A major concern of current waterfront home owners is how the new master plan affects their current residence. The Task Force recently updated their handout for Existing Shoreline Development, which you can see here:

http://www.kitsapshoreline.org/Existing_Development_10.24.11_REVISED.pdf.

Most lawfully constructed residences will continue to be designated as conforming regardless of whether they meet new standards. Compliance with new standards would be necessary for expansions or remodels of existing structures. The handout has revised the language about existing structures to provide reassurance to homeowners about the impact of new regulations.

 

The other area of speculation and angst about the Shoreline Master Program Update in Kitsap County and other incorporated communities within the County concerns setbacks. The community website previously provided little information, and many waterfront homeowners have been concerned about the range of possible outcomes. Now the Shoreline Master Program committee has put a more visible plan before the public. 

 

A recent Kitsap Sun article outlined some considerations of the committee in redefining buffers and setbacks (see http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/nov/13/shoreline-buffers-move-to-front-burner/).

 

"A subcommittee of the group has discussed reducing buffers for most residential properties in unincorporated Kitsap County from 100 to 85 feet, with "no fuss" mitigation projects that could bring those same buffers down to 50 feet."

 

The County task force has published a one page document addressing shoreline buffers (available at http://www.kitsapshoreline.org/Shoreline_Buffers_handout.pdf). The handout notes that while Kitsap County's Critical Areas Ordinance has defined varying shoreline buffer standards since 2000, the applicable standards are only now being integrated into the Shoreline Master Plan.

 

The plan defines three buffer widths — standard, reduced-standard and constrained. These designations provide additional restrictions to build closer to the shoreline.

 

Beyond the standard buffer, no mitigation would be required. The standard buffer varies depending upon shoreline designation for any particular waterfront parcel. These designations are still under review–a map of the draft designations can be found at http://www.kitsapshoreline.org/SMP_BOCC_DISTRICT_1_REDUCED.pdf. You can find the characterization of your waterfront parcel by looking at the map.

 

Basically the County Commissioners have approved a study that characterized each segment of shoreline as to its current condition, opportunity for public access, and shoreline processes and functions as they relate to the overall ecosystem. From that characterization, the committee is assigning a designation to each segment.

 

For shoreline areas designated "shoreline residential," the proposed buffer is 85 feet. With mitigation, one could build as close as 50 feet from the shoreline, the reduced-standard area.

To get even closer, as might be required for construction on small lots, one would need to obtain a site-specific mitigation plan and go through a variance process. 

For environmentally sensitive areas designated "natural," the standard buffer would be 200 feet. With mitigation, one could get as close as 150 feet.

 

"Rural conservative" areas would have a standard buffer of 130 feet and a reduced-standard buffer of 100 feet.

 

"Urban conservancy" areas would have a standard buffer of 100 feet and a reduced-standard buffer of 85 feet.

 

For "high intensity" areas, the standard buffer would be 50 feet and one could get no closer than that without a mitigation plan and variance approval."

 

The Kitsap Alliance of Property Owners, and well as other local groups of waterfront property owners, continues to provide a necessary counterpoint to the incorporation of these new regulations. You can see an overview of their concerns by reading their newsletter at http://www.kitsapalliance.org/Newsletter.php.