Chapter 21.75
USE-SPECIFIC SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Sections:
21.75.060 Transportation facilities.
21.75.090 In-stream structures.
21.75.010 Applicability.
This chapter applies specific development standards to corresponding uses in the shoreline jurisdiction. This chapter is applied in combination with regulations set forth elsewhere in the shoreline master program. (Ord. 716 § 4 (Att. A), 2021)
21.75.020 Aquaculture.
The following apply to aquaculture uses:
(1) Aquaculture activity is allowed pursuant to the shoreline use table set forth in WMC 21.72.030;
(2) Aquaculture activity is not allowed in areas where it would result in a net loss of ecological functions, adversely impact existing uses, or involves significant risk of cumulative adverse effects on water quality, sediment quality, benthic and pelagic organisms, and/or fish populations;
(3) Aquaculture shall follow mitigation sequencing by avoiding if possible, minimizing, and mitigating for potential ecological impacts, including but not limited to water quality impacts (pollutants, temperature, and flow) and potential loss of either terrestrial or aquatic wildlife habitat; and
(4) Preference is given to those forms of aquaculture activity that involve lesser environmental and visual impacts, and lesser impacts to native plant and animal species as follows:
(a) Projects that require either no structures or submerged structures are preferred over those that involve substantial floating structures;
(b) Projects that involve little or no substrate modification are preferred over those that involve substantial modification; and
(c) Projects that involve little or no supplemental food sources, pesticides, herbicides or antibiotic application are preferred over those that involve such practices. (Ord. 716 § 4 (Att. A), 2021)
21.75.030 Residential.
The following apply to residential development:
(1) Residential development is allowed pursuant to the shoreline use table set forth in WMC 21.72.030;
(2) Residential divisions of land and additions or modifications of existing residential development shall be designated at a level of density compatible with the underlying Comprehensive Plan designation of moderate density five residential units per acre to eight residential units per acre and subject to the physical capacities of the shoreline and water as regulated by this master program;
(3) Residential land divisions and additions or modifications of existing residential development shall be designed, configured, and developed in a manner that assure no net loss of ecological functions and to adequately protect the water and shoreline aesthetic characteristics at full build-out, and to prevent the need for new shoreline stabilization or flood hazard reduction measures;
(4) New residential development shall be sited, designed, and configured in a manner that avoids the need for new shoreline stabilization or flood hazard reduction measures;
(5) Adequate sewage disposal facilities must be provided in accordance with appropriate State and local health regulations;
(6) Adequate water supplies and water facilities must be available so that the ground water quantity or quality will not be endangered by over-pumping;
(7) In new residential developments having two or more dwellings, joint-use docks are required in lieu of individual docks for each residential dwelling where docks are allowed;
(8) Residential development shall be designed and located to blend into the site as much as possible;
(9) New townhome and multifamily dwelling developments having five or more dwellings, and divisions of land creating five or more new residential lots shall provide public access as set forth in WMC 21.73.040; and
(10) Residential development floating on or extending over water is prohibited.
(11) Residential development shall be consistent with applicable environment designation and standards set forth in this master program. (Ord. 716 § 4 (Att. A), 2021)
21.75.040 Commercial.
The following apply to commercial development:
(1) Commercial development is allowed pursuant to the shoreline use table set forth in WMC 21.72.030;
(2) Construction of buildings for commercial uses waterward of the ordinary high water mark is prohibited;
(3) Commercial development within the shoreline management area must be connected to the public sewage system;
(4) Parking and loading facilities within the shoreline jurisdiction shall comply with requirement set forth in WMC 21.74.050;
(5) Landscaping within the shoreline jurisdiction shall comply with requirements set forth in WMC 21.74.060; and
(6) Public access shall be provided pursuant to WMC 21.73.040. (Ord. 716 § 4 (Att. A), 2021)
21.75.050 Industrial.
The following apply to industrial development:
(1) Industrial development is allowed pursuant to the shoreline use table set forth in WMC 21.72.030;
(2) Development/redevelopment of light manufacturing or industrial uses shall be located, designed, or constructed in a manner that assures no net loss of shoreline ecological functions and such that it does not have significant adverse impacts to other shoreline resources and values;
(3) Development/redevelopment of light manufacturing or industrial uses shall be designed to permit viewing of shoreline areas from viewpoints, waterfront restaurants, and similar public facilities which do not interfere with business operations or endanger public health and safety;
(4) Outdoor storage of equipment, vehicles, materials, or supplies is prohibited within stream buffer areas and shall be landscaped to provide a visual barrier from public areas;
(5) Industrial development/redevelopment is encouraged to locate where environmental cleanup and restoration of the shoreline area can be incorporated;
(6) Buildings shall be sited to allow frequent visual access toward the shoreline;
(7) Special care shall be taken to avoid uses characterized by noise, glare, dust, etc.;
(8) Parking and loading facilities within the shoreline jurisdiction shall comply with requirement set forth in WMC 21.74.050;
(9) Landscaping within the shoreline jurisdiction shall comply with requirements set forth in WMC 21.74.060; and
(10) Public access shall be provided pursuant to WMC 21.73.040. (Ord. 716 § 4 (Att. A), 2021)
21.75.060 Transportation facilities.
The following apply to all transportation facilities:
(1) Transportation facilities are allowed pursuant to the shoreline use table set forth in WMC 21.72.030;
(2) Transportation projects shall be consistent with the master program public access policies, public access plan, and environmental protection provisions;
(3) Transportation facilities should incorporate scenic viewpoints of the shoreline, passive recreational facilities where feasible, and safe pedestrian and other nonmotorized means of travel;
(4) Bridges and other water-crossing structures shall be designed to prevent the impediment of normal annual high water or the passage of wood and sediment;
(5) Where feasible, bridge structures should be located outside the floodway and bridge approaches should be planted with native ground cover;
(6) Railroad facilities shall be designed to ensure compatibility with pedestrian and recreational usages and shall incorporate public easements across tracks to provide convenient public access to publicly controlled water frontages;
(7) All debris, overburden, and other waste materials from construction should be disposed of to prevent their entry by erosion from drainage, high water, or other means into the stream way;
(8) All regional and local road systems and trail designs must satisfy the following:
(a) Minimize paved surfaces within the Aquatic and Conservancy Environments to the extent feasible without reducing the intended function and safety design of the roadway;
(b) Maximize the use of existing transportation corridors whenever possible;
(c) Provide frequent safe crossings for pedestrians and bicycles seeking access to public portions of the shoreline;
(d) Incorporate pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian facilities whenever possible;
(e) Provide scenic viewpoints and turnouts where they intersect or are adjacent to planned or existing pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian trails along the water’s edge;
(f) For new transportation facilities, demonstrate that upland alignments are clearly infeasible;
(g) Design new and replacement bridge crossings of the Sammamish River and Little Bear Creek corridors so that vertical supports are set back from the ordinary high water mark to accommodate circulation of watercraft and nonmotorized travel;
(h) For those portions of minor arterials and neighborhood and local access streets within the Conservancy Environment, the following apply:
(i) Allowed only where essential connections must be made to circulate traffic to urban activity centers;
(ii) Roadway construction must be necessary for maintenance, security, and/or low intensity access; and
(iii) Any substantial volumes of traffic or parking must be accommodated upland with consolidated parking facilities having pedestrian/bicycle/equestrian connections to the shoreline to the extent feasible;
(9) Roadway construction shall incorporate features that disturb existing beneficial hydrologic effects as little as possible;
(10) Roadway design shall incorporate landscaping consistent with WMC 21.74.060;
(11) The use of herbicides and pesticides is prohibited along roadways within or immediately adjacent to shoreline critical areas and their buffers; and
(12) Roadway construction shall include a design for impoundment structures that trap contaminants, such as oil and salt, and prevent runoff contaminants from entering waterways and wetlands. (Ord. 716 § 4 (Att. A), 2021)
21.75.070 Utilities.
The following apply to utility uses:
(1) Utilities are allowed pursuant to the shoreline use table set forth in WMC 21.72.030;
(2) All utility facilities must be designed and located to assure no net loss of shoreline ecological functions, preserve the natural landscape, and minimize obstructing scenic views;
(3) Transmission facilities for the conveyance of services, such as power lines, cables, and pipelines, shall be located outside of the shoreline area where feasible and when necessarily located within the shoreline area shall assure no net loss of shoreline ecological functions;
(4) Where feasible, accessory utilities should be placed underground or otherwise designed to do minimal damage to the shoreline ecological functions and aesthetic qualities of the shoreline area;
(5) Property owners possessing legal rights to water in the river or the creek may be allowed to retain those water-intake valves or structures existing on December 16, 2009, which are necessary to maintain those rights;
(6) All new utilities must include a reclamation plan restoring and enhancing shoreline areas disturbed by new construction;
(7) Publicly owned utilities shall be designed and operated to reserve the option of general public recreational usage of the right-of-way in the future provided:
(a) The public will not be exposed to dangers from the utility equipment;
(b) The utility itself will not be subjected to unusual risks of damage by the public; and
(c) Adjacent land uses will not be negatively disrupted by the public usage of the site;
(8) All underwater pipelines or those paralleling the waterway transporting liquids potentially injurious to aquatic life or water quality are prohibited unless no feasible alternative exists in which case shut-off valves shall be provided at both sides of the water body except for public sanitary sewers of a gravity or siphon nature;
(9) Lines under the stream bed are allowed provided the stream bed is restored to existing or better conditions and in-water construction satisfies the requirements in WMC 21.73.090;
(10) If primary utility facilities that are located above ground (e.g., substations) are necessary to be constructed inside the shoreline jurisdiction, the facility must be landscaped to screen and minimize visual impacts from surrounding properties;
(11) Transmission facilities for the conveyance of services, such as power lines, cables, and pipelines, should be consolidated within a single easement and/or existing rights-of-way, whenever feasible; and
(12) Application for shoreline permits involving the installation of new or substantively expanded primary utility facilities shall include the following:
(a) Statement why the utility must be located inside the shoreline jurisdiction;
(b) Alternative locations outside the shoreline jurisdiction considered and reasons for their elimination;
(c) Location of other similar primary utility facilities near the proposal;
(d) Plans for reclamation of areas to be disturbed during construction;
(e) Landscaping plans; and
(f) Documentation that installation of the primary utility is consistent with capital facilities plans for utilities. (Ord. 716 § 4 (Att. A), 2021)
21.75.080 Recreational.
The following apply to recreational uses:
(1) Recreational uses are allowed pursuant to the shoreline use table set forth in WMC 21.72.030;
(2) Water-dependent activities such as swimming, boating, and fishing, and activities that benefit from riverfront scenery such as picnicking, hiking, bicycling, and equestrian use shall be emphasized in planning public recreation sites in the shoreline management corridor;
(3) Access to public recreational locations such as fishing streams shall be by a combination of areas and linear access such as hiking paths, bicycle trails, and/or scenic drives to prevent concentrations of use pressure at a few points;
(4) The linkage of shoreline parks and public access points is encouraged using linear access such as the Sammamish River regional park and the Tolt River water line;
(5) Recreational facilities shall be located and designed to ensure no net loss to shoreline ecological function and to preserve, enhance, or create scenic views and vistas;
(6) Facilities for intensive recreational activities shall only be provided where sewage disposal and vector control can be accomplished to meet public health standards without adversely altering the natural features attractive for recreational uses;
(7) In locating proposed recreational facilities such as playing fields and other open areas which use fertilizers and pesticides in their turf maintenance programs, provisions must be made to prevent these chemicals from entering streams and water;
(8) Where appropriate, recreational uses with no permanent structures as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency may be permitted in floodplain areas; and
(9) All recreational facilities shall adequately provide for:
(a) Vehicular and pedestrian access, both on and off site;
(b) Proper water supply and solid and sewage waste disposal methods;
(c) Security and fire protection; and
(d) Overflow and trespass onto adjacent properties shall be prevented by methods including, but not limited to, landscaping, fencing, and posting of property notices. (Ord. 716 § 4 (Att. A), 2021)
21.75.090 In-stream structures.
The following apply to in-stream structures as defined in WMC 21.70.218:
(1) In-stream structures are allowed per the shoreline use table in WMC 21.72.030;
(2) These structures are limited to providing for the protection and preservation of ecosystem-wide processes, ecological functions, and cultural resources, including, but not limited to, fish and fish passage, wildlife and water resources, hydrogeological processes, and shoreline critical areas;
(3) The location and planning of in-stream structures shall give due consideration to the full range of public interests, watershed functions and processes, and environmental concerns, with special emphasis on protecting and restoring priority habitats and species;
(4) In-stream structures shall be designed, located, and constructed in such a manner as to avoid extensive topographical alteration and preserve natural scenic vistas;
(5) In-stream structures that divert water shall return flow to the stream in as short a distance as possible;
(6) All in-stream structures shall be designed to allow the natural transport of bedload materials; and
(7) In-stream structures and their support facilities shall be designed to minimize removal of vegetation consistent with WMC 21.73.050. (Ord. 716 § 4 (Att. A), 2021)
21.75.100 Signs.
(1) Signs are allowed pursuant to the shoreline use table set forth in WMC 21.72.030.
(2) The placement of signs shall not impair vistas, viewpoints and visual access to shorelines.
(3) Freestanding signs, excluding public controlled signs, shall be located where feasible on the upland side of public transportation routes running parallel or adjacent to shorelines, and in a manner so that views will not be substantially obstructed.
(4) Where feasible, signs shall be attached and flush against buildings to minimize visual obstructions of the shorelines and water bodies.
(5) Lighting of signs shall be by a steady, nonflashing and nonanimated source and designed to minimize light spillover onto the shoreline.
(6) Indirect lighting of signs is preferable to internal illumination of signs.
(7) Only interpretive and trail signs, and signage required by critical areas regulations, shall be allowed within any riparian or wetland/wetland buffer areas. (Ord. 716 § 4 (Att. A), 2021)