Washington State’s citizens voted to approve the Shoreline Management Act (SMA) of 1971 in November 1972. In accordance with the SMA, Whitman County and incorporated cities and towns developed and adopted their first Shoreline Master Program (SMP) in 1974. The SMA and implementing SMP Guidelines require all towns, cities, and counties across the state to comprehensively update their SMPs. The SMP update allows preparations of a locally tailored program that represents the visions and interests of our citizens and meets the needs of our rural communities. The goals, policies, and regulations of this Program are intended to be consistent with the State shoreline guidelines in WAC 173-26. After the City’s local development and adoptions process is complete, the SMP is reviewed by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) to ensure compliance with the SMP Guidelines. The SMP does not become effective until it has been adopted by the City and approved by Ecology. (Ord. 16-3 §5, 2016).