SMP Status Update - May 2020

The City received conditional approval of its updated Shoreline Master Program (SMP) from the Department of Ecology on May 26, 2020. The SMP will next be reviewed by the Mercer Island City Council. Based on the Department of Ecology conditional approval letter, the City Council’s next step will be to A) accept the clarifying language and complete the SMP amendment process; or B) propose alternative language. The Department of Ecology approval is conditioned on the adoption of language that clarifies the standards for dock repair.

If any changes are made at City Council, staff will submit this version back to the Department of Ecology for review and approval. If the City Council approves the version provided with the Department of Ecology conditional approval, the SMP is adopted. Once both the Department of Ecology and City Council approve same version of the SMP, it will take full effect. City Council review is anticipated in late June or early July.