The Spokane County Planning Commission completed its review of the Draft Revised Shoreline Master Program (RSMP) on July 6, 2006 and forwarded its recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners with findings and conclusions. The Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on the Draft RSMP on July 17, 2007 and deliberated on the publics comments the following October and November and again in April and May of 2008. The Board completed its review of the public’s comments and proposed numerous revisions to the text of the Draft and the Shoreline Designations Map to include the addition of 22 lakes to the Program.
The Board conducted a public hearing on the RSMP revisions on February 24, 2009. The Board deliberated on the public hearing comments on April 23, 2009 and approved all the proposed changes except the proposed Spokane River shoreline designation change affecting the area between the north city limits of the City of Liberty Lake and the ordinary high water mark of the south shoreline of the Spokane River. That shoreline area was proposed to be changed to Urban Conservancy and the Board decided to retain the original Rural Conservancy designation recommended by the Planning Commission.
On May 12, 2009 the Board of Commissioner adopted the Updated Shoreline Master Program. The Department of Building and Planning staff forwarded the document and supporting materials to the Department of Ecology (DOE) for its consideration and action pursuant to the Shoreline Management act 90.58 RCW. The Board’s adoption resolution together with the Updated Shoreline Master Program is posted below.
Department of Ecology conducted a public hearing on the proposed updated Shoreline Master Program on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at Spokane Community College. The Department asked the public to review the proposed updated Shoreline Master Program and submit comment to the Department by Oct. 2, 2009. The public’s comments were provided to Spokane County Department of Building and Planning on October 19, 2009 and the Department sent a response to Ecology on November 23, 2009. Before Ecology takes final action on the proposed RSMP it may exercise its prerogative to make revisions.
Update: As of June17, 2010 Spokane County has not heard from the Department of Ecology regarding its decision on the proposed update of the Shoreline Master Program.