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<br /> <br />Kittitas County Shoreline Master Program <br />Chapter 4 39 <br />March 7, 2016 <br />Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners Shoreline Master Program Adopting Ordinance <br />Kittitas County Shoreline Master Program Exhibit A | March 2016 | Page 39 of 339 <br />The purpose of the natural shoreline environment designation is to protect or restore <br />shoreline areas that are relatively free of human influence or include intact or minimally <br />degraded shoreline functions intolerant of human use. The natural shoreline environment <br />designation maintains the ecological functions and ecosystem-wide processes of such <br />areas by limiting future uses to low intensity uses that are compatible with the natural <br />characteristics that make these areas unique and valuable. <br />B. Management policies <br />Shoreline use and development within this designation must be consistent with the <br />following policies: <br />1. Prioritize preservation of the area’s ecological functions, natural features and overall <br />character over other potential uses. <br />2. Prohibit land uses and development that would substantially degrade the ecological <br />functions or natural character of the shoreline area, including: <br />a. Commercial uses; <br />b. Industrial uses; <br />c. Non-water-oriented recreation; and <br />d. Subdivision of property in a configuration that will require significant vegetation <br />removal or shoreline modification to support the intended use or development. <br />3. Discourage roads, utility corridors, and parking areas that can be located outside of <br />natural shoreline environment designation. <br />4. Allow the following as conditional uses when they are developed and operated in a <br />manner consistent with the purpose of this environment designation: <br />a. Single-family residential development, provided the density and intensity is limited <br />to protect ecological functions; and <br />b. Commercial forestry provided it meets the conditions of the State Forest Practices <br />Act. <br />5. Allow uses developed and operated in a manner consistent with the purpose of this <br />environment designation that will not result in significant ecological impacts, such as: <br />a. Agriculture uses of a very low intensity nature; <br />b. Scientific, historical, cultural, and educational research uses; and <br />c. Low-intensity water-oriented recreational access. <br /> <br />C. Designation criteria <br />1. A natural environment designation should be assigned to shoreline areas if any of <br />the following characteristics apply: <br />a. The shoreline is ecologically intact and therefore, currently performing an <br />important, irreplaceable function or ecosystem-wide process that would be