(1) For shorelines of the state, the goals and policies of the shoreline management act as set forth in RCW 90.58.020 are added as one of the goals of this chapter as set forth in RCW 36.70A.020 without creating an order of priority among the fourteen goals. The goals and policies of a shoreline master program for a county or city approved under chapter 90.58 RCW shall be considered an element of the county or city's comprehensive plan. All other portions of the shoreline master program for a county or city adopted under chapter 90.58 RCW, including use regulations, shall be considered a part of the county or city's development regulations.

     (2) The shoreline master program shall be adopted pursuant to the procedures of chapter 90.58 RCW rather than the goals, policies, and procedures set forth in this chapter for the adoption of a comprehensive plan or development regulations.

     (3) The policies, goals, and provisions of chapter 90.58 RCW and applicable guidelines shall be the sole basis for determining compliance of a shoreline master program with this chapter except as the shoreline master program is required to comply with the internal consistency provisions of RCW 36.70A.070, 36.70A.040(4),35.63.125 , and 35A.63.105.

     (a) As of the date the department of ecology approves a local government's shoreline master program adopted under applicable shoreline guidelines, the protection of critical areas as defined by RCW 36.70A.030(5) within shorelines of the state shall be accomplished only through the local government's shoreline master program and shall not be subject to the procedural and substantive requirements of this chapter, except as provided in subsection (6) of this section.

     (b) Critical areas within shorelines of the state that have been identified as meeting the definition of critical areas as defined by RCW 36.70A.030(5), and that are subject to a shoreline master program adopted under applicable shoreline guidelines shall not be subject to the procedural and substantive requirements of this chapter, except as provided in subsection (6) of this section. Nothing in chapter 321, Laws of 2003 is intended to affect whether or to what extent agricultural activities, as defined in RCW 90.58.065, are subject to chapter 36.70A RCW.

     (c) The provisions of RCW 36.70A.172 shall not apply to the adoption or subsequent amendment of a local government's shoreline master program and shall not be used to determine compliance of a local government's shoreline master program with chapter 90.58 RCW and applicable guidelines. Nothing in this section, however, is intended to limit or change the quality of information to be applied in protecting critical areas within shorelines of the state, as required by chapter 90.58 RCW and applicable guidelines.

     (4) Shoreline master programs shall provide a level of protection to critical areas located within shorelines of the state that is at least equal to the level of protection provided to critical areas by the local government's critical area ordinances adopted and thereafter amended pursuant to RCW 36.70A.060(2).

     (5) Shorelines of the state shall not be considered critical areas under this chapter except to the extent that specific areas located within shorelines of the state qualify for critical area designation based on the definition of critical areas provided by RCW 36.70A.030(5) and have been designated as such by a local government pursuant to RCW 36.70A.060(2).

     (6) If a local jurisdiction's master program does not include land necessary for buffers for critical areas that occur within shorelines of the state, as authorized by RCW 90.58.030(2)(f), then the local jurisdiction shall continue to regulate those critical areas and their required buffers pursuant to RCW 36.70A.060(2).

[2003 c 321 § 5; 1995 c 347 § 104.]

NOTES:

     Finding -- Intent -- 2003 c 321: See note following RCW 90.58.030.

     Finding -- Severability -- Part headings and table of contents not law -- 1995 c 347: See notes following RCW 36.70A.470.