Mason County has developed a Shoreline Master Program Interactive User Guide to help give residents a better understanding of what they can do in shoreline jurisdiction. This Interactive website provides you with easy-to-digest information to help you understand regulatory requirements associated with your development project.

Proposed Development, Shoreline Vegetation & Shoreline Modifications:

• Must first document a no-net-loss of shoreline ecological functions will remain post-activity within shoreline jurisdiction (roughly 200-feet from water’s edge and in-water). Proposed vegetation clearing in shoreline jurisdiction must first be evaluated by the County and will likely require a mitigation plan to compensate for impacts.
• Native trees (especially those greater than 6-inches in diameter) and vegetation must be protected to the greatest extent practical. Tree trimming and buffer alterations for view corridors emphasize minimizing limbing and small tree (less than 6-inches in diameter) trimming of up to 10% of trees for views. See MCC 17.50.110(4)(C) and MCC 8.52.170(d)(4)(K) for more detail, as well as the topics listed above.
• Bulkhead, mooring buoy, and pier work must meet state and federal permitting requirements, in addition to the County SMP - Shoreline Modification Policies and Regulations section (MCC 17.50.300-340). Alternative bulkhead methods must be determined infeasible before more hardened structures are considered. For bulkhead alternatives, visit the Mason County Conservation District Shore Friendly website. For state and federal permit guidance, see the Governor’s Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA) website. Visit WDNR for mooring buoy permitting guidance

Overview

This SMP User Guide also supplements and provides added graphics to the Resource Ordinance Appendix B - Common Line Mitigation Manual (see New Single Family Development link).

This project is made possible through a competitive grant awarded to the County by the Washington State Department of Ecology.