HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOW 2013-10-14 Item 4B - Comprehensive Plan - Exhibit F: Chapter 5 Shoreline ElementCHAPTER FIVE
SHORELINE ELEMENT
ITUKWILA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
ELEMENT
5
SHORELINES
SHORELINES
WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN THIS CHAPTER:
• A discussion of shoreline areas in the City of Tukwila;
• An overview of the Shoreline Management Act and how it applies in Tukwila;
• Goals and Policies for managing development in shoreline areas; and
• A map of Tukwila's adopted Shoreline Environment Designations.
PURPOSE
This element of the City's Comprehensive Plan presents goals and policies related to development
and restoration along the Green /Duwamish River, a shoreline of statewide significance subject to
the Washington State Shoreline Management Act (SMA), which flows northerly through the entire
length of Tukwila. A small fragment of the Black River flows into the Duwamish River just north of
Fort Dent Park and is also subject to the SMA and the goals and policies of this chapter.
The Shoreline Element of the Comprehensive Plan represents the Shoreline Master Program's
role in the community -wide planning process. It reflects the relationship between shoreline
development and other Comprehensive Plan goals and policies, and the importance of a shoreline
vision to a community vision. The Shoreline Element identifies existing local and regional policies,
land use and shoreline conditions, and sets forth shoreline goals and the policies for achieving
them. These goals and policies reflect Tukwila's priorities in these areas:
• Facilitating redevelopment and prioritizing water - dependent industrial uses in the
Manufacturing /Industrial Center (MIC) and encouraging redevelopment in the
Tukwila Urban Center (TUC) that recognizes the river as a valuable resource.
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What is the Shoreline Management
Act?
The Shoreline Management Act (SMA) was
approved by Washington voters in 1972 and is
designed to prevent degradation
of the state's
shorelines from uncoordinated development.
Where does the Shorelin
Management Act apply?
Each city and county defines the
e
it own shoreline
jurisdiction based on the provisions of the SMA
and regulations from the Department of Ecology.
The SMA applies to the following
areas:
• Marine waters,
• Streams and rivers that have an average
annual flow of at least 20 cubic feet per
second,
• Upland areas within 200 feet of regulated
waterbodies, and
• Wetlands and flood -prone areas associated
with regulated waterbodies.
Additional information on the Shoreline
Management Act is available on the Department
of Ecology's website at: http: / /www.ecy.wa.gov/
programs /sea /sma /st guide /intro.html.
TUKWILA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN - OCTOBER 2013
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• Ensuring the safety of new development from flooding
and from destabilized riverbanks by establishing
setbacks for new construction. Setbacks will allow
for eventual replacement of existing flood control
levees and regrading of over - steepened banks.
• Increasing public access to the river.
• Supporting restoration of habitat along the river
through a restoration plan in the Shoreline Master
Program. Restoration is accomplished in part,
through removing invasive vegetation and replacing
it with native species, constructing off - channel habitat
and setting back levees to incorporate a mid -slope
bench that can be planted to improve habitat.
Shoreline policies encourage high - quality development and
redevelopment along the river. At the same time they recognize
The value of the Green/uuwamisn Kiver as an aesthetic
resource by encouraging new development in the urban center
to "face" the river, provide views and public or private access
to the shoreline. The policies also recognize the shoreline
as an important natural resource that requires protection and
restoration of shoreline ecological functions (such as habitat,
surface water and flood attenuation, water quality improvement
and others). Policies in the Master Program support restoration
of shoreline ecological functions, particularly improved habitat
for endangered fish species (Chinook salmon and Pacific Bull
Trout).
As a whole, the Tukwila Shoreline Master Program acts as
the implementation mechanism for achieving these goals and
policies.
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The Shoreline Management Act promotes
increased recreational opportunities and public
access to the shoreline environment.
ISSUES
Department of Ecology guidelines, and the City's obligations
as a participant in the implementation of the Green /Duwamish
Salmon Habitat Restoration plan, dictate that Shoreline Master
Program policies and regulations be established to ensure
no net loss and restoration of shoreline ecological functions.
The major issue facing the City is balancing the existing and
planned future urban development along the river with these
requirements.
SHORELINE MANAGEMENT ACT
PRIORITIES
The SMA designates the Green /Duwamish River as a shoreline
of statewide significance. "Because these shorelines are major
resources from which all people in the state derive benefit,
the [development] guidelines and master programs must give
preference to uses which favor public and long -range goals."
[WAC 173 -16- 040(5)] The SMA states that master programs
for shorelines of statewide significance shall give preference to
uses that (in order of preference):
1. Recognize and protect the statewide interest over local
interest
2. Preserve the natural character of the shoreline
3. Result in long -term over short -term benefit
4. Protect the resources and ecology of the shoreline
5. Increase public access to publicly owned areas of the
shoreline
6. Increase recreational opportunities for the public in the
shoreline
7. Provide for any other element as defined in RCW
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90.58.100 deemed appropriate or necessary (that is, which further the state's shoreline
policies).
The Washington State Shoreline Management Act requires that, where alterations in the natural
condition of a shoreline are authorized, priority shall be given to the following uses:
• Single- family residences
• Ports
• Shoreline recreational uses
• Industrial and commercial developments dependent upon a shoreline location
• Other developments that will provide an opportunity for a
substantial number of people to enjoy the shoreline.
The policies established in the Tukwila Shoreline Master Program attempt to balance the
river's value as a long -term natural resource for the region with the demands of intense urban
development. The City's Shoreline Master Program also recognizes that except for the area north
of the Turning Basin, most of the Green River is not navigable by large commercial vessels, and
therefore opportunities to establish water dependent uses are limited.
GOALS AND POLICIES
Tukwila's 2011 approved Shoreline Master Program, which is incorporated by reference as part of
this Plan, revised some of the 1995 Comprehensive Plan goals and policies and added new ones
to address new issues, changed conditions along the river, or new requirements established by the
Washington State Department of Ecology.
Tukwila shoreline policies give priority to the economic vitality of the MIC, and focus intense
multi - purpose urban uses, such as water - enjoyment commercial activity and public access, in the
Tukwila Urban Center. The policies also emphasize the importance of a variety of shoreline public
access methods, both physical and visual, linked to other areas of the region. They recognize the
value of the river as a natural resource by encouraging restoration — including removal of invasive
plants — of wildlife habitat and native riverbank vegetation, including tree planting.
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SHORELINE ENVIRONMENT DESIGNATIONS
The two hundred foot shoreline jurisdiction that comprises each shoreline environment is divided
lengthwise into a buffer and outside -buffer area and allowed uses are specified for each. The
shoreline environments are intended to facilitate the City's long -range objectives for land and
shoreline management including:
• Ensuring no net loss of ecological shoreline functions;
• Providing for habitat protection enhancement and restoration to improve degraded
shoreline ecological functions over time and protection of already restored areas;
• Allowing continued and increased urban development in recognition of Tukwila's
role as a regionally significant industrial and commercial center; and
• Providing for improved flood control in coordination with King
County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Shoreline Master Program provides more information on buffer size and function. The
adopted buffers for each shoreline environment balance shoreline ecological function, human life
and property protection (including future levee repair /reconstruction), existing land use patterns,
and state and federal agency policies.
Ordinary high
water mark
(OHWM)
Wetland in 100 year
Flood plain
1111
1111 - 1111
1111 =1111 =1111
1111 =1111 =1111- 1111 =1111- 111111
= 1111 = 1111 = 1111 = 1111 = 1111 = 1111 = III
1111 = 1111 = 1111= 1111 =1111=1111=1m=
1 200'
I -1111:
1111 =1111- III -1111 - 1111= 1111 -1111-
1111 = 1111 = 1111 = 1111= 1111 = 1111 = 1111 = 1111 =1111=
= 1111 = 1111 = IIII = III = IIII = 1111 = IIII = 1111 = IIII =
k 200'
Flood way
100 Year Flood Plain
200' from OHWM or flood way and
all marshes, bogs, and swamps in
100 year flood plain
5
200' from OHWM and 100 year flood plain
Figure 5 -1: Shoreline Management Act Jurisdiction
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Goal 5.1 Shoreline Environment Designations
Shoreline Environment designations that meet Washington State Shoreline Management Act
requirements, and reflect local conditions and Tukwila's long -term vision for its shoreline. The
shoreline zone generally extends for 200 feet on either side of the Ordinary High Water mark,
consistent with the Washington State Shoreline Management Act (as illustrated in Figure 5 -1).
Policies
5.1.1 Shoreline Residential Environment. In the Shoreline Residential Environment, priority
shall be given to the following:
• Uses that preserve or restore the natural character of the shoreline or promote
preservation of vegetation, open space, flood plain or sensitive area lands; and
• Development that is compatible with the natural and biological limitations of the
land and water and that will not require extensive alteration of the shoreline or
new "hard" structural shoreline stabilization. Where possible the removal of
bulkheads, revetments, levees or other "hard" structural shoreline stabilization is
required. Hard structural shoreline stabilization may be replaced with alternative
bioengineered bank stabilization; and
• On publicly owned property, water - dependent or water - related recreational
activities that are compatible with the character of the shoreline residential areas.
• Maintenance of existing single - family residential development patterns and public
open space and recreation uses;
• Residential and recreational development that promotes vegetation conservation
and enhancement, sensitive areas protection, and maintenance of water quality to
assure no net loss of shoreline ecological functions;
• Residential and recreational development that contributes to the restoration of
ecological functions over time in areas where ecological degradation has occurred.
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5.1.2 Urban Conservancy Environment: In the Urban Conservancy Environment priority
shall be given to the following:
• Development that promotes vegetation conservation and enhancement, sensitive
areas protection, and preservation of water quality to assure no net loss of
shoreline ecological functions;
• Water enjoyment uses;
• Uses that remove shoreline armoring, unless required for a shoreline dependent
use, and uses that prevent and /or minimize flood damage;
• Uses that preserve or restore shoreline ecological functions provided by vegetation,
open space, flood plain or sensitive area lands;
• Uses that minimize interference with navigation and flood control, consider impacts
to public views, and allow for the safe, unobstructed passage of fish and wildlife,
particularly those species dependent on migration;
• Uses that provide public access and public recreation whenever feasible and when
ecological impacts can be mitigated;
• Development that is compatible with the natural and biological limitations of the
land and water that do not require extensive alteration of the shoreline or new
shoreline stabilization, except for restoration projects;
• Uses that provide public access and public recreation whenever feasible and
ecological impacts can be mitigated;
• Enhancement and restoration of ecological functions; and
• Redevelopment of underutilized areas and development of commercial and
industrial activities where shoreline impacts are minimized and where there is no
net loss of shoreline functions.
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5.1.3 High Intensity Shoreline Environment: In the High Intensity Environment, priority shall
be given to the following:
• Water dependent commercial and industrial uses;
• Development that promotes vegetation conservation and enhancement, sensitive
areas protection, and preservation of water quality to assure no net loss of
shoreline ecological functions;
• Uses that remove shoreline armoring, unless required for a shoreline dependent
use, and uses that prevent and /or minimize flood damage;
• Uses that preserve or restore shoreline ecological functions provided by vegetation,
open space, flood plain or sensitive area lands;
• Uses that minimize interference with navigation and flood control, consider impacts
to public views, and allow for the safe, unobstructed passage of fish and wildlife,
particularly those species dependent on migration;
• Uses that provide public access and public recreation whenever feasible and when
ecological impacts can be mitigated;
• Development that is compatible with the natural and biological limitations of the
land and water that do not require extensive alteration of the shoreline or new
shoreline stabilization, except for restoration projects;
• Uses that provide public access and public recreation whenever feasible and
ecological impacts can be mitigated;
• Enhancement and restoration of ecological functions; and
• Redevelopment of underutilized areas and development of intensive commercial
and industrial activities where shoreline impacts are minimized and where there is
no net loss of shoreline functions.
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Lake
Washin
King
County
King County
•
Kent
0
SHORELINES
Shoreline
Environments
Legend
High Intensity Environment
Urban Conservancy Environment
Shoreline Residential Environment
Aquatic Environment
I-7 Tukwila City Limits
Map 5 -1: Shoreline Environment Designations
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The Aquatic Environment applies to areas below the Ordinary High Water Mark of a lake,
stream, or marine water body.
5.1.4 Shoreline Aquatic Environment. In the Shoreline Aquatic Environment, priority shall
be given to the following:
• Uses that preserve or restore the natural character of the shoreline or promote
preservation of vegetation, open space, flood plain or sensitive area lands;
• Water dependent uses;
• Uses that remove shoreline armoring, unless required for a shoreline dependent
use, and uses that prevent and /or minimize flood damage;
• Uses that minimize interference with navigation and flood control, consider impacts
to public views , and allow for the safe, unobstructed passage of fish and wildlife,
particularly those species dependent on migration;
• Uses that provide public access and public recreation whenever feasible and
ecological impacts can be mitigated;
• Development that is compatible with the natural and biological limitations of the
land and water that do not require extensive alteration of the shoreline or new
shoreline stabilization, except for restoration projects;
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• Uses that provide public access and public recreation whenever feasible and
ecological impacts can be mitigated;
• Enhancement and restoration of ecological functions; and
• Uses compatible with the adjoining shoreline environments.
Tukwila is located in the lower reach of the Green /Duwamish River watershed, which covers 482
square miles and includes over 93 river miles from the Cascade Mountains to Elliott Bay. The
City's portion of the river covers approximately 13 river miles — as a result, the City's Shoreline
Master Program recognizes that to be successful, protection and enhancement of shoreline
resources is not only a City responsibility, but also a regional one. The City is a member of the
Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 9, which covers the Green /Duwamish River watershed,
and has adopted the WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat Plan which identifies specific actions and restoration
projects to improve salmon habitat.
Goal 5.2 Shoreline Planning and Management
Expanded value of the river as a community and regional resource through regional coordination
of shoreline management programs and through programs that foster river appreciation and
awareness, involving partnerships among businesses, schools, residents and government and
community organizations.
Policies
5.2.1 Coordinate shoreline planning and management activities with other local jurisdictions
and their plans such as the WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat Plan and the King County Flood
Hazard Management Plan to establish region -wide consistency in addressing river
issues with regional implications, such as economic development, public access,
wildlife habitat, water quality control, and flood control.
5.2.2 Promote river stewardship and increase river awareness through actions which
further shoreline goals, such as educational programs, community activities,
and partnerships with Tukwila residents, businesses, schools, government, and
community organizations.
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5.2.3 Promote and participate in the implementation of the Watershed Resource Inventory
Area (WRIA) 9 Plan, including supporting the recommended projects located in
Tukwila to improve the habitat functions of the Green /Duwamish River, as well as the
Plan policies and goals.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
• WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat Plan
• Tukwila SMP Restoration Plan
• King County Flood Hazard Management Plan
An objective of the City's Shoreline Master Program, identified in the Issue section of this Chapter,
is to allow continued and increased urban development in recognition of the City's role as a
regionally significant industrial and commercial center, while also ensuring no net loss of shoreline
ecological functions. The following policies address these objectives.
Goal 5.3 Land Development Use and Economic Vitality
Development along the shoreline that fosters the economic vitality of Tukwila while preserving the
long -term benefits of the river.
General Policies
5.3.1 Implement shoreline design guidelines to:
• Encourage design that views the river as an amenity;
• Guide the design of shoreline multiple uses;
• Establish techniques for increasing shoreline multiple use;
• Prioritize locations for uses; and
• Encourage removal of invasive species with nonchemical methods and
maintenance of native planted vegetation to minimize the presence of invasive
species.
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5.3.2 Design and locate all shoreline development to minimize impacts on areas identified
as important for other river uses, such as wildlife and aquatic habitat, river vegetation,
public access and recreation, historical resources, and flood control.
5.3.3 Allow structures to be placed in the water, or structural reinforcement of the riverbank,
only when this provides a significant, long -term public benefit, does not interfere with
navigation or flood management, does not cause a loss of shoreline function or is
essential to a water - dependent use.
5.3.4 Prohibit the construction of new flood control facilities unless constructed to
incorporate habitat restoration features and work to remove existing shoreline
armoring — where possible — to restore habitat functions.
5.3.5 Recognize and promote the river's contribution to the economic vitality of Tukwila, as
a valuable amenity for existing and future businesses which depend on or benefit from
a shoreline location.
5.3.6 Ensure that shoreline development does not diminish the commercial navigability of
the river.
Tukwila Urban Center Development Policy
5.3.7 Design and locate shoreline development in the Tukwila Urban Center to encourage
water enjoyment uses that:
• Provide for shoreline multiple uses that are consistent with the underlying zoning;
• Provide additional benefits, such as riverbank restoration, fishing piers, non -
motorized boat launches, river views, or interpretive signs;
• Support public access to and along the shoreline;
• Provide water - enjoyment uses as a transition between the river and non -water
uses;
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• Encourage efficient use of land through such techniques as clustering, mixed -use
projects, cooperative parking or parking located under principal structures, and
shared utility and access corridors; and
• Ensure that new development and re- development in the Urban Center
acknowledges the goal of a continuous street facade along Christensen Road and
the riverfront and locates parking facilities to the interior of the lot.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
• Shoreline Design Guidelines
• Development standards
• Tukwila Urban Center Plan
Policy for Development Outside the Tukwila Urban Center or MIC
5.3.8 Design and locate shoreline development outside of the Tukwila Urban Center and
the MIC to:
• Provide for shoreline multiple uses;
• Provide water - enjoyment uses as transitions between the river and non- water-
dependent uses;
• Encourage efficient use of land through such techniques as clustering, mixed -use
projects, cooperative parking or parking located under principal structures, and
shared utility and access corridors;
• Treat the river as an amenity in the design and location of the project
Policy for Development Outside the Tukwila Urban Center or MIC
5.3.9 Ensure that non -water dependent shoreline development in the MIC provides for
shoreline multiple uses to the extent that site security and the success of industrial
operations are not jeopardized, ensures no net loss of shoreline function and provides
adequate mitigation for loss of shoreline multiple use opportunities.
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5.3.10 Allow opportunities for commercial and recreational marinas to locate in Tukwila
downstream of the turning basin, where compatible with existing and future
navigability and existing and future ecological restoration projects.
Goal 5.4 Private Property Rights
Protect rights of property owners to reasonable use and enjoyment of private property through
appropriate location, access to, and design of shoreline uses.
Policies
5.4.1 Design, locate and manage shoreline uses in a manner which maintains reasonable
use and enjoyment of private property.
5.4.2 Design and locate public access in a way that is appropriate for the site, depending on
site conditions and private property concerns.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
• River design guidelines
• River access guidelines
• Shoreline development standards
5.4.3 Special sensitivity is required for residential property; therefore, all single - family
residential development of four or fewer single - family residential lots is excluded
from requirements to provide private or public access. Single family property owners
are not exempt from the responsibility to improve the habitat value of the shoreline
environment.
5.4.4 Maintain flexibility in methods of obtaining access, to allow for different site conditions
and private property concerns that might conflict with access, such as privacy, safety,
and security.
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5.4.5 Obtain additional easement area to permit the improvement of river habitat by setting
back levees or removing revetments and other hard shoreline armoring and replacing
with more habitat - friendly shoreline treatment.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
• Shoreline design guidelines
Goal 5.5 Shoreline Design Quality
Enhanced identity of the river as a unique community asset through high - quality development and
public activities that reflect Tukwila's history and sense of community pride.
Policies
5.5.1 Require that shoreline development outside of the MIC:
• Ensures no net loss of shoreline function;
• Is designed to be consistent with Tukwila river design guidelines;
• Reflects principles of high - quality design in such areas as site planning,
architecture, and landscaping; and
• Includes setbacks, bulk, height, density, landscape buffers, and provisions for
open space that enhance the shoreline environment.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
• River design guidelines
• Shoreline development standards
• Tukwila Urban Center Plan
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Tukwila's Manufacturing /Industrial Center is an important regional industrial center located
along the Duwamish River.
5.5.2 Require that shoreline development in the MIC:
• Is designed to be consistent with Tukwila shoreline design guidelines;
• Maintains or enhances the existing visual quality along the river;
• Provides trees and other landscaping to buffer industrial uses that are
incompatible with other river uses; and
• Provides amenities that enhance enjoyment of the river by employees.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
• Shoreline design guidelines
• Shoreline development standards
Public access to shorelines of the state is one of the key goals of the Shoreline Management Act —
of the seven uses identified in RCW 90.58.020 as having preference in the shoreline, two relate to
public access and recreation.
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In addition to the Green River Trail, which runs along much of the length of the river through
the City, Tukwila is fortunate to have a number of other public access sites along the river. The
following goals and policies support preserving existing public access sites and providing additional
public access to the river. To support implementation of these goals and policies, the City's
development regulations include incentives for private development projects to provide public
access to the shoreline.
Shoreline trails provide important public access opportunities for Tukwila residents.
Goal 5.6 Access and Recreational Use
Increase the amount and diversity of opportunities for public recreation and access to and along
the river, including visual and cultural access, access to the water's edge, opportunities for small
boat navigation and access, and connections to other neighborhoods consistent with the shoreline
character.
General Policies
5.6.1 Retain and improve areas identified as important in the network of public access
to the river, including cross -town connections, former railroad rights -of -way and
unimproved street -end rights -of -way, historic sites, unique natural features, or other
areas valuable for their interpretive potential.
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5.6.2 Maintain existing parks along the shoreline and acquire additional park land to
increase access and recreation opportunities.
5.6.3 Incorporate river access requirements to guide the design, location, and management
of shoreline public access in short plats over 4 lots and all subdivisions as well as
multi - family, commercial and industrial development; to identify types of access
appropriate and feasible for various site conditions and locations; and to establish
strategies, funding sources, and priorities for acquisition and enhancement of
shoreline public access.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
• Shoreline design guidelines
• Shoreline public access guidelines
• Shoreline development standards
• Walk and Roll Plan
• Parks and Open Space Plan
5.6.4 Design, locate and manage public access for diverse types and variable levels
of intensity, in order to minimize impacts on vulnerable features of the natural
environment and to minimize conflicts with private property uses.
5.6.5 Where shoreline development provides public access areas, reserve such areas
through the means most appropriate for the type, scale, and impacts of the
development, such as donation or sale of an easement or right -of -way to the City.
5.6.6 Support the implementation of the King County Green River Trail, per the existing
King County Green River Trail Master Plan as well as pedestrian /bicycle connections
with the Trail from properties on the opposite bank and the expansion of this Trail
where appropriate.
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Policies for Development Outside MIC
5.6.7 Require subdivisions, multi - family residential uses and commercial and industrial
uses along the shoreline to provide a trail for public access along the river in areas
identified for trail connections, consistent with the King County Green River Trail
Master Plan, Shoreline Master Program or any other approved access plan. Require
any property not included in the King County Green River Trail Plan to provide public
access or a private natural area in lieu of physical public access.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
• King County Green River Trail Master Plan amendment
• Shoreline public access standards
• Walk and Roll Plan
• Parks and Open Space Plan
5.6.8 Where shoreline public access is provided, ensure that it is designed to be safe and
convenient and includes access amenities such as benches, drinking fountains, public
parking areas, handicapped access, and appropriate lighting, consistent with the
shoreline access guidelines.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
• Shoreline access guidelines
• King County Green River Trail Master Plan
• Walk and Roll Plan
• Parks and Open Space Plan
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5.6.9 Except for single - family residential development of four or fewer single - family
residential lots, shoreline developments shall maintain views of the water from the
shoreline and from upland areas, through appropriate design of building height, bulk
and modulation, windows, breezeways, and outdoor spaces.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
• Shoreline design guidelines
5.6.10 Public access improvements should be designed and constructed to:
• Look and "feel" welcoming to the public.
• Connect to public areas, street ends, and other pedestrian or public through fares.
• Enhance the character of Tukwila.
• Avoid conflicts with water - dependent uses.
• Provide for public safety and minimize impacts to private property and individual
privacy and security.
• Require a low level of operation and maintenance.
• Ensure that construction (i.e. structures and access pathways) incorporates
environmentally sensitive design and materials (e.g., non - toxic, natural materials).
5.6.11 Improve pedestrian connections between the river, Green River Trail and the Urban
Center's commercial, office and residential uses.
Policies for Development in MIC
5.6.12 For MIC properties included in the King County Green River Trail Master Plan, require
shoreline development to provide a trail for public access along the river.
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5.6.13 Where shoreline public access is provided, ensure that it is designed to be safe and
convenient and includes access amenities such as benches, drinking fountains, public
parking areas, handicapped access and appropriate lighting, consistent with the river
access guidelines.
5.6.14 For MIC properties not included in the King County Green River Trail Plan, require
shoreline development to provide public access or a private natural area in lieu of
public access, or otherwise mitigate the loss of public access.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
• Shoreline design guidelines
• Shoreline access guidelines
• Walk and Roll Plan
• Parks and Open Space Plan
Goal 5.7 Transportation Within the Shoreline Zone
Safe corridors and amenities for pedestrians, cyclists, and users of public transportation, allowing
more citizens to access and enjoy the river.
Policies
5.7.1 Design and locate transportation uses within the shoreline jurisdiction to be
compatible with shoreline vegetation or other habitat features, turn -outs or parking
areas for public access, boat ramps, biofiltration swales to protect water quality, public
art, or interpretive signs.
5.7.2 Ensure that transportation uses within the shoreline jurisdiction and within those
corridors identified as river cross connections provide safe, convenient, and attractive
pedestrian, bicycle and boater access and facilities for public transportation.
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5.7.3 Minimize transportation impacts on the natural environment (such as noises, odors,
and air or water pollution) and enhance the natural environment wherever possible
through planting trees and other habitat features.
5.7.4 Encourage maintenance of the river's navigability up to the turning basin, where this
achieves a greater public interest and a balance between costs and benefits to the
broader community and impacts to the habitat functions of the river, in recognition of
the historical significance of navigation and its importance to the economic vitality of
water - dependent uses and the MIC.
Goal 5.8 Historical Resource Use
Recognition of the river's contribution to Tukwila history and community identity through
identification, enhancement, restoration, and protection of sites with historic and cultural value and
through development of interpretive and educational programs.
Policies
5.8.1 Ensure that shoreline development reflects the river's important role in Tukwila history
and that long -term public use of the river as a historical resource is protected by
providing for the identification, protection, and interpretation of unique historic and
archaeological features.
5.8.2 Ensure that public shoreline development reflects the river's natural features and
community traditions.
5.8.3 Ensure that archaeological artifacts and sites are protected when development takes
place in the shoreline jurisdiction.
The Green /Duwamish River has undergone extensive modifications in the past to reduce
channel migration and limit the extent and duration of valley flooding by constructing levees
and revetments. These modifications to the river system have negatively impacted ecological
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functions, including hydrology, water quality, riparian habitat and in- stream habitat. River flows
have been modified by dam construction, stream diversion, and urban development. River
management and levees have reduced the connection between the rivers and their floodplains,
changing the spatial extent of habitat, and increasing the potential for negative water quality
impacts. Disturbances to the channel banks have resulted in areas that are dominated by non-
native invasive species. Wood, in the form of riparian trees and in- channel wood, is generally
lacking throughout the system, which has a negative impact on riparian and aquatic habitats. The
following goals and policies seek to improve the ecological function of the river system.
Goal 5.9 Natural Environment and Habitat Use
Restored, enhanced, and protected natural environmental resources along the river, including
trees, wildlife habitat, and features with value for long -term public, scientific, and educational uses.
Aerial view of North Winds Weir Off - Channel Habitat (photo courtesy of WRIA 9)
TUKWILA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN - OCTOBER 2013
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Policies
5.9.1
Ensure that shoreline development results in no net loss of shoreline ecological
function, minimizes impacts on wildlife and that significant vegetation, sandbars,
wetlands, watercourses, and other critical areas identified as important for habitat are
maintained through the proper location, design, construction, and management of all
shoreline uses and activities.
5.9.2 Ensure that shoreline development and activities protect riverbank vegetation and,
where feasible, restore degraded riverbanks in accordance with the vegetation
management provisions of the Shoreline Master Program, in order to minimize and
compensate for impacts on fish and wildlife habitat.
5.9.3 Mitigate unavoidable disturbances of significant vegetation or habitat through
replacement of habitat and provision of interpretive features consistent with the
shoreline access guidelines.
5.9.4 Support relief from certain Shoreline Master Program requirements for properties
affected by habitat restoration projects that result in the movement of the ordinary
high water mark.
5.9.5 Support establishing the Transition Zone as the priority area for habitat restoration
projects given its importance for subtidal and intertidal habitats to allow salmonids to
gradually adjust to the change between fresh and saltwater conditions.
A system of levees and revetments have been constructed along a major portion of the river in
Tukwila. The City has adopted a minimum levee profile to promote river bank stability, protect
structures, and enhance shoreline ecological functions. The minimum levee profile incorporates
a mid -slope bench that provides a wider river channel to accommodate higher flows during storm
events and allows planting of native vegetation to improve habitat functions. The vegetation on the
mid -slope bench will also reduce the speed of water flows during storm events.
TUKWILA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN - OCTOBER 2013 PAGE 5 -25
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Goal 5.10 Water Quality, Surface Water, and Flood Control Use
Improved water quality and quantity control programs affecting the Green /Duwamish River that
improve the river's water quality, provide habitat for fish and wildlife, protect public health and
safety, and enhance public enjoyment of the river.
Policies
5.10.1 Design, locate, and manage shoreline development including streets, flood control
projects, surface water drainage and sewer systems, clearing and grading activities,
and landscaping in a manner that minimizes opportunities for pollutants to enter the
river, provides erosion control, and otherwise protects water quality.
5.10.2 Design, manage, and mitigate flood control uses to minimize impacts on other
shoreline uses such as trees and riverbank vegetation, public access and recreation,
and fish habitat; and set them back from the river, where feasible for the project,
with land areas between the water and the levee set aside as open space for public
recreation or wildlife habitat.
5.10.3 Consistent with project feasibility, mitigate unavoidable negative impacts on other
shoreline uses owing to flood control uses through such measures as restoration of
trees and native riverbank vegetation, provision of public access to the water's edge,
interpretive features, or other mitigation of loss of opportunities for shoreline multiple
uses.
5.10.4 Obtain additional easements, where needed, from property owners to set back
levees to improve flood control and shoreline habitat functions. Where possible, as
redevelopment occurs, replace bulkheads, revetments or other hard bank stabilization
with more natural levees, riverbanks or other shoreline treatments, to improve flood
control, ecological functions and habitat.
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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
• Where possible, increase levee setback
• Shoreline access guidelines
• Surface Water Management Plan
• WRIA 9 Plan water quality policies
Goal 5.11 Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
Shoreline uses that do not endanger public health, safety, and welfare or the capacity of the river to
provide long -term benefits and resources to the community.
5.11.1 Design, locate, and manage shoreline uses, such as capital improvement projects
and private development, in a manner that does not endanger public health, safety
and welfare, and enhances the capacity of the river to provide long -term benefits and
resources to the community.
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