Ilwaco’s updated shoreline program means public comment opportunity in Pacific County

The public has until May 25 to comment

On the north shore of Baker Bay at the mouth of the Columbia River, the city of Ilwaco stands as the gateway to the Long Beach Peninsula and home to a variety of shorelines that provide the area with resources for vacationers, aquaculturists, fishers and townspeople, alike.

Ilwaco is the gateway to the Long Beach Peninsula.

And for the first time in more than 40 years, Ilwaco has proposed comprehensive updates to its shoreline master program. The 127-year-old town that incorporated in 1890 will use the new program to guide shoreline construction and development along 8.2 miles of the Columbia and Wallacut rivers, Black Lake and Pacific Ocean.

Before the city can do that, though, the Department of Ecology needs the public to review and comment on Ilwaco’s proposal before 5 p.m. on May 25. Ecology will use these comments to help decide whether to approve the proposals as submitted or request changes from the city.

The new land use policies and regulations encourage reasonable and orderly development of Ilwaco’s shorelines while protecting their natural character. The updated program also promotes public access and provides opportunities to enjoy views and recreational activities in the city’s shoreline areas.

In addition to developing new shoreline buffers, the draft update establishes new shoreline designations (high intensity, residential, urban conservancy and aquatic) and the permitted, conditional and prohibited uses within those designations.

The public has until 5 p.m. May 25 to comment on the city’s program.

Ilwaco’s proposed Shoreline Master Program can be viewed online. Paper copies can be viewed at Ecology’s Southwest Regional Office, 300 Desmond Dr., Lacey, WA 98577, or at the Ilwaco City Hall, 120 First Avenue North, Ilwaco, WA, 98624.

Comments should be addressed to Ecology’s Kim Van Zwalenburg. Here’s how to submit them:

Mail:      Southwest Regional Office
              PO Box 47775
              Olympia, WA 98504-7775
Email:    kim.vanzwalenburg@ecy.wa.gov
Phone:  360-407-6520

By Dave Bennett, Southwest Region communications