Whatcom County's Salish Sea shoreline, Bellingham Bay, Lake Whatcom, and the Nooksack River are shorelines of the state. Under the Shoreline Management Act, work within 200 feet of the high-water mark needs a permit under the county's Shoreline Master Program.
Washington's Shoreline Management Act, RCW 90.58, governs Whatcom County's marine coast on the Salish Sea and Bellingham Bay, Lake Whatcom, the Nooksack River, and other large water bodies. Development within 200 feet of the ordinary high-water mark falls under the county's Shoreline Master Program, which sets buffers, vegetation conservation, and a no-net-loss habitat standard protecting ESA-listed Nooksack Chinook salmon. A shoreline substantial development permit, conditional use permit, or documented exemption is required depending on the work. Bulkheads and other hard armoring face strict review, with soft, bioengineered bank protection preferred. Building on eroding marine bluffs and in the Nooksack channel migration zone is heavily restricted, and Cherry Point industrial shorelines carry their own management provisions.
Building, filling, or clearing within shoreline jurisdiction without the required permit violates RCW 90.58 and the Shoreline Master Program, bringing stop-work orders, penalties up to $1,000 per day, and orders to restore habitat.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Whatcom County, WA
Whatcom County and its cities let homeowners put up holiday decorations without a permit. Keep displays clear of sidewalks and sight lines, use outdoor-rated...
Whatcom County, WA
Whatcom County communities allow temporary garage-sale signs on private property, but keep them out of the public right-of-way and off utility poles. Take ev...
Whatcom County, WA
Whatcom County and Bellingham broadly allow political and temporary signs on private property as protected speech. Only official traffic signs belong in the ...
Whatcom County, WA
Bellingham requires every residential rental to register and pass a periodic safety inspection under its Rental Registration and Safety Inspection Program (B...
Whatcom County, WA
Washington has statewide just-cause eviction under RCW 59.18.650. A Whatcom County landlord cannot end a tenancy or refuse to renew except for a legally list...
Whatcom County, WA
Washington no longer leaves rent to the open market. Since HB 1217 took effect in May 2025, annual residential rent increases are capped statewide. For 2026 ...
See how Whatcom County's coastal development rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.