H-1618.1                  _______________________________________________

                                                      HOUSE BILL 2060

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives Sheldon, Ballard, Riley, Chandler, Jones, Holm, Rayburn, Basich, Springer, Miller, Brumsickle, Stevens, Quall and Morton

Read first time 02/24/93.  Referred to Committee on Trade, Economic Development & Housing.

Expanding economic opportunities in counties with slow growth rates.

          AN ACT Relating to expanding economic development opportunities in those counties planning under the growth management act that have a ten-year growth rate less than twenty percent and that are not required to engage in transportation-demand management; and adding new sections to chapter 36.70A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 36.70A RCW to read as follows:

          (1) A county required or choosing to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, except for those specified in subsection (4) of this section, may establish, in consultation with cities and adjacent affected counties, a process for reviewing proposals to authorize siting of major industrial developments, extremely dangerous industries, or research parks outside urban growth areas.

           "Major industrial development" means a master planned location for a specific manufacturing or industrial business that:

(a) Requires a parcel of land devoid of critical areas and so large that no suitable parcels are available within an urban growth area; or (b) is a natural resource-based industry requiring a location near agricultural land, forest land, or mineral resource land upon which it is dependent.  The major industrial development shall not include commercial or service industry businesses, including office parks, or retail shopping developments.

          "Extremely dangerous industry" means an industry involving materials and processes of a highly toxic or noxious nature which cannot be sited in a populated area.

          "Research park" means a complex of offices and facilities in a park-like setting constructed for the purpose of research and development activities.

          "Office park" means any complex of offices and facilities for which the primary purpose is not research and development activities.

          (2) A major industrial development, extremely dangerous industry, or research park may be approved outside an urban growth area if criteria including, but not limited to, the following are met:

          (a) New infrastructure is provided for and impact fees are established consistent with the requirements of RCW 82.02.060;

          (b) Transit-oriented site planning is implemented;

          (c) Buffers are established between the major industrial development, extremely dangerous industry, or research park and adjacent nonurban areas;

          (d) Environmental protection including air and water quality has been addressed and provided for;

          (e) Development regulations are established to ensure that urban growth will not occur in adjacent nonurban areas;

          (f) Provision is made to mitigate adverse impacts on designated agricultural lands, forest lands, and mineral resource lands; and

          (g) The plan for the major industrial development, extremely dangerous industry, or research park is consistent with the county's development regulations established for protection of critical areas.

          (3) Final approval of an application for a major industrial area, extremely dangerous industry, or research park may be considered an adopted amendment to the comprehensive plan adopted pursuant to this chapter.

          (4) The provisions of subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall not apply to those counties that plan under this chapter that:

          (a) Have a population greater than fifty thousand and, as of the effective date of this section, have a ten-year growth rate in excess of twenty percent; or

          (b) Are required to implement transportation-demand management under RCW 70.94.521 through 70.94.551.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 36.70A RCW to read as follows:

          Nothing in this chapter may prohibit any county required or choosing to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 from siting resource-based industry outside urban growth areas.  A "resource-based industry" is an industry requiring a location near agricultural land, forest land, or mineral resource land upon which it is dependent.  The siting of resource-based industry shall not allow for siting of commercial or service industry businesses, including office parks, research parks, or retail shopping developments.

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