A. Shoreline Designation Map.

B. Upland Designations.

1. Urban. The purpose of the urban designation is to provide for high-intensity water-oriented commercial, transportation, industrial, mixed use, multifamily residential, public access and recreational uses while protecting existing natural resources, ecological functions and ecosystem-wide processes, and restoring ecological functions in areas that have been previously degraded.

2. Shoreline Residential. The purpose of the shoreline residential designation is to provide for residential development and appurtenant structures, appropriate public access and recreational use, which are consistent with the Shoreline Management Act, while protecting existing natural resources, ecological functions and ecosystem-wide processes, and restoring ecological functions in previously degraded areas.

3. Shoreline Residential Conservancy. The purpose of the shoreline residential conservancy designation is to accommodate compatible residential uses while protecting, conserving, and restoring shoreline ecological functions and processes of open space, floodplains or other flood prone areas, and other sensitive lands. It is the further purpose to conserve and manage valuable historic and cultural resources where they exist. Due to the more sensitive characteristics of these areas, a higher level of development standards is warranted.

4. Island Conservancy. The purpose of the island conservancy designation is to accommodate a variety of private or public recreational uses that might have a higher level of impact than would be allowed in the natural designation. Uses should incorporate elements compatible with protecting, conserving and restoring ecological functions and ecosystem-wide processes of open space, floodplains or other flood prone areas, and other sensitive lands, and manage valuable historic and cultural resources where they exist.

5. Natural. The purpose of the natural designation is to protect those shoreline areas where the majority of natural ecological functions and/or shoreline ecosystem-wide processes are retained, often evidenced by the shoreline configuration and the presence of native vegetation. Generally, but not necessarily, they include ecologically intact shorelines that are free of structural shoreline modifications, structures, and intensive human uses or have potential for restoration.

C. Aquatic Designations.

1. Aquatic. The purpose of the aquatic designation is to protect, restore and manage the sensitive and unique characteristics and resources of the waters of the Puget Sound, tidelands, and submerged intertidal areas located waterward of the ordinary high water mark. The aquatic designation may allow either multiple water-dependent uses or specific dominant water-dependent uses. It is intended to promote sustainable use of the natural features and resources of aquatic areas.

2. Priority Aquatic. The purpose of the priority aquatic designation is to protect, preserve, restore and manage aquatic areas of sensitive and unique ecological value that include those portions of the marine waters of the city that exist in a relatively natural state, free of human influence, or which contain resources, biological diversity, or other features that are particularly sensitive to human activity, or which contain unique, historical, archaeological, cultural, or educational features that merit special protection. (Ord. 2020-17 § 3 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 2014-04 § 3 (Exh. 1 § 3), 2014)