Critical Areas Ordinance and Shoreline Master Program update process

San Juan County is seeking your comments on its proposed updates to the Critical Area Ordinance (CAO) protections and the Shoreline Master Program (SMP). The goal is to complete the regulation updates before the end of the year.

||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||

San Juan County is seeking your comments on its proposed updates to the Critical Area Ordinance (CAO) protections and the Shoreline Master Program (SMP). As we consider protections for natural resources and systems, we are interested to learn of any questions and feedback you may have. 

San Juan County is updating its critical areas protections. The CAO serves as the key regulation to ensure that development does not harm water quality, groundwater recharge, wetlands, and fish and wildlife habitats. The CAO includes regulations for tree protections, water quality buffers, and prescribed development standards within flood zones and geohazards. A final draft of the updated regulations is available for review and comment here: https://engage.sanjuancountywa.gov/2026-critical-areas-ordinance-cao-update

Updating the Critical Area Regulations in San Juan County involves two distinct processes. The first is the adoption of regulations that apply throughout the County except in the shoreline jurisdiction. The second is the adoption of the updated critical areas regulations into the County’s SMP. The draft amendments to the SMP are available here: https://engage.sanjuancountywa.gov/2026-critical-areas-ordinance-cao-update . Amending the SMP requires coordination and approval of the Washington Department of Ecology (DOE). Additional information on the SMP update process is available here: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/2434/SMP-Update-For-CAO

The goal is to complete the regulation update before the end of the year and to achieve this, both the County and the Department of Ecology (DOE) have agreed to use an expedited SMP amendment process. The expedited SMP amendment process requires a strict 30-day comment period and a joint public hearing. After the official comment period on the SMP amendments closes, DOE will not have another one. The County is required to provide written answers to all comments received.

The joint local/state public comment period will run from September 9^th, 2026, to October 9^th, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.

The joint local-state public hearing is set for Friday, October 16, 2026, 8:30 am with the San Juan County Planning Commission. The hearing will be a hybrid event. Citizens will be able to participate in the meeting online and in person.

In order to complete the adoption process over the next four months, the Department of Community Development has created the following schedule:

Access the Final Draft of Critical Areas Ordinance Regulations Update

A final draft of the updated regulations are now available for public comment. You can access following documents:

A hard copy of the proposed amendments is available at the DCD office at 135 Rhone St, Friday Harbor, WA, 98250. 

Comments may be submitted by any of the following options:

Comments may also be made in person or online during the joint San Juan County and DOE public hearing at 8:30 a.m. October 16, 2026, in person at the County Council hearing room at 55 Second St, Friday Harbor, 98250.

Online access to the October 16, 2026, meeting is available at:

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/261144967307502?p=NUMauXNPzbdb86Bu3Y

• Meeting ID: 261 144 967 307 502
• Passcode: vD9FK2R3
• Comments are due by October 9^th, 2026, by 5:30 pm

Documents are available for review at: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/2319/2026-Critical-Areas-Ordinance-CAO-Update : or at: https://engage.sanjuancountywa.gov/2026-critical-areas-ordinance-cao-update : or at: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/2434/SMP-Update-For-CAO