Friday Harbor Planning Commission begins process of updating the town’s Shoreline Master Program

The Town of Friday Harbor is beginning its Shoreline Master Program Update process. This program update will take about three years to complete, and information can be obtained at www.fridayharbor.org/smp or by e-mailing information requests to smp@fridayharbor.org. The initial meeting will be held during the regular Planning Commission meeting of Jan. 13, 5:35 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 60 Second St., Friday Harbor.

January 6, 2011 6:57 pm

The Town of Friday Harbor is beginning its Shoreline Master Program Update process. This program update will take about three years to complete. Information can be obtained at www.fridayharbor.org/smp or by e-mailing information requests to smp@fridayharbor.org.

The initial meeting will be held during the regular Planning Commission meeting of Jan. 13, 5:35 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 60 Second St., Friday Harbor.

As the process progresses, there will be regular meetings with the town Planning Commission. These meetings will be advertised, and the public can attend and participate in the discussions.

The information being discussed during these meetings will be available via the town website or by contacting the Town at 360-378-2810 ext 241, in advance of the announced meeting date.

The basic steps in the process:

1. The Town will compile a shoreline inventory and will use that inventory to prepare a shoreline analysis. Once the draft documents are assembled they will be disseminated to the public and a public meeting will be held for discussion. The Town is interested in getting as much information as possible from all individuals and organizations with knowledge of or interest in the waterfront.

2. The existing shoreline policies and regulations will be compared to the shoreline inventory and characterization. Where discrepancies exist between the shoreline condition and the policies/regulations that are intended to govern, revised policies and regulations will be drafted. Again, once the draft documents are assembled they will be disseminated and a public meeting will be held to collect input.

3. The Town will then prepare a cumulative impacts analysis and recovery plan. These documents and any proposed changes to the policies and regulations arising from them well be disseminated and another public meeting will be scheduled.

4. At the end of this process the draft revised Shoreline Master Program will be presented to the Planning Commission for a public hearing and recommendation for the Town Council.

See the Public Participation Plan at www.fridayharbor.org/smp for details and opportunities to participate.