Shoreline Master Program

Burien’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP), a land use plan for local shoreline areas, applies to approximately five miles of marine shoreline along Puget Sound and Lake Burien.

This generally includes the waters, the lands underlying them, and areas 200 feet landward of the ordinary high-water mark (OHWM) of those waters, based on the Washington State Shoreline Management Act (RCW 90.58.020).

All proposed uses and development occurring within a shoreline jurisdiction must conform to Chapter 90.58 RCW, the Shoreline Management Act, and Burien’s Shoreline Master Program.

2018-19 Periodic Update 

The City of Burien completed a periodic review of its SMP as required every eight years by the Shoreline Management Act. This review is not a major update like the City completed in 2013.

Instead, the periodic review is limited in scope to changes that occurred to state laws and rules since the 2013 update. Additionally, the update ensures that the SMP is consistent with other Burien plans and regulations.

Shoreline Master Program Periodic Review Joint Public Comment Period and Public Hearing 

The Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on December 12, 2018, to receive public comments on proposed amendments to the SMP. The joint public comment period began on November 14, 2018, and closed on December 14, 2018. 

The City Council adopted the amendments on April 1. The amendments become effective at the conclusion of the Department of Ecology's review and approval process, which occurred on May 9, 2019. 

Complete Shoreline Master Program

Amended and Effective as of May 9, 2019.

Shoreline Property Owner Guides

Living next to Puget Sound, your home and property can feel the effects of the forces of nature that continually shape and reshape saltwater beaches. The following booklets, available online, provide information and useful resources for shoreline property owners about the natural environment and tips for living in harmony with the Sound.

Other Resources 

Shorelines permits can be found on the City of Burien’s Permit Center Page.

More information is available by calling the Planning Division at (206) 248-5510.