Okanogan County has determined there would be no significant environmental impacts from a proposed update to its Shoreline Master Program (SMP).
The update is what’s called a periodic review, which is required every eight years to bring local codes in line with changes in state law. The county did a major update of the SMP in 2018, and the current changes are relatively minor, according to Planner Kurt Danison of Highlands Associates, who’s handling the review for the county.
The SMP protects natural resources, provides for public access to lakes, rivers and shores; and plans for water-dependent uses. The highest priority of shoreline uses is to protect and restore the shoreline. Water-dependent uses are next; single-family residential use is last on the list.
There are several hundred miles of shorelines on lakes, rivers and streams in Okanogan County that meet the definition of Shorelines of Statewide Significance, according to the environmental checklist the county prepared under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The Methow, Chewuch and Twisp rivers and Lake Pateros are all deemed to be of statewide significance and therefore have additional protections.
The Okanogan County Planning Department concluded that the changes to the SMP will not directly increase discharges into water, air emissions, noise, or toxic or hazardous substances. The changes also won’t directly affect plants, animals and fish, but future development could create environmental impacts. Any development would be subject to additional review, according to the checklist.
More information, including the SEPA checklist, is available on the Okanogan County Planning Department website at okanogancounty.org/government/planning/index. Follow the links to “Shoreline Information” in the blue bar at the left, and then “Shoreline Periodic Review.” For more information, contact planner Rocky Robbins at rrobbins@co.okanogan.wa.us.
The county has scheduled a public hearing on the environmental review of the SMP on Monday, June 26, at 7 p.m. in the commissioners’ auditorium. People can submit comments in advance or provide up to three minutes of testimony at the hearing. There will be a link on the Planning Department website for people to attend remotely.
The deadline for written comments is Friday, June 23, at 5 p.m. Comments should be sent to spalmer@co.okanogan.wa.us.
