Thirty-seven meetings later, the Burien Shoreline Master Program (SMP) is one step closer to adoption as the Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) held the final public hearing for the Burien SMP on Dec. 8.

Every jurisdiction in the state is currently undergoing the process of updating their shoreline plan, in compliance with state law. Every shoreline jurisdiction in the state must have an updated SMP by 2014. With a $100,000 grant from the DOE, Burien has been working on updating the SMP since the end of 2007.

Burien adopted King County’s SMP when they incorporated in 1993. The SMP has not been significantly changed since.

The Burien City Council voted to send the proposed SMP to the DOE on Sept. 27. On Dec. 8 the DOE held a public hearing in Burien, asking for public testimony and comment before they make their decision.

The Department of Ecology will either approve Burien’s SMP, deny it, or send it back to the city with revisions.

This process has sparked considerable discussion, often heated, by shoreline property owners in Burien.

Most shoreline owners were happy by the time the Burien City Council voted to approve the SMP and pass it to the DOE for approval. Several homeowners spoke tonight asking the DOE to approve the SMP as it had been submitted to them.

Carol Jacobson told the DOE at the public hearing she had an online petition of 114 people asking the DOE to approve the draft of the SMP approved by the City Council in September, with the inclusion of a provision for the emergency repair and replacement of bulkheads.

Bob Fritzen from the Department of Ecology called to question the 20-foot buffer, which keeps the current setback. Fritzen said it might not meet the DOE’s requirement of no net loss. He said information provided to them by the Marine Homeowners Association did not get DOE officials to the 20-foot buffer.

Shoreline owners in Burien lobbied hard to get the setback in the proposed SMP from 50 feet to 20 feet.

Fritzen described the 20-foot setback as a number that was pulled from the air.

The DOE is also looking at how best to make the proposed language to not make any of the structures affected by the new regulations non-conforming, Fritzen said. He said it is doable, and something the DOE embraces. But currently there is no language in the SMP about regulations regarding non-conforming structures.

Unless language is added in it will default to the state's language regarding non-conforming structures. Meaning, among other things, a non-conforming structure destroyed over 75 percent of its appraised value must be rebuilt to meet new regulations.

Many comments were either asking for minor changes to be made to the SMP, or for it to be approved as it is. But not everyone was happy with the changes the council made to the SMP.

Lee Moyer, who was on the Shoreline Advisory Committee, said he felt the council was overwhelmed by one side, and should not have lowered the setbacks recommended by the Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission.

The DOE is accepting written comments until 5 p.m. Dec. 17. Written comments should be sent to Bob Fritzen, WA Department of Ecology, 1440 10th St. Suite 102 Bellingham, WA 98225, or email Bob Fritzen at bob.fritzen@ecy.wa.gov.