SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6405
As Passed Senate, February 14, 2002
Title: An act relating to comprehensive plan amendment procedures.
Brief Description: Authorizing comprehensive plan amendments to be considered as often as once every six months.
Sponsors: Senators Parlette and Haugen.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: State & Local Government: 1/30/02, 2/4/02 [DP].
Passed Senate: 2/14/02, 46-0.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Gardner, Chair; Hale, Horn, Keiser, McCaslin, T. Sheldon and Swecker.
Staff: Eugene Green (786‑7405)
Background: The comprehensive plan of a county or city that is required or chooses to plan under the Growth Management Act consists of a map or maps, and descriptive text covering objectives, principles, and standards used to develop the comprehensive plan. The plan must be an internally consistent document and all elements must be consistent with the future land use map. Each comprehensive plan must be adopted and amended with public participation and each comprehensive plan must include a plan, scheme or design for each of the following: (1) a land use element; (2) a housing element; (3) a capital facilities plan element; (4) a utilities element; and (5) counties must adopt a rural element. Thirteen goals are specified to guide the development and adoption of the comprehensive plan and development regulations.
Comprehensive land use plans and development regulations are subject to continuing review and evaluation by the county or city that adopted them. Each county and city must establish and disseminate a public participation program identifying procedures for considering amendments or revisions to the comprehensive plan. Amendments to the comprehensive plan may not be considered more frequently than once every year except for the following: (1) initial adoption of a subarea plan; (2) adoption or amendment of a shoreline master program; and (3) amendment of the capital facilities element concurrently with adoption or amendment of the budget.
Summary of Bill: The governing body of a county or city may by ordinance or resolution establish a procedure for consideration of amendments no more frequently than once every six months.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: We have experience with the GMA and feel that this will help us. Sometimes our construction season is short and the present one-year limitation can cost us a lot of time. The bill is permissive. We think it will help us promote economic development.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: PRO: John A. Hunter, Buell Hawkins, Ron Walter, Chelan County Commissioners.