30.67.565 Recreation.
Recreation uses are those uses that provide facilities for athletic activities, hobbies or other entertainment that provides relaxation or enjoyment of leisure time as a primary use. Recreation uses include both publicly and privately owned shoreline facilities intended for use by the public or a private club, group, association or individual. Commercial uses that are incidental to a recreation use such as concession stands or boat rental shall be considered part of the recreation use.
(1) The following general regulations apply to recreation in shorelines:
(a) Commercial recreational development shall comply with the requirements for commercial uses in SCC 30.67.525, in addition to the requirement of this section.
(b) Recreation facilities shall be designed to take maximum advantage of and enhance the natural character of the shoreline area.
(c) Motor vehicle use, including two- and three-wheeled vehicles, shall not be permitted on beaches, dunes, or wetlands and fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas except as necessary for official maintenance or the preservation of public health and safety.
(d) Non-water dependent uses are only allowed in the following circumstances:
(i) The proposed use is part of a mixed use project that includes water-dependent uses as the primary use of the site, and the non-water dependent uses are incidental or secondary to the water-dependent uses;
(ii) Navigability is severely limited at the proposed site and the use provides public access and restoration of wetlands or fish and wildlife habitat; or
(iii) The proposed site is physically separated from the shoreline by another property or public right-of-way.
(2) In addition to the general regulations contained in SCC 30.67.565(1), the following shoreline environment designation-specific regulations for recreation apply:
(a) Recreation uses are permitted in the Urban, Urban Conservancy and Rural Conservancy environments;
(b) Recreation uses are permitted in the Resource environment, except that golf courses, playing fields and other large areas devoted to athletic activities are prohibited within the Resource environment, except on lands designated "Recreational Lands" by the county’s comprehensive plan;
(c) Recreation uses are permitted in the Municipal Watershed Utility environment subject to provisions in the project license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission;
(d) Recreation uses are permitted in the Urban Conservancy, Natural, and Aquatic environments subject to the following conditions:
(i) Recreation uses are limited to passive or low-intensity recreation uses, such as trails and areas for public access to the water, hiking and walking, viewing platforms, picnic areas and hunting and fishing areas when such uses require minimal alteration to the shoreline, little clearing or grading and few shoreline modifications to conduct the activity;
(ii) Pedestrian and limited access bridges are allowed when necessary to facilitate public access;
(iii) Floating walkways or other similar over-water pedestrian structures facilitating access to observation points or viewing areas shall be permitted, provided they are constructed to minimize alteration of natural conditions and protect water quality; and
(iv) For artificial marine life habitats typically constructed for recreational diving:
(A) Habitats shall not interfere with surface navigation;
(B) Habitats shall be constructed of long-lasting non-polluting materials and anchored so as to remain in their original location even under adverse current or wave action; and
(C) Habitats may not be installed on publicly-owned submerged land without permission of the administering governmental agency. (Added by Amended Ord. 12-025, June 6, 2012, Eff date July 27, 2012).