Chapter 17B.12
SHORELINE DESIGNATIONS

Sections:

17B.12.010    Shoreline environment designations.

17B.12.020    Urban waterfront and urban waterfront park shoreline environments.

17B.12.030    Urban conservancy shoreline environment.

17B.12.040    Aquatic urban and aquatic urban conservancy environments.

17B.12.050    Urban lakefront environment.

17B.12.060    Urban railroad environment.

17B.12.070    Shoreline maps.

17B.12.010 Shoreline environment designations.

Mukilteo’s shoreline is broken down into the following seven shoreline environment designations in compliance with the Shoreline Management Act of the state of Washington:

A.    Urban Waterfront. Waterfront mixed-use (WMU) and downtown business district (DB) zones north of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway tracks.

B.    Urban Waterfront Park. Open space (OS) zone that includes Mukilteo Lighthouse Park.

C.    Urban Conservancy. Applies to those areas south of the urban waterfront designation and within two hundred feet of the OHWM. The following zoning districts fall within the urban conservancy environment:

1.    Residential Zones. RD 7.5, RD 8.4, RD 12.5, RD 12.5(S), MRD, MR-PRD.

2.    Heavy Industry Zone. HI (Mukilteo water and wastewater district (MWWD) sewer treatment plant).

3.    Open Space Zone. OS.

D.    Aquatic Urban. Means all lands waterward of the OHWM within the urban waterfront and urban waterfront park designations.

E.    Aquatic Urban Conservancy. Means all lands waterward of the OHWM within the urban conservancy designation.

F.    Urban Lakefront. Means all lands two hundred feet upland of the OHWM and waterward from OHWM to the middle of the lake around the entire perimeter of Lake Serene.

G.    Urban Railroad. Means all lands two hundred feet upland of the OHWM owned by BNSF; tidelands are not included within this designation. (Ord. 1427 § 3 (Exh. C) (part), 2019: Ord. 1295 § 10 (Exh. 1B) (part), 2011)

17B.12.020 Urban waterfront and urban waterfront park shoreline environments.

A.    Urban waterfront encompasses the waterfront mixed-use and downtown business zoning district. The purpose of the urban waterfront designation is to provide for development and redevelopment of high-intensity, water-oriented (water enjoyment or water-related) commercial and recreational activities, transportation, and essential public facilities, while protecting existing ecological functions and improving ecological functions in areas that have been previously degraded.

B.    Urban waterfront park encompasses Mukilteo Lighthouse Park (the lighthouse and former state park). The purpose of urban waterfront park is to allow for an urban waterfront park to be redeveloped and maintained providing a key component of waterfront access for the community. (Ord. 1427 § 3 (Exh. C) (part), 2019: Ord. 1295 § 10 (Exh. 1B) (part), 2011)

17B.12.030 Urban conservancy shoreline environment.

The urban conservancy environment designation encompasses Mukilteo’s shorelines south of Lighthouse Park. Mukilteo’s municipal urban growth area’s (MUGA’s) shoreline area has also been designated urban conservancy. The purpose of the urban conservancy designation is to protect and improve wherever possible the ecological functions of the shoreline and nearshore in an urban setting, while allowing the retention of existing railroad tracks, the modification of existing railroad tracks necessary to optimize freight, passenger, and commuter rail service and the benefits of the Mukilteo commuter rail station, the provision of utilities, existing residences and a variety of water-oriented public access and recreational activities together with their related structures. (Ord. 1427 § 3 (Exh. C) (part), 2019: Ord. 1295 § 10 (Exh. 1B) (part), 2011)

17B.12.040 Aquatic urban and aquatic urban conservancy environments.

The city has broken the aquatic environment into two distinct areas to coincide with the unique nature of Mukilteo’s shoreline. The purpose of this aquatic environment is to protect, restore, and manage the unique characteristics and resources of the areas waterward of the ordinary high water mark.

A.    Aquatic urban area runs from the city’s most eastern boundary with the city of Everett to the southern end of Lighthouse Park.

B.    Aquatic urban conservancy area runs from the southern boundary of Lighthouse Park to the city’s southern city limits and includes the annexation area. (Ord. 1427 § 3 (Exh. C) (part), 2019: Ord. 1295 § 10 (Exh. 1B) (part), 2011)

17B.12.050 Urban lakefront environment.

Urban lakefront includes all lands two hundred feet upland and waterward of the OHWM around the entire perimeter of Lake Serene. (Ord. 1427 § 3 (Exh. C) (part), 2019: Ord. 1295 § 10 (Exh. 1B) (part), 2011)

17B.12.060 Urban railroad environment.

Urban railroad environment includes all Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad right-of-way or easements within two hundred feet upland and waterward of the OHWM of Puget Sound. BNSF tidelands below the OHWM of Puget Sound fall within the aquatic environments. (Ord. 1427 § 3 (Exh. C) (part), 2019: Ord. 1295 § 10 (Exh. 1B) (part), 2011)

17B.12.070 Shoreline maps.

There are two shoreline maps, copies of which are on file in the office of the city clerk, which by reference are adopted with and made a part of this title, and are known as (A) the shoreline environment designations and (B) an overlay to the official shoreline zoning map. The second map delineates the approximate boundaries of the two-hundred-foot shoreline zone as defined and determined in this title and may from time to time be amended by the council for the purpose of implementing the comprehensive plan.

Figure 1

Shoreline Environment Designations

Figure 2

Zoning Map with Two-Hundred-Foot Shoreline Zone Shown as an Overlay

(Ord. 1427 § 3 (Exh. C) (part), 2019: Ord. 1295 § 10 (Exh. 1B) (part), 2011)