Photo courtesy of the Seattle Department of Planning and Development.
A second draft of Seattle’s Shoreline Master Program has been released and in it are recommendations to limit the number of houseboats and to increase building setbacks by another 10 feet.
Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development announced the proposed changes this morning and are soliciting feedback from neighbors before a final draft is penned. The update revises all of Seattle’s shorelines including Lake Union/Ship Canal, the Puget Sound, Lake Washington, Green Lake and the Duwamish River.
The revisions focus on environmental protection while promoting public access. Included in the proposed revised regulations are:
• Prohibiting new floating homes and house barges
• Increasing shoreline setbacks for new residential development from 25feet to 35feet
• Prohibiting new hard shoreline bulkheads, such as concrete, unless there is the threat of water undermining a principle structure or substantial accessory structure within three years or the bulkhead is required for conducting water-related business activity
• Clarifying the use of shoreline environment for some non-water dependent uses when supporting water-dependent businesses
• Improving public access to the shoreline by encouraging the connection of public access
You can see the revisions by clicking here.
Written comments are being sought through Dec. 6. Please send your written comments to Margaret Glowacki at margaret.glowaci@seattle.gov or to the following address: 700 5th Ave. Ste. 2000, P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019