Klickitat County Shorelines Master Plan Update:  

May 24, 2019 Progress Report

In response to requests from various stakeholders during 2016 and 2017 workshops and community Open House meetings, the Klickitat County Board of County Commissioners appointed a Technical Advisory Committee/Citizen Advisory Committee (TAC/CAC) in February, 2018.  The Board appointed representatives of agriculture, timber, landowners, environmental and other interests.  The TAC/CAC met in April, June and September, 2018 to review/discuss comments/information submitted by the public and various agencies. They also reviewed the working draft SMP text, SMP inventory, Gap analysis, Shoreline Analysis Report, Draft Restoration Plan.  Most of the discussions focused on: conflicting information submitted by agencies and the public relating to the criteria for designating certain streams/rivers as subject to the Shoreline Management Ac; and the assignment of SEDs (Shoreline Environment Designations) to streams/rivers qualifying as shoreline subject to the Shoreline Management Act.  Other issues discussed by the TAC/CAC related to, but were not restricted to public access, setbacks, agriculture, timber management, federal status of some shorelines as “scenic” and general use of shoreline properties.

The TAC/CAC accepted the inventory and SMP technical studies as sufficiently accurate on which to base the working draft SMP; and concluded that comments in response to technical aspects of the SMP had been addressed.  The Planning Commission provided the Planning Department staff direction to conduct SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) and initiate the formal public hearing process which includes distribution of the working draft SMP to the public and agencies for review and comment.

A SEPA determination was issued on April 26, 2019.  An appeal to the SEPA threshold determination was received on May 17, 2019.  The public hearing that was               tentatively scheduled before the Planning Commission on June 17, 2019 in now       postponed until further notice.

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