The Shoreline Management Exemption Request is the form letter that Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS) provides for asking to be exempt from obtaining a Shoreline Management Substantial Development Permit under SCC 30.44.120. It is used by an owner, renter, contract purchaser or other applicant who describes the project, names the code subsection that makes it exempt and signs a certification. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the county publishes the original at snohomishcountywa.gov.
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What is Shoreline Management Exemption Request – Snohomish County, WA?
The Shoreline Management Exemption Request is the form letter, addressed to the Shoreline Management Planner/Administrator of Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS), in which an applicant requests an exemption from obtaining a Shoreline Management Substantial Development Permit under SCC 30.44.120 for a described project.
The PDF has two pages, both marked January 2025. Page 1 gives the instructions for completing the request letter. Page 2 is the letter itself: the date, a description of the project, the subsection of SCC 30.44.120 on which you rely, the Tax ID # (if applicable), the Sec/Twp/Range, the water body and the shoreline designation, your relationship to the property, a certification that the statements are true and correct, and the applicant's name and contact details.
The letter is a request for an exemption. It is not the permit and it does not say whether the exemption will be granted. The instructions also ask for supporting material to go with the letter, such as a site plan, a map and a cost breakdown.
The form belongs to the permit paperwork of PDS, which lists many of its forms, instructions and examples on its Planning & Development Services Forms page.
Who needs to file Shoreline Management Exemption Request – Snohomish County, WA?
Anyone who plans a project on a shoreline and wants to ask Snohomish County for an exemption from a Shoreline Management Substantial Development Permit under SCC 30.44.120 completes this request. The letter has a line for each kind of applicant:
- the property Owner;
- a Renter;
- a Contract Purchaser;
- Other, with the relationship specified.
If you are not the owner, the letter asks you to list the owner's name, address and telephone number. The applicant signs the certification that the statements are true and correct. The form does not say that anyone else may sign for the applicant.
The instructions also cover normal repair or replacement of docks, bulkheads and other development, for which a photograph of current conditions is helpful. The form does not set out which projects qualify for an exemption. You name the subsection of SCC 30.44.120 that you believe applies, so check the code or ask PDS if you are unsure.
When to file Shoreline Management Exemption Request – Snohomish County, WA
You complete this letter when you want to request an exemption from a Shoreline Management Substantial Development Permit for a project. The form prints no due date, so the timing follows from your project: submit the request with its supporting material before you rely on the exemption for the work described. The letter asks for the amount of time needed to complete the project, so have that estimate ready. PDS lists the phone number 425-388-3311 for questions about its forms and the permit process, and that is the number to use if you need to know how the request fits your project schedule.
Documents you need
- A complete description of the proposed project: the exact nature of the work, its dimensions (length, width, height), the amount of material to be removed or placed, the equipment type and size, the time needed and any accessory projects.
- A site plan and cross sections of the site plan, showing roads, the scale used for the drawings and the north arrow.
- If there is an existing development: both a current use site plan and a proposed use site plan.
- A map and directions to your property.
- A breakdown of the construction costs of the project, including labor costs and materials at fair market value.
- A photograph of current conditions, helpful (not listed as required) for normal repair or replacement of docks, bulkheads and other development.
- If you are not the owner: the owner's name, address and telephone number, listed on the letter.
How to fill out Shoreline Management Exemption Request – Snohomish County, WA
Read the instruction page first
Page 1 lists what the project description must cover and the items to attach. Have your project details, drawings and costs ready before you start the letter on page 2.
Enter the date
At the top of the letter, fill in the Date line, which is followed by the salutation to the Shoreline Management Planner/Administrator.
Describe the proposed project
In the space after "for the project described as follows", give the exact nature of the work, its dimensions, the material removed or placed, the equipment, the time needed and any accessory projects.
Name the exemption subsection
On the line "I feel this project is exempt under SCC 30.44.120", enter the subsection of code, then complete the "since" explanation that follows it.
Enter the property identifiers
Fill in Tax ID # (if applicable), Sec/Twp/Range, Water Body and Shoreline Designation. Leave the Tax ID line only if it does not apply to your property.
Mark your relationship to the property
Mark Owner, Renter, Contract Purchaser or Other (Specify). If you are not the owner, list the owner's name, address and telephone number.
Sign and date the certification
Under "I hereby certify that the above statements are true and correct", add your Signature and the Date.
Enter the applicant's contact details
Fill in Applicant's Name, Address, Telephone and E-mail address.
Prepare the supporting documents
Assemble the site plan and cross sections, the map and directions, the construction cost breakdown and, if useful, a photograph of current conditions, as page 1 describes.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that every line is filled and that the project description matches your drawings and cost breakdown. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and submit it through the channels described under How to submit.
How to submit Shoreline Management Exemption Request – Snohomish County, WA
The form letter prints no return address or channel of its own, so confirm the channel with Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS) before you send it. What the county publishes:
- PDS contact details: the form is headed Snohomish County – Planning and Development Services, 3000 Rockefeller Ave, M/S 604, Everett, WA, phone (425) 388-3311, www.snoco.org.
- Online Permit Portal: the PDS forms page says permit applications may be submitted online through the PDS Permit Portal. It adds that some forms may have to be uploaded there during the "Upload Documents" phase of an online application, and that such a form appears in the dropdown menu of that phase.
- Questions: the PDS forms page gives 425-388-3311.
Send the signed letter together with the items the instructions ask for: the project description, site plan and cross sections, map and directions, and construction cost breakdown. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the county's channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Describing the project only in general terms, without the dimensions, the amount of material removed or placed, the equipment, the time needed or accessory work such as roads, clearing, grading or filling.
- Sending a site plan without the scale used for the drawings, the north arrow or the roads, or without cross sections.
- For an existing development, providing only one site plan instead of both a current use site plan and a proposed use site plan.
- Leaving out the map and directions to the property.
- Omitting the construction cost breakdown, or giving a total without separating labor costs from materials at fair market value.
- Leaving the subsection blank after "I feel this project is exempt under SCC 30.44.120".
- Marking Renter, Contract Purchaser or Other without listing the owner's name, address and telephone number.
- Submitting the letter unsigned or undated; the certification that the statements are true and correct carries a signature and date.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Shoreline Management Exemption Request?
It is a form letter from Snohomish County Planning and Development Services in which you request an exemption from obtaining a Shoreline Management Substantial Development Permit under SCC 30.44.120 for a described project. You name the code subsection and sign a certification.
Is this a Snohomish County property tax form?
No. Searches for Snohomish County property tax often lead to county forms, but this letter concerns shoreline permitting. It asks for a Tax ID # (if applicable) only as one of the property identifiers, next to Sec/Twp/Range, water body and shoreline designation.
What must the project description include?
The instructions list the exact nature of the work, the dimensions (length, width, height), the amount of material removed or placed, the type and size of equipment, the time needed and any accessory projects such as a road, clearing, grading or filling.
What do I attach to the exemption request?
Attach a site plan with cross sections (showing roads, scale and north arrow), a map and directions to your property, and a construction cost breakdown with labor and materials at fair market value. For an existing development, provide current and proposed use site plans.
Can a renter or contract purchaser submit the request?
Yes. The letter has options for Owner, Renter, Contract Purchaser and Other. If you are not the owner, you must list the owner's name, address and telephone number on the form.
Is there a deadline for this request?
The form prints no due date. You complete it when you ask for an exemption for a project, so submit it with its supporting material before relying on the exemption. For timing questions, call PDS at 425-388-3311.
Where do I send the Shoreline Management Exemption Request?
The form names no return channel. PDS prints 3000 Rockefeller Ave, M/S 604, Everett, WA and (425) 388-3311, and its forms page says some forms are uploaded through the PDS Permit Portal. Confirm the channel with PDS before sending.
Can I fill out the Shoreline Management Exemption Request online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, not affiliated with Snohomish County, and does not file the request; you submit it through the county's channels.
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