Shoreline Plan
The City of Tacoma’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP) is an element of the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Regulatory Code. The Master Program was developed in compliance with the Washington State Shoreline Management Act and Washington State Growth Management Act. The City of Tacoma’s Master Shoreline Plan is a set of local regulations that guide the use of the shorelines in the City of Tacoma including Commencement Bay and its waterways, the Tacoma Narrows, and Wapato Lake.
Background
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In 2003, the Department of Ecology issued new guidelines to assist local governments in meeting the State requirement to conduct a comprehensive review and amendment of the SMP. The guidelines outline procedural steps and substantive requirements that must be met. Tacoma’s update to its Shoreline Master Program is an extensive overhaul of the program requiring the City to re-evaluate all shoreline policies, designations and regulations and must be based upon scientific and technical information to assure no net loss of shoreline ecological functions while providing for appropriate uses within shoreline areas.
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On November 29, 2011, the Tacoma City Council approved Ordinance No. 28034 adopting an update of the SMP, including the Shoreline Restoration Plan, Public Access Alternatives Plan, Thea Foss Waterway Design Guidelines, and Cumulative Impacts Analysis. The Locally Approved SMP along with the Council ordinance and resolutions and relevant information were subsequently submitted to Ecology, which issued a finding of a complete submittal and set a 45-day public comment period between April 23 and June 7, 2012, during which time 34 comment letters and emails were received by Ecology.
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On August 19, 2013, the Washington State Department of Ecology issued a conditional approval of the SMP. Ecology’s letter includes three attachments called, Findings and Conclusions, Required Changes, and Recommended Changes. In accordance with the State’s guidelines, the City then had 30 days to formally accept, reject or propose alternatives to the conditions.
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On October 1, 2013, the Department of Ecology issued Final Approval of the City of Tacoma Shoreline Master Program, accepting the City’s alternative intent statement for the S-6/7 Schuster Parkway Transition Shoreline District as proposed in Resolution 38734. The SMP took effect on October 15, 2023. The Tacoma City Council ratified the agreement with Ecology with the approval of Ordinance 28180.