A Shoreline Master Program (SMP) is a set of policies and regulations required by state law that has three basic principles:

• Encourages reasonable and appropriate development of shorelines with an emphasis on water dependent uses, which when developed are consistent with the control of pollution and prevention of damage to the natural environment, recreational facilities, or industries and commercial uses that require a shoreline location and support economic development; and,
• Protects the natural resources and character of the shorelines, the land, vegetation, wildlife, water, and aquatic life within shoreline environment; and,
• Promotes public access and provides opportunities to enjoy the aesthetic qualities of the natural shorelines and recreational activities in shoreline areas.

The Shoreline Master Program (SMP) is the City's comprehensive plan for our shorelines which contains goals, policies, regulations and programs regarding use, development, conservation and restoration. The SMP is jointly adopted and administered by the City and the Washington State Department of Ecology under the Shoreline Management Act. The current SMP became effective in December 2013. The SMP also references the City’s Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) to regulate impacts to critical areas which occur within shoreline jurisdiction.

• Bremerton’s current SMP 
• Bremerton’s current SMP Map
• Supporting information to current SMP
• Bremerton's current CAO
• Cumulative Impacts Analysis
• Designation Boundary and Resource Table (PDF)
• Inventory
• Public Access Plan
• Restoration Plan

The City of Bremerton completed a comprehensive update of its Shoreline Master Program in 2012 with a limited amendment in 2016. Washington state law requires jurisdictions to review and update their SMPs every eight years in accordance with the Shoreline Management Act (SMA) and its current guidelines and legislative rules to attain state approval. The City received a grant from the Washington Department of Ecology to support this update. The grant timeline calls for completing this periodic update by June 30, 2021.

This periodic update WILL:

• Review relevant legislative updates since the 2012 SMP update and incorporate any applicable amendments;
• Ensure consistency with Bremerton’s Comprehensive Plan Update; and
• Ensure compatibility with other City regulations.

This periodic update WILL NOT:

• Re-evaluate the ecological baseline that was established as part of the 2012 SMP update;
• Extensively assess no net loss criteria, other than ensure that proposed amendments do not result in degradation of the baseline condition; or
• Re-assess shoreline jurisdiction.

The City will be using the optional joint review process for amending the SMP per WAC 173-26-104. Learn more about what an optional joint review process is for shoreline master programs

• Current Bremerton SMP
• Draft Bremerton SMP Amendments
• Current Bremerton Critical Area Ordinance
• Draft Bremerton Critical Area Ordiance Amendments 
• SMP Update Public Participation Plan  
• 2021 SMP Update FAQ (PDF)
• 2021 SMP Gap Analysis Document
  

Planning Commission Meetings

• September 21, 2020 (Workshop)
  • Packet  and PowerPoint introducing SMP Update
• October 19, 2020 (Workshop)
  • Packet and PowerPoint from meeting introducing the SMP Update
• November, 16 2020 (Public Hearing)
  • Packet and PowerPoint from the meeting

• Washington Department of Ecology’s Shoreline Master Program Handbook
• Washington State Legislature Master Program Guidelines

Amendment Goal: Provide consistency with State legislative updates which have occurred since the last comprehensive SMP update (8 years ago)

• Key features: Bring Bremerton's SMP up-to-date as required. Examples include revised definition of "Development" and adjustments to the cost thresholds for exemptions and dock construction. 
• Specific changes to text regarding the Consistency with State legislative updates to the SMP can be found in Chapter 3, Definitions, and Sections 5.010, 5.090, 5.100, 8.040, and 8.080 of the Draft Bremerton SMP 2020 Amendments.

Amendment Goal: Improve functionality of the SMP. The SMP document can be difficult to work with for both applicants and staff.

• Key features: Includes formatting and wording changes to improve the usability of the SMP. This includes the consolidation of all policies into one section, as well as additional areas, including creating hyperlinks for each Chapter subheading for quick navigation and moving definitions scattered throughout the document to Chapter 3, Definitions, that will be addressed to improve overall usability of the document.
• See Chapter 2, Goals and Policies and Chapter 3, Definitions, in the Draft Bremerton SMP Amendments, for the consolidation of policies and definitions, respectively

Amendment Goal: Improve the mechanism by which shoreline buffer averaging/reduction is conducted. Currently, this process is confusing with a requirement to average the setbacks of multiple neighboring properties.

• Key features: Reduce confusion by limiting buffer averaging to only immediately adjacent properties. Add clarification as to how the buffer reduction mechanism is intended to work in order to ensure preservation of no net loss through appropriate mitigation. This includes providing a suite of defined options with flexibility for the Director.
• Specific changes to text regarding shoreline buffer averaging/reduction in the SMP can be found in Section 7.010 of Draft Bremerton SMP Amendments

Amendment Goal: Clarify thresholds for when the preparation of a Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) is required. Currently, a Vegetation Management Plan is required for any new development and redevelopment, with exceptions for repair, maintenance, and minor expansion.

(Specific changes to text regarding the vegetation management plan in the SMP can be found in Section 7.020 of the Draft Bremerton SMP Amendments)

Amendment Goal: The wetland buffer system in the existing Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) is no longer consistent with the most recent best available science provided by the State.

• Key features: The CAO is proposed to be amended to adjust the wetland buffer table consistent with State regulations based on the most recent best available science. The result is a slight reduction in wetland buffer sizes in most cases. Note, the CAO amendments will need to be adopted prior to or concurrently with the SMP.
• Reference to the Critical Areas Ordinance is located in Section 7.010 of the Draft Bremerton SMP Amendments. Specific changes to text regarding wetland buffer systems in the Draft CAO Amendments can be found in Section Section 20.14.330 of the Draft Bremerton CAO Amendments document. Additional minor clarifications are included in Sections 20.14.730 through 20.14.760.