CITY OF DES MOINES SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM

Des Moines Shoreline Master Program
Conforming use 3 . An activity the nature and type of which is permitted in the zone in which the
property on which it is established is located.
Creation (establishment), wetlands 3 . The manipulation of the physical, chemical, or biological
characteristics present to develop a wetland on an upland or deepwater site where a wetland did
not previously exist. “Establishment” results in a gain in wetland acres. Activities typically
involve excavation of upland soils to elevations that will produce a wetland hydroperiod, create
hydric soils, and support the growth of hydrophytic plant species.
Critical areas 3 . Any of those areas of the city which are subject to natural hazards or those
landform features which in their natural state carry, hold, or purify water; support unique, fragile,
or valuable natural resources including fish, wildlife, and other organisms and their habitat;
provide flood protection; provide shoreline stabilization; provide ground water recharge;
maintain stream flow; stabilize slope and shoreline bluffs; stabilize soil; and control erosion.
Critical areas include the following landform features: hillsides, bluffs, erosion hazard areas,
landslide hazard areas, seismic hazard areas, wetlands, streams, areas of special flood hazard,
critical aquifer recharge areas, fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, and the protective
buffers necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.
DMMC 2 . Des Moines Municipal Code.
Development 1 . A use consisting of the construction or exterior alteration of structures;
dredging; drilling; dumping; filling; removal of any sand, gravel, or minerals; bulk heading;
driving of piling; placing of obstructions; or any project of a permanent or temporary nature
which interferes with the normal public use of the surface of the waters overlying lands subject
to the act at any stage of water level.
Development regulations 1 . The controls placed on development or land uses by the City of Des
Moines, including, but not limited to, zoning ordinances, critical areas ordinances, all portions of
the SMP other than goals and policies approved or adopted under chapter 90.58 RCW, planned
unit development ordinances, subdivision ordinances, and binding site plan ordinances together
with any amendments thereto.
Drainage facility 3 . The system of collecting, conveying, and storing surface and storm water
runoff. Drainage facilities shall include but not be limited to all surface and storm water runoff
conveyance and containment facilities including streams, pipelines, channels, ditches, wetlands,
closed depressions, infiltration facilities, retention/detention facilities, erosion/sedimentation
control facilities, and other drainage structures and appurtenances, both natural and manmade.
Dredging 2 . The removal of earth from the bottom of a stream, bay or other water body for the
purposes of deepening and/or maintaining a navigational channel or to obtain use of the bottom
materials for landfill.
Drift cell 1 . Also referred to as “drift sector,” or “littoral cell”, meaning a particular reach of
marine shore in which littoral drift may occur without significant interruption and which contains
any natural sources of such drift and also accretion shore forms created by such drift.
KEY: 1. RCW or WAC 2. 1988 SMP Glossary 3. City Zoning Code 4. New Definition
Department of Ecology approval effective November 1, 2010
Adopted by City of Des Moines Ordinance No. 1502 117