Process For Critical Area and Shoreline Master Program Updates

September 1, 2026

San Juan County and the Department of Ecology

Shoreline Master Program Amendment Public Comment Period and Joint Public Hearing.

San Juan County and Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) are seeking comments on the proposed amendments San Juan County’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP). San Juan County has prepared proposed amendments to update the critical area regulations that apply within the shoreline jurisdiction.

The joint local/state public comment period will run from September 9th, 2026 to October 9th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.

A joint local-state public hearing is set for Friday, October 16, 2026, 8:30 am with the San Juan County Planning Commission. The hearing will be a hybrid event. Citizens will be able to participate in the meeting online and in person.

San Juan County has elected to use the optional joint review process to combine the local and Ecology Comment periods, as allowed under WAC 173-26-104. No additional comment period will occur during the state review process. Comments provided to San Juan County will be forwarded to the Department of Ecology and reviewed by both San Juan County and Ecology.

The following documents demonstrate the proposed changes to the SMP and Critical Areas Regulations are available for review:

  1. Underline and Strike Through Versions of SJCC 18.35 (Critical Area Regulations): SJCC 18.80 (Permit process): SJCC 18.20 (definitions).
  2. Clean versions of SJCC 18.35 (Critical Areas Regulations): SJCC 18.80 (Permit Processing)
  3. Draft SMP Amendments clean V.2
  4. Draft SMP Amendments Strike-Through and Underline V.2
  5. The comment and response matrix for the first draft.

Additional information is available at: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/2434/SMP-Update-For-CAO

Comments may be submitted by any of the following options:

Comments may also be made in person or online during the joint San Juan County and DOE public hearing at 8:30 a.m. October 16, 2026, in person at the County Council hearing room at 55 Second St, Friday Harbor, 98250.

Online access to the Planning Commission meeting is available at:

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/261144967307502?p=NUMauXNPzbdb86Bu3Y

Meeting ID: 261 144 967 307 502

Passcode: vD9FK2R3

Comments are due by October 9th, 2026, by 5:30 pm

Documents are available for review at: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/2319/2026-Critical-Areas-Ordinance-CAO-Update : or at: https://engage.sanjuancountywa.gov/2026-critical-areas-ordinance-cao-update : or at: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/2434/SMP-Update-For-CAO

Physical Copies are also available at: 135 Rhone Street, Friday Harbor, WA, 98250.

At the conclusion of the comment period and after the public hearing, San Juan County will prepare a response to comments and determine whether changes are needed. Public comments and San Juan County responses will be shared with Ecology. After local adoption, the SMP Amendment will be formally submitted to Ecology for final action per WAC 173-26-104 and WAC 173-26-110. Ecology will review amendments for consistency with state laws and rules.

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