Public comment period open for Shoreline Master Program

— from San Juan County Communications —

NOTICE OF A SAN JUAN COUNTY COUNCIL JOINT PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE WA DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY (ECOLOGY) TO HEAR TESTIMONY ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS REGARDING THE SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM REGULATIONS; AMENDING SAN JUAN COUNTY CODE (SJCC) 18.20.020, 18.20.140, 18.20.190, 18.50.020, 18.50.030, 18.50.040, 18.50.050, 18.50.450, 18.50.540, 18.50.550, 18.50.600, 18.80.110 AND 15.12.030

AND

NOTICE OF A SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM PERIODIC REVIEW PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD 

The hearing will begin at or after 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at the Council Legislative Hearing Room, 55 Second Street, Friday Harbor, WA.  Interested parties are encouraged to submit written or oral comments regarding the proposal.  It is possible that the hearing will take place telephonically to comply with social distancing measures if they remain in effect through the hearing date.  Details for participating over the phone are provided below.  Notice will be posted to the County website if the hearing will be held in-person.

The proposed draft SMP amendments are required for the Shoreline Master Program (SMP) Periodic Review to keep the SMP current with changes in state law, changes in other County plans and regulations, and other changed local circumstances. Authority for the periodic review is based on Washington’s Shoreline Management Act (Ch. 90.58 RCW) and related rules.  The County developed these amendments to comply with WAC 173-26-090, which requires all local governments to review their SMPs on an eight-year schedule set in state law and revise it if necessary.

A staff report and attachments including the Ecology periodic review checklist and draft ordinance are available on the project webpage at https://www.sanjuanco.com/1643/Shoreline-Master-Program-Periodic-Update.  Interested parties may request a copy by contacting Adam Zack at (360) 370-7580 or adamz@sanjuanco.com.  

Official Comment Period:  Wednesday, June 24, 2020 – Tuesday July 28, 2020.  The County will forward comments to Ecology and they will be available on the project webpage.  Comments provided to the County will be reviewed by the County Council and Ecology.

Methods of Commenting:  

Via Mail: Prior to the hearing date, mail written comments to Adam Zack, Department of Community Development PO Box 947, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. 

Via Email: Email comments to smpcomments@sanjuanco.com. Please title the email subject line:  SMP Comments from (your last name or agency name).

Via Oral Testimony: To join by phone, please call 1 (360) 370-0599 and use the meeting ID 441250#.  Comments during the hearing may be submitted by email at councilpc@sanjuanco.com.

Staff will copy comments submitted prior to noon on July 27, 2020, for the County Council and Ecology.  Please provide six copies of written comments if you submit them to DCD after noon on July 27, 2020, or if you distribute them during the public hearing.  Written comments will be posted on the project webpage and are preferred, especially under these social distancing circumstances.  If requested in your written submittal, staff will read your written comments into the record.  Please:

• Reference the related page and line numbers of the draft ordinance in your comments. 
• Include your full name and address in all correspondence including emails for the record.

Project Contact:  Adam Zack at (360) 370-7580 or adamz@sanjuanco.com.

Call in Contact:    Clerk at (360) 378-2898 or councilpc@sanjuanco.com.