sewage system;

     (ii) Periodic sewage pump-out service, either at a pump-out station or with transportable pump-out equipment, including prepayment for such services and proof of participation by residential occupants;

     (iii) Installation of appropriate waste receptacles;

     (iv) Back-up and clean-up facilities and procedures as needed in case of failure or temporary unavailability of waste disposal systems;

     (v) Educational efforts, such as posting of notices, distribution of information, and training for residents on waste disposal methods and requirements;

     (vi) Monitoring of activities within the facility to prevent or identify and remedy improper waste disposal;

     (vii) Contractual requirements in moorage subleases requiring proper waste disposal by residents; and/or

     (viii) Other best management practices and/or best available technologies that are established by any local, state, or federal agency, including the department, or by any appropriate nongovernmental organization, that are satisfactory to the department to ensure upland disposal of waste and avoid or minimize any discharge of waste onto or in the waters above state-owned aquatic lands.

     (d) Consistent with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations, all leases issued by the department after the effective date of this rule for moorage facilities with residential uses within them shall require and specify:

     (i) Methods to handle the upland disposal and best management practices for the increased waste associated with residential use;

     (ii) Specific locations for residential use slips that do not impact habitat or interfere with water-dependent uses.

     Within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this rule, each moorage facility lessee shall document the existing percentage of residential use slips within their facility and report this information to the department.

     (6) Vessels. Moorage of a vessel, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(38), is a water-dependent use.

     (7) Floating houses. Moorage of a floating house, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(23), is a water-oriented use.

     (a) Classifying floating house moorage under RCW 79.90.465(2). In classifying floating house moorage under RCW 79.90.465(2), the department will apply the following rules:

     (i) If a floating house moorage site had a floating house moored there under a department lease on October 1, 1984, or if a floating house was moored there for at least three years before October 1, 1984, then the department will classify that site as a water-dependent use for the purposes of determining rent. Such sites may be referred to as "grandfathered" sites.

     (ii) If a floating house moorage site did not have a floating house moored there under a department lease on October 1, 1984, nor for at least three years before October 1, 1984, then the department shall classify that site as a nonwater-dependent use. Such sites may be referred to as "nongrandfathered" sites.

     (iii) The classification of a grandfathered or nongrandfathered floating house moorage site applies to the specific aquatic land being utilized for moorage of the floating house, not to the floating house itself.

     (iv) The department shall classify each individual floating house moorage slip within a moorage facility as a separate site. This may result in a marina containing both grandfathered and nongrandfathered floating house moorage sites.

     (v) If a floating house vacates a grandfathered moorage site and either returns within thirty days or is replaced with another floating house within thirty days, then the moorage site will remain grandfathered.

     (vi) If a floating house vacates a grandfathered moorage site and does not return within thirty days, future moorage of that floating house in the same or a different site shall be nongrandfathered, unless the floating house qualifies as a replacement floating house under (a)(v) of this subsection.

     (vii) After October 1, 1984, if a grandfathered site ceased or ceases being used for floating house moorage for more than thirty consecutive days, then the site shall no longer be grandfathered.

     (viii) When counting the thirty days described in (a)(v) through (vii) of this subsection, the department will exclude any reasonable time needed for repair of the floating house.

     (ix) If a lessee redesignates a grandfathered floating house moorage slip within the lease area, consistent with the lease requirements, and notifies the department in advance of where the slip is to be relocated, then the slip will remain grandfathered. However, if a nongrandfathered site has a floating house relocated to it after the effective date of this rule, the site shall not be designated as grandfathered as provided in this subsection, (7) (a) (ix).

     (x) If a floating house was moored at a grandfathered site on October 1, 1984, but was relocated to a site authorized by the department so that on the effective date of this rule the floating house is moored at a nongrandfathered site, then the department may classify this new location as a grandfathered site if the floating house meets all of the following criteria:

     (A) The floating house was on state-owned aquatic land leased on October 1, 1984, or was on state-owned aquatic lands for three years prior to October 1, 1984;

     (B) The floating house was continuously on state-owned aquatic lands from October 1, 1984, until the effective date of this rule, except for any reasonable time needed for repair of the house; and

     (C) The department receives, within one year after the effective date of this rule, a request to have the current moorage site classified as a grandfathered site.

     (b) Managing grandfathered floating house moorage. Floating houses moored in grandfathered sites that meet all applicable laws and rules, and are consistent with all lease requirements, may remain. The department shall charge the water-dependent rental rate for such moorage.

     (c) Managing nongrandfathered floating house moorage.

     (i) The department may authorize floating house moorage at a nongrandfathered site only if the department determines that the following conditions are met:

     (A) All conditions as set forth in this section;

     (B) The specific sites and circumstances for floating house moorage have been identified in an adopted local shoreline management plan that provides for the present and future needs of all uses, considers cumulative impacts to habitat and resources of statewide value, identifies specific areas or situations in which floating house moorage will be allowed, and justifies the exceptional nature of those areas or situations; and

     (C) The floating house moorage is compatible with water-dependent uses existing in or planned for the area.

     (ii) If a floating house is moored at a nongrandfathered site that does not meet the conditions in (c)(i) of this subsection, but the site is authorized by a department lease and the floating house and moorage meet all conditions as set forth in this section and is consistent with all lease requirements, then the floating house may remain until the termination of the lease or one year after the effective date of this rule, whichever is later. Thereafter, unless at that time the floating house meets the conditions in (c)(i) of this subsection, the floating house must vacate the nongrandfathered site.

     (iii) If a floating house is moored at a nongrandfathered site that does not meet the conditions in (c)(i) of this subsection and is not authorized by a department lease, then the floating house must vacate the site within one year from the effective date of this rule, unless at that time it meets the conditions in (c)(i) of this subsection and the department chooses to grant a lease.

     (iv) For nongrandfathered floating house moorage sites, the department shall charge the nonwater-dependent rental rate. If a leased area contains both nongrandfathered floating house moorage along with grandfathered floating house moorage or other water-dependent uses, then the nonwater-dependent rental rate shall be applied to a proportionate share of any common areas used in conjunction with the nongrandfathered floating house moorage, including, but not limited to, docks, breakwaters, and open water areas for ingress and egress to the facility.

     (8) Open water moorage.

     (a) Vessels used for residential use and floating houses shall be moored, anchored, or otherwise secured only at a marina, pier, or similar fixed moorage facility that is connected to the shoreline, or in open water moorage and anchorage areas described under WAC 332-30-139(4) and subject to the restrictions therein. Vessels used for residential use and floating houses shall not be moored, anchored or otherwise secured in open waters above state-owned aquatic lands away from a fixed moorage facility that is connected to the shoreline, nor be moored, anchored, or otherwise secured to any natural feature in the water or on the shoreline, except within an open water moorage and anchorage area. A vessel used for residential use or floating house may moor in areas prohibited by this subsection (8)(a) when necessary because of an emergency that immediately threatens human life or property, for the duration of the emergency only.

     (b) Any vessel used for residential use or floating house that is moored on state-owned aquatic lands on the effective date of this rule, and complies with all other applicable laws and all lease requirements, but does not comply with (a) of this subsection, may remain until one year after the effective date of this rule or until the termination date of the existing department lease, whichever is later. Thereafter, unless at that time it meets the conditions in (a) of this subsection, the vessel used for residential use or floating house must vacate the site. The department shall not authorize or reauthorize any moorage for vessels used for residential use or floating houses that do not comply with (a) of this subsection.

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