BILL ANALYSIS

HB 2176

TITLE OF THE BILL:  Informing the legislature about the department of ecology's guideline adoption process.

WHAT THIS BILL DOES: Requires the Department of Ecology to submit its proposed shoreline master program guidelines to the Legislature before final adoption.

SPONSORS:  Representatives G. Chandler, Scott, Mulliken, Mastin, Doumit, Cox and Sump

HEARING DATE:  Thursday, February 25, 1999

FISCAL NOTE: Not requested.

ANALYSIS PREPARED BY:  Caroleen Dineen (786-7156)

BACKGROUND:

The Shoreline Management Act (SMA) requires counties and cities to adopt local shoreline master programs regulating land use activities in shoreline areas of the state and to enforce approved programs within their jurisdictions.  The SMA also requires the Department of Ecology (DOE) to adopt guidelines for local governments to use when adopting these local shoreline master programs.  The DOE must provide an opportunity for local governments and others to comment and must hold public hearings on the proposed guidelines before they are adopted.   The DOE may propose amendments to its guidelines no more than once per year and must review the guidelines at least once every five years.

The DOE considers the adopted guidelines and SMA requirements when reviewing and approving local shoreline master programs.   DOE=s decision approving or rejecting a local shoreline master program may be appealed to the Shorelines Hearings Board. The DOE recently initiated a process to develop new shoreline master program guidelines.

SUMMARY:

DOE is required to submit proposed shoreline master program guidelines and a report on DOE=s guideline development process to the appropriate standing committees of the Legislature before final adoption.  The proposed guidelines, if any, are to be submitted no later than September 1, 1999.  This requirement expires July 1, 2000.