What’s allowed in the buffer?

New development must meet either a standard setback (115 feet from Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) for Residential Shoreline Shoreline Environment Designation (SED) or 165 feet for Conservancy SED) or a common line setback as shown below. The following four development types are a few examples of what is allowable beyond the setback.

The common line shown in the below examples re-establishes a reduced 15-foot structure setback for new development within the standard shoreline buffer (100-feet from Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) for Shoreline Residential, 150-feet for Conservancy). The following four development types are a few examples of what is allowable beyond the 15-foot structure setback.

  1. Landscape Walls. Cannot exceed 2-feet in height, subject to International Building Code Regulations as adopted by Mason County.
  2. Small Temporary Structures. Must be under 200 square feet and 4 feet and less in height. See Example mitigation plan for a step-by-step guide in associated mitigation implementation.
  3. Fences. Cannot exceed 3-feet in height waterward of common line setback. Can be 7-feet in height outside of buffers and along property lines, without a permit.
  4. Fire Pits. Only pervious material is allowed around fire pits (no brick or gravel allowed).

Note, even if your entire lot is paved (no vegetation) the area is still considered to be shoreline buffer. Additional impact will trigger mitigation. See the Example mitigation plan for a step-by-step guide for each of these proposed buffer impacts.

Items #5 and #6 (uncovered decks and hot tubs) are only allowed within the structure setback. See below.

1. Landscape Walls

Up to two feet in cumulative height (see below).

Map Key (left to right):

  1. Shoreline buffer
  2. Common line setback
  3. 15-foot structure setback
  4. OHWM
2. Small Temporary Structures

Must be under 200 square feet and less than four feet tall to be allowed within shoreline buffer (see below, MCC 17.50.020 - Development Definition). See Example Mitigation Plan for a step by step guild in associated mitigation implementation.

Map Key (left to right):

  1. Shoreline buffer
  2. Common line setback
  3. 15-foot structure setback
  4. OHWM
3. Fences

Fences are allowed in both the shoreline buffer and structure setback, up to three feet in height. Otherwise, outside of the shoreline buffer they can be built up to 7-feet in height without a permit (see below, MCC 8.52.170(d)(4(D) for more details). Fences may not be built waterward of the OHWM.

Map Key (left to right):

  1. Shoreline buffer
  2. Common line setback
  3. 15-foot structure setback
  4. OHWM
4. Fire Pits

Only pervious surfacing materials are allowed around the fire pit (see below, MCC 17.50.020 - Impervious definition for what doesn't apply).

Map Key (left to right):

  1. Shoreline buffer
  2. Common line setback
  3. 15-foot structure setback
  4. OHWM

The following appurtenant structures are only allowed within the structure setback 15-feet waterward from the common line setback (otherwise prohibited waterward of the structure setback).

5. 1st or 2nd story uncovered decks.

Must be under 200 square feet in size (see below).

Map Key (left to right):

  1. Shoreline buffer
  2. Common line setback
  3. 15-foot structure setback
  4. OHWM
6. Hot Tubs.

As long as the hot tub is not built-in. Must also be 4-feet or less in height (see below).

Map Key (left to right):

  1. Shoreline buffer
  2. Common line setback
  3. 15-foot structure setback
  4. OHWM