WAC 332-30-171   Residential uses on state-owned aquatic lands.  (1) Application. This section applies to residential uses, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(62), and floating houses, moorage facilities, and vessels, as defined in WAC 332-30-106 (23), (38) and (74), as they relate to residential uses, on state-owned aquatic lands. All requirements in this section shall apply to the department and to port districts managing aquatic lands under a management agreement (WAC 332-30-114). This section does not apply to: Activities or structures on aquatic lands not owned by the state; vessels used solely for recreational or transient purposes; floating houses or vessels used as hotels, motels or boatels; or vessels owned and operated by the United States military.

     (2) Limits on the number of residential uses. Residential uses on state-owned aquatic lands shall only occur in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws. The following apply only to leases entered into following the effective date of this rule unless otherwise provided in subsection (3) of this section.

     (a) The total number of slips which may be allocated for residential uses in any marina, pier, open water moorage and anchorage area, or other moorage facility shall be limited to ten percent of the total number of slips within a marina, unless otherwise established as provided in (b) or (c) of this subsection. For the purposes of determining the exact number of residential slips, the department shall round to nearest whole number.

     (b) Upon the effective date of this rule, the ten percent limit can be changed by local government, through amendments to the local shoreline master program and/or issuance of a shoreline substantial development conditional use permit, if all of the following conditions are met:

     (i) Methods to handle the upland disposal and best management practices for the increased waste associated with residential use are expressly addressed and required; and

     (ii) Specific locations for residential use slips do not adversely impact habitat or interfere with water-dependent uses.

     (c) If a local shoreline master program or local ordinance has established a different percentage limit prior to the date this rule takes effect, the limit established in that shoreline master program or local ordinance shall be the recognized percentage limit. After the effective date of this rule, changes to the percentage limit shall only be recognized by DNR as the percentage limit if the changes are made through amendments to the Shoreline Master Program or adoption of a shoreline substantial development conditional use permit.

     (d) Application of the percentage limit to moorage facilities that occupy both state-owned aquatic and privately owned aquatic lands.

     (i) If the city or county jurisdiction has not established a percentage limit, then the total number of vessels used as a residence and floating houses in any moorage facility shall be limited to ten percent of the total number of slips or spaces usable for moorage or anchorage in that facility. In this case, when a moorage facility occupies both state-owned and nonstate-owned aquatic lands, the percent limit will be calculated using only the total number of slips that are located on state-owned aquatic lands and will be applied only to the portion of the facility located on state-owned aquatic lands.

     (ii) If a county or city has established a percent limit, and a moorage facility occupies both state-owned and nonstate-owned aquatic lands, the department may authorize any or all of the floating houses or vessels with residential uses within the entire facility to be located in the portion of the facility on state-owned aquatic lands.

     (e) If a moorage facility has so few moorage slips or spaces that the percent limit allows for less than one residential use slip, then one residential use slip may be authorized, if not otherwise prohibited by the city or county jurisdiction.

     (3) Excess residential use slips.

     (a) This subsection shall apply to all lessees occupying state-owned aquatic lands under written leases with the department as of the effective date of this rule. Within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this rule, each existing moorage facility lessee shall document the existing percentage of residential use slips within their facility and report this information to the department. This reported percentage shall be referred to as the "reported existing percentage" for the moorage facility lessee.

     (i) If the reported existing percentage of residential use slips is greater than the ten percent limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, then the reported existing percentage will establish the allowable residential use percentage at the beginning of a new lease for the same moorage facility, regardless of whether ownership of the facility changes subject to attrition described in subsection (3)(b) of this section. At the time the new lease is entered into, those residential uses in excess of the reported existing percentage will be required to vacate the moorage facility.

     (ii) If the reported existing percentage of residential use slips is less than or equal to the ten percent limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, then the percentage limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, will establish the allowable residential use percentage at the beginning of a new lease for the same moorage facility, regardless of whether ownership of the facility changes. At the time the new lease is entered into, those residential uses in excess of the ten percent limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, will be required to vacate the moorage facility.

     (iii) If a moorage facility lessee fails to report the existing percentage of residential slips within their facility within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this rule, then the percentage limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, will establish the allowable residential use percentage at the beginning of a new lease for the same moorage facility, regardless of whether ownership of the facility changes. At the time the new lease is entered into, those residential uses in excess of the ten percent limit established in this rule, or other locally established limit as described in subsection (2)(b) or (c) of this section, will be required to vacate the moorage facility.

     (b) The purpose of this subsection is to describe the process of attrition used to reach compliance with the percentage limit or locally established percentage limit. For all leases entered into following the effective date of this rule, if there are more residential use slips in a moorage facility than allowed by the percent limit, then no new or additional residential use slips, including replacements for grandfathered floating houses under subsection (7)(a) of this section, shall be authorized in that facility. In such cases, any residential uses that leave the facility for a period of time greater than thirty days may not return to the facility until the total number of residential use slips is below the percent limit. For purposes of counting the thirty days described in this subsection (3)(b), the department shall not include time needed for repairs to the vessels or floating houses, nor any time when a vessel is away from the moorage facility but the owner or operator of the vessel continuously maintains a written moorage agreement for that facility.

     (c) Marina owners, operators, and/or managers may decrease the ten percent limit on a site-specific basis.

     (4) Waste disposal. The following apply to all leases entered into following the effective date of this rule:

     (a) Sewage. All treated and untreated sewage shall be disposed of upland, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. This section does not require specific disposal methods so long as the measures established by the lessee and the department ensure upland disposal.

     (b) Oil and toxic substances. All oil, grease, corrosive liquids, and other toxic substances shall be disposed of upland, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. This section does not require specific disposal methods so long as the measures established by the lessee and the department ensure upland disposal.

     (c) Solid waste. All solid waste shall be disposed of upland, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. This section does not require specific disposal methods so long as the measures established by the lessee and the department ensure upland disposal.

     (d) Gray water. All gray water shall be disposed of in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. Moorage facilities shall develop and implement best management practices to avoid, to the maximum extent possible, all discharges into waters above state-owned aquatic land, of wastewater from showers, baths, sinks, laundry, decks, and other miscellaneous sources, otherwise known as "gray water." For those unavoidable discharges, the best management practices shall minimize discharges, to the maximum extent possible, of gray water from showers, baths, sinks, laundry, decks, and other miscellaneous sources.

     (5) Responsibilities of lessees with residential uses. The following apply to leases entered into following the effective date of this rule:

     (a) Each department lessee must establish and implement measures satisfactory to the department for ensuring upland waste disposal, and the avoidance or minimization of any discharge of waste, as described in (c) of this subsection, onto or in the waters above state-owned aquatic lands from vessels used for residential use and floating houses. This shall include a contingency plan in case of failure or unavailability of the waste disposal methods identified by the lessee and approved by the department.

     (b) Each department lessee must annually, or as otherwise provided in the lease, provide the department with evidence that all vessels used for residential use and floating houses in their facility comply with this rule and the terms of the department lease.

     (c) Each department lessee shall fully describe the waste disposal measures. These measures may include, but are not limited to:

     (i) Connection to an upland sewage system;

     (ii) Periodic sewage pump-out service, either at a pump-out station or with transportable pump-out equipment, including prepayment for such services and proof of participation by residential occupants;

     (iii) Installation of appropriate waste receptacles;

     (iv) Back-up and clean-up facilities and procedures as needed in case of failure or temporary unavailability of waste disposal systems;

     (v) Educational efforts, such as posting of notices, distribution of information, and training for residents on waste disposal methods and requirements;

     (vi) Monitoring of activities within the facility to prevent or identify and remedy improper waste disposal;

     (vii) Contractual requirements in moorage subleases requiring proper waste disposal by residents; and/or

     (viii) Other best management practices and/or best available technologies that are established by any local, state, or federal agency, including the department, or by any appropriate nongovernmental organization, that are satisfactory to the department to ensure upland disposal of waste and avoid or minimize any discharge of waste onto or in the waters above state-owned aquatic lands.

     (d) Consistent with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations, all leases issued by the department after the effective date of this rule for moorage facilities with residential uses within them shall require and specify:

     (i) Methods to handle the upland disposal and best management practices for the increased waste associated with residential use;

     (ii) Specific locations for residential use slips that do not adversely impact habitat or interfere with water-dependent uses.

     (6) Vessels. Moorage of a vessel, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(74), is a water-dependent use.

     (7) Floating houses. Moorage of a floating house, as defined in WAC 332-30-106(23), is a water-oriented use.

     (a) Classifying floating house moorage under RCW 79.105.060(25). In classifying floating house moorage under RCW 79.105.060(25), the department will apply the following rules:

     (i) If a floating house moorage site had a floating house moored there under a department lease on October 1, 1984, or if a floating house was moored there for at least three years before October 1, 1984, then the department will classify that site as a water-dependent use for the purposes of determining rent. Such sites may be referred to as "grandfathered" sites.

     (ii) If a floating house moorage site did not have a floating house moored there under a department lease on October 1, 1984, nor for at least three years before October 1, 1984, then the department shall classify that site as a nonwater-dependent use. Such sites may be referred to as "nongrandfathered" sites.

     (iii) The classification of a grandfathered or nongrandfathered floating house moorage site applies to the specific aquatic land being utilized for moorage of the floating house, not to the floating house itself.

     (iv) The department shall classify each individual floating house moorage slip within a moorage facility as a separate site. This may result in a marina containing both grandfathered and nongrandfathered floating house moorage sites.

     (v) If a floating house vacates a grandfathered moorage site and either returns within thirty days or is replaced with another floating house within thirty days, then the moorage site will remain grandfathered.

     (vi) If a floating house vacates a grandfathered moorage site and does not return within thirty days, future moorage of that floating house in the same or a different site shall be nongrandfathered, unless the floating house qualifies as a replacement floating house under (a)(v) of this subsection.

     (vii) After October 1, 1984, if a grandfathered site ceased or ceases being used for floating house moorage for more than thirty consecutive days, then the site shall no longer be grandfathered.

     (viii) When counting the thirty days described in (a)(v) through (vii) of this subsection, the department will exclude any reasonable time needed for repair of the floating house.

     (ix) If a lessee redesignates a grandfathered floating house moorage slip within the lease area, consistent with the lease requirements, and notifies the department in advance of where the slip is to be relocated, then the slip will remain grandfathered. However, if a nongrandfathered site has a floating house relocated to it after the effective date of this rule, the site shall not be designated as grandfathered as provided in this subsection, (7)(a)(ix).

     (x) If a floating house was moored at a grandfathered site on October 1, 1984, but was relocated to a site authorized by the department so that on the effective date of this rule the floating house is moored at a nongrandfathered site, then the department may classify this new location as a grandfathered site if the floating house meets all of the following criteria:

     (A) The floating house was on state-owned aquatic land leased on October 1, 1984, or was on state-owned aquatic lands for three years prior to October 1, 1984;

     (B) The floating house was continuously on state-owned aquatic lands from October 1, 1984, until the effective date of this rule, except for any reasonable time needed for repair of the house; and

     (C) The department receives, within one year after the effective date of this rule, a request to have the current moorage site classified as a grandfathered site.

     (b) Managing grandfathered floating house moorage. Floating houses moored in grandfathered sites that meet all applicable laws and rules, and are consistent with all lease requirements, may remain. The department shall charge the water-dependent rental rate for such moorage.

     (c) Managing nongrandfathered floating house moorage.

     (i) The department may authorize floating house moorage at a nongrandfathered site only if the department determines that the following conditions are met:

     (A) All conditions as set forth in this section;

     (B) The specific sites and circumstances for floating house moorage have been identified in an adopted local shoreline management plan that provides for the present and future needs of all uses, considers cumulative impacts to habitat and resources of statewide value, identifies specific areas or situations in which floating house moorage will be allowed, and justifies the exceptional nature of those areas or situations; and

     (C) The floating house moorage is compatible with water-dependent uses existing in or planned for the area.

     (ii) If a floating house is moored at a nongrandfathered site that does not meet the conditions in (c)(i) of this subsection, but the site is authorized by a department lease and the floating house and moorage meet all conditions as set forth in this section and is consistent with all lease requirements, then the floating house may remain until the termination of the lease or one year after the effective date of this rule, whichever is later. Thereafter, unless at that time the floating house meets the conditions in (c)(i) of this subsection, the floating house must vacate the nongrandfathered site.

     (iii) If a floating house is moored at a nongrandfathered site that does not meet the conditions in (c)(i) of this subsection and is not authorized by a department lease, then the floating house must vacate the site within one year from the effective date of this rule, unless at that time it meets the conditions in (c)(i) of this subsection and the department chooses to grant a lease.

     (iv) For nongrandfathered floating house moorage sites, the department shall charge the nonwater-dependent rental rate. If a leased area contains both nongrandfathered floating house moorage along with grandfathered floating house moorage or other water-dependent uses, then the nonwater-dependent rental rate shall be applied to a proportionate share of any common areas used in conjunction with the nongrandfathered floating house moorage, including, but not limited to, docks, breakwaters, and open water areas for ingress and egress to the facility.

     (8) Open water moorage. For the purposes of this section, open water moorage and anchorage areas are defined in WAC 332-30-106(45).

     (a) Vessels used for residential use and floating houses shall be moored, anchored, or otherwise secured only at a marina, pier, or similar fixed moorage facility that is connected to the shoreline, or in open water moorage and anchorage areas described under WAC 332-30-139(5) and subject to the restrictions therein. Vessels used for residential use and floating houses shall not be moored, anchored or otherwise secured in open waters above state-owned aquatic lands away from a fixed moorage facility that is connected to the shoreline, nor be moored, anchored, or otherwise secured to any natural feature in the water or on the shoreline, except within an open water moorage and anchorage area. A vessel used for residential use or floating house may moor in areas prohibited by this subsection (8)(a) when necessary because of an emergency that immediately threatens human life or property, for the duration of the emergency only.

     (b) Any vessel used for residential use or floating house that is moored on state-owned aquatic lands on the effective date of this rule, and complies with all other applicable laws and all lease requirements, but does not comply with (a) of this subsection, may remain until one year after the effective date of this rule or until the termination date of the existing department lease, whichever is later. Thereafter, unless at that time it meets the conditions in (a) of this subsection, the vessel used for residential use or floating house must vacate the site. The department shall not authorize or reauthorize any moorage for vessels used for residential use or floating houses that do not comply with (a) of this subsection.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 79.105.360. 06-06-005 (Order 724), § 332-30-171, filed 2/16/06, effective 3/19/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 79.90.455, 79.90.460. 02-21-076 (Order 710), § 332-30-171, filed 10/17/02, effective 11/17/02.]