Why must Bellevue’s SMP meet Department of Ecology guidelines if they are guidelines and not rules?
While the guidelines are designed to allow local government substantial discretion to adopt programs that reflect local circumstances, they are nonetheless standards and evaluation criteria used by Ecology in reviewing the adoption and amendment of local master programs under RCW 90.58.090. In essence the “guidelines” function like rules—they are contained in the Washington Administrative Code—that establish specific principles and standards that must be met to ensure successful adoption of a master program.
