H-2176.1

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1717

ByHouse Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Pollet, Goehner, Fitzgibbon, Ryu, Leavitt, Berg, Taylor, Robertson, Bateman, Valdez, Duerr, Fey, Ramel, Shewmake, Simmons, Dolan, Macri, and Young)

AN ACT Relating to tribal participation in planning under the growth management act; and amending RCW 36.70A.040, 36.70A.085, 36.70A.106, 36.70A.110, 36.70A.190, and 36.70A.210.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 36.70A.040 and 2014 c 147 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Each county that has both a population of fifty thousand or more and, until May 16, 1995, has had its population increase by more than ten percent in the previous ten years or, on or after May 16, 1995, has had its population increase by more than seventeen percent in the previous ten years, and the cities located within such county, and any other county regardless of its population that has had its population increase by more than twenty percent in the previous ten years, and the cities located within such county, shall conform with all of the requirements of this chapter. However, the county legislative authority of such a county with a population of less than fifty thousand population may adopt a resolution removing the county, and the cities located within the county, from the requirements of adopting comprehensive land use plans and development regulations under this chapter if this resolution is adopted and filed with the department by December 31, 1990, for counties initially meeting this set of criteria, or within sixty days of the date the office of financial management certifies that a county meets this set of criteria under subsection (5) of this section. For the purposes of this subsection, a county not currently planning under this chapter is not required to include in its population count those persons confined in a correctional facility under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections that is located in the county.

Once a county meets either of these sets of criteria, the requirement to conform with all of the requirements of this chapter remains in effect, even if the county no longer meets one of these sets of criteria.

(2)(a) The county legislative authority of any county that does not meet either of the sets of criteria established under subsection (1) of this section may adopt a resolution indicating its intention to have subsection (1) of this section apply to the county. Each city, located in a county that chooses to plan under this subsection, shall conform with all of the requirements of this chapter. Once such a resolution has been adopted, the county and the cities located within the county remain subject to all of the requirements of this chapter, unless the county subsequently adopts a withdrawal resolution for partial planning pursuant to (b)(i) of this subsection.

(b)(i) Until December 31, 2015, the legislative authority of a county may adopt a resolution removing the county and the cities located within the county from the requirements to plan under this section if:

(A) The county has a population, as estimated by the office of financial management, of twenty thousand or fewer inhabitants at any time between April 1, 2010, and April 1, 2015;

(B) The county has previously adopted a resolution indicating its intention to have subsection (1) of this section apply to the county;

(C) At least sixty days prior to adopting a resolution for partial planning, the county provides written notification to the legislative body of each city within the county of its intent to consider adopting the resolution; and

(D) The legislative bodies of at least sixty percent of those cities having an aggregate population of at least seventy-five percent of the incorporated county population have not: Adopted resolutions opposing the action by the county; and provided written notification of the resolutions to the county.

(ii) Upon adoption of a resolution for partial planning under (b)(i) of this subsection:

(A) The county and the cities within the county are, except as provided otherwise, no longer obligated to plan under this section; and

(B) The county may not, for a minimum of ten years from the date of adoption of the resolution, adopt another resolution indicating its intention to have subsection (1) of this section apply to the county.

(c) The adoption of a resolution for partial planning under (b)(i) of this subsection does not nullify or otherwise modify the requirements for counties and cities established in RCW 36.70A.060, 36.70A.070(5) and associated development regulations, 36.70A.170, and 36.70A.172.

(3) Any county or city that is initially required to conform with all of the requirements of this chapter under subsection (1) of this section shall take actions under this chapter as follows: (a) The county legislative authority shall adopt a countywide planning policy under RCW 36.70A.210; (b) the county and each city located within the county shall designate critical areas, agricultural lands, forestlands, and mineral resource lands, and adopt development regulations conserving these designated agricultural lands, forestlands, and mineral resource lands and protecting these designated critical areas, under RCW 36.70A.170 and 36.70A.060; (c) the county shall designate and take other actions related to urban growth areas under RCW 36.70A.110; (([and]))and (d) if the county has a population of fifty thousand or more, the county and each city located within the county shall adopt a comprehensive plan under this chapter and development regulations that are consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan on or before July 1, 1994, and if the county has a population of less than fifty thousand, the county and each city located within the county shall adopt a comprehensive plan under this chapter and development regulations that are consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan by January 1, 1995, but if the governor makes written findings that a county with a population of less than fifty thousand or a city located within such a county is not making reasonable progress toward adopting a comprehensive plan and development regulations the governor may reduce this deadline for such actions to be taken by no more than one hundred eighty days. Any county or city subject to this subsection may obtain an additional six months before it is required to have adopted its development regulations by submitting a letter notifying the department of its need prior to the deadline for adopting both a comprehensive plan and development regulations.

(4) Any county or city that is required to conform with all the requirements of this chapter, as a result of the county legislative authority adopting its resolution of intention under subsection (2) of this section, shall take actions under this chapter as follows: (a) The county legislative authority shall adopt a countywide planning policy under RCW 36.70A.210; (b) the county and each city that is located within the county shall adopt development regulations conserving agricultural lands, forestlands, and mineral resource lands it designated under RCW 36.70A.060 within one year of the date the county legislative authority adopts its resolution of intention; (c) the county shall designate and take other actions related to urban growth areas under RCW 36.70A.110; and (d) the county and each city that is located within the county shall adopt a comprehensive plan and development regulations that are consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan not later than four years from the date the county legislative authority adopts its resolution of intention, but a county or city may obtain an additional six months before it is required to have adopted its development regulations by submitting a letter notifying the department of its need prior to the deadline for adopting both a comprehensive plan and development regulations.

(5) If the office of financial management certifies that the population of a county that previously had not been required to plan under subsection (1) or (2) of this section has changed sufficiently to meet either of the sets of criteria specified under subsection (1) of this section, and where applicable, the county legislative authority has not adopted a resolution removing the county from these requirements as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the county and each city within such county shall take actions under this chapter as follows: (a) The county legislative authority shall adopt a countywide planning policy under RCW 36.70A.210; (b) the county and each city located within the county shall adopt development regulations under RCW 36.70A.060 conserving agricultural lands, forestlands, and mineral resource lands it designated within one year of the certification by the office of financial management; (c) the county shall designate and take other actions related to urban growth areas under RCW 36.70A.110; and (d) the county and each city located within the county shall adopt a comprehensive land use plan and development regulations that are consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan within four years of the certification by the office of financial management, but a county or city may obtain an additional six months before it is required to have adopted its development regulations by submitting a letter notifying the department of its need prior to the deadline for adopting both a comprehensive plan and development regulations.

(6) A copy of each document that is required under this section shall be submitted to the department at the time of its adoption.

(7) Cities and counties planning under this chapter must amend the transportation element of the comprehensive plan to be in compliance with this chapter and chapter 47.80 RCW no later than December 31, 2000.

Sec. 2. RCW 36.70A.085 and 2009 c 514 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Comprehensive plans of cities that have a marine container port with annual operating revenues in excess of sixty million dollars within their jurisdiction must include a container port element.

(2) Comprehensive plans of cities that include all or part of a port district with annual operating revenues in excess of twenty million dollars may include a marine industrial port element. Prior to adopting a marine industrial port element under this subsection (2), the commission of the applicable port district must adopt a resolution in support of the proposed element.

(3) Port elements adopted under subsections (1) and (2) of this section must be developed collaboratively between the city ((and)), the applicable port, and the applicable tribe, which shall comply with RCW 36.70A.040(8), and must establish policies and programs that:

(a) Define and protect the core areas of port and port-related industrial uses within the city;

(b) Provide reasonably efficient access to the core area through freight corridors within the city limits; and

(c) Identify and resolve key land use conflicts along the edge of the core area, and minimize and mitigate, to the extent practicable, incompatible uses along the edge of the core area.

(4) Port elements adopted under subsections (1) and (2) of this section must be:

(a) Completed and approved by the city according to the schedule specified in RCW 36.70A.130; and

(b) Consistent with the economic development, transportation, and land use elements of the city's comprehensive plan, and consistent with the city's capital facilities plan.

(5) In adopting port elements under subsections (1) and (2) of this section, cities and ports must: Ensure that there is consistency between the port elements and the port comprehensive scheme required under chapters 53.20 and 53.25 RCW; and retain sufficient planning flexibility to secure emerging economic opportunities.

(6) In developing port elements under subsections (1) and (2) of this section, a city may utilize one or more of the following approaches:

(a) Creation of a port overlay district that protects container port uses;

(b) Use of industrial land banks;

(c) Use of buffers and transition zones between incompatible uses;

(d) Use of joint transportation funding agreements;

(e) Use of policies to encourage the retention of valuable warehouse and storage facilities;

(f) Use of limitations on the location or size, or both, of nonindustrial uses in the core area and surrounding areas; and

(g) Use of other approaches by agreement between the city and the port.

(7) The department of community, trade, and economic development must provide matching grant funds to cities meeting the requirements of subsection (1) of this section to support development of the required container port element.

(8) Any planned improvements identified in port elements adopted under subsections (1) and (2) of this section must be transmitted by the city to the transportation commission for consideration of inclusion in the statewide transportation plan required under RCW 47.01.071.

Sec. 3. RCW 36.70A.106 and 2004 c 197 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Each county and city proposing adoption of a comprehensive plan or development regulations under this chapter shall notify the department of its intent to adopt such plan or regulations at least sixty days prior to final adoption. State agencies including the department may provide comments to the county or city on the proposed comprehensive plan, or proposed development regulations, during the public review process prior to adoption.

(2) Each county and city planning under this chapter shall transmit a complete and accurate copy of its comprehensive plan or development regulations to the department within ten days after final adoption.

(3)(a) Any amendments for permanent changes to a comprehensive plan or development regulation that are proposed by a county or city to its adopted plan or regulations shall be submitted to the department in the same manner as initial plans and development regulations under this section. Any amendments to a comprehensive plan or development regulations that are adopted by a county or city shall be transmitted to the department in the same manner as the initial plans and regulations under this section.

(b) Each county and city planning under this chapter may request expedited review for any amendments for permanent changes to a development regulation. Upon receiving a request for expedited review, and after consultation with other state agencies, the department may grant expedited review if the department determines that expedited review does not compromise the state's ability to provide timely comments related to compliance with the goals and requirements of this chapter or on other matters of state interest. Cities and counties may adopt amendments for permanent changes to a development regulation immediately following the granting of the request for expedited review by the department.

Sec. 4. RCW 36.70A.110 and 2017 c 305 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Each county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 shall designate an urban growth area or areas within which urban growth shall be encouraged and outside of which growth can occur only if it is not urban in nature. Each city that is located in such a county shall be included within an urban growth area. An urban growth area may include more than a single city. An urban growth area may include territory that is located outside of a city only if such territory already is characterized by urban growth whether or not the urban growth area includes a city, or is adjacent to territory already characterized by urban growth, or is a designated new fully contained community as defined by RCW 36.70A.350. When a federally recognized Indian tribe whose reservation or ceded lands lie within the county or city has voluntarily chosen to participate in the planning process pursuant to RCW 36.70A.040, the county or city and the tribe shall coordinate their planning efforts for any areas planned for urban growth consistent with the terms outlined in the memorandum of agreement provided for in RCW 36.70A.040(8).

(2) Based upon the growth management population projection made for the county by the office of financial management, the county and each city within the county shall include areas and densities sufficient to permit the urban growth that is projected to occur in the county or city for the succeeding twenty-year period, except for those urban growth areas contained totally within a national historical reserve. As part of this planning process, each city within the county must include areas sufficient to accommodate the broad range of needs and uses that will accompany the projected urban growth including, as appropriate, medical, governmental, institutional, commercial, service, retail, and other nonresidential uses.

Each urban growth area shall permit urban densities and shall include greenbelt and open space areas. In the case of urban growth areas contained totally within a national historical reserve, the city may restrict densities, intensities, and forms of urban growth as determined to be necessary and appropriate to protect the physical, cultural, or historic integrity of the reserve. An urban growth area determination may include a reasonable land market supply factor and shall permit a range of urban densities and uses. In determining this market factor, cities and counties may consider local circumstances. Cities and counties have discretion in their comprehensive plans to make many choices about accommodating growth.

Within one year of July 1, 1990, each county that as of June 1, 1991, was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, shall begin consulting with each city located within its boundaries and each city shall propose the location of an urban growth area. Within sixty days of the date the county legislative authority of a county adopts its resolution of intention or of certification by the office of financial management, all other counties that are required or choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 shall begin this consultation with each city located within its boundaries. The county shall attempt to reach agreement with each city on the location of an urban growth area within which the city is located. If such an agreement is not reached with each city located within the urban growth area, the county shall justify in writing why it so designated the area an urban growth area. A city may object formally with the department over the designation of the urban growth area within which it is located. Where appropriate, the department shall attempt to resolve the conflicts, including the use of mediation services.

(3) Urban growth should be located first in areas already characterized by urban growth that have adequate existing public facility and service capacities to serve such development, second in areas already characterized by urban growth that will be served adequately by a combination of both existing public facilities and services and any additional needed public facilities and services that are provided by either public or private sources, and third in the remaining portions of the urban growth areas. Urban growth may also be located in designated new fully contained communities as defined by RCW 36.70A.350.

(4) In general, cities are the units of local government most appropriate to provide urban governmental services. In general, it is not appropriate that urban governmental services be extended to or expanded in rural areas except in those limited circumstances shown to be necessary to protect basic public health and safety and the environment and when such services are financially supportable at rural densities and do not permit urban development.

(5) On or before October 1, 1993, each county that was initially required to plan under RCW 36.70A.040(1) shall adopt development regulations designating interim urban growth areas under this chapter. Within three years and three months of the date the county legislative authority of a county adopts its resolution of intention or of certification by the office of financial management, all other counties that are required or choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 shall adopt development regulations designating interim urban growth areas under this chapter. Adoption of the interim urban growth areas may only occur after public notice; public hearing; and compliance with the state environmental policy act, chapter 43.21C RCW, and under this section. Such action may be appealed to the growth management hearings board under RCW 36.70A.280. Final urban growth areas shall be adopted at the time of comprehensive plan adoption under this chapter.

(6) Each county shall include designations of urban growth areas in its comprehensive plan.

(7) An urban growth area designated in accordance with this section may include within its boundaries urban service areas or potential annexation areas designated for specific cities or towns within the county.

(8)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the expansion of an urban growth area is prohibited into the one hundred year floodplain of any river or river segment that: (i) Is located west of the crest of the Cascade mountains; and (ii) has a mean annual flow of one thousand or more cubic feet per second as determined by the department of ecology.

(b) Subsection (8)(a) of this section does not apply to:

(i) Urban growth areas that are fully contained within a floodplain and lack adjacent buildable areas outside the floodplain;

(ii) Urban growth areas where expansions are precluded outside floodplains because:

(A) Urban governmental services cannot be physically provided to serve areas outside the floodplain; or

(B) Expansions outside the floodplain would require a river or estuary crossing to access the expansion; or

(iii) Urban growth area expansions where:

(A) Public facilities already exist within the floodplain and the expansion of an existing public facility is only possible on the land to be included in the urban growth area and located within the floodplain; or

(B) Urban development already exists within a floodplain as of July 26, 2009, and is adjacent to, but outside of, the urban growth area, and the expansion of the urban growth area is necessary to include such urban development within the urban growth area; or

(C) The land is owned by a jurisdiction planning under this chapter or the rights to the development of the land have been permanently extinguished, and the following criteria are met:

(I) The permissible use of the land is limited to one of the following: Outdoor recreation; environmentally beneficial projects, including but not limited to habitat enhancement or environmental restoration; stormwater facilities; flood control facilities; or underground conveyances; and

(II) The development and use of such facilities or projects will not decrease flood storage, increase stormwater runoff, discharge pollutants to fresh or salt waters during normal operations or floods, or increase hazards to people and property.

(c) For the purposes of this subsection (8), "one hundred year floodplain" means the same as "special flood hazard area" as set forth in WAC 173-158-040 as it exists on July 26, 2009.

(9) If a county, city, or utility has adopted a capital facility plan or utilities element to provide sewer service within the urban growth areas during the twenty-year planning period, nothing in this chapter obligates counties, cities, or utilities to install sanitary sewer systems to properties within urban growth areas designated under subsection (2) of this section by the end of the twenty-year planning period when those properties:

(a)(i) Have existing, functioning, nonpolluting on-site sewage systems;

(ii) Have a periodic inspection program by a public agency to verify the on-site sewage systems function properly and do not pollute surface or groundwater; and

(iii) Have no redevelopment capacity; or

(b) Do not require sewer service because development densities are limited due to wetlands, flood plains, fish and wildlife habitats, or geological hazards.

Sec. 5. RCW 36.70A.190 and 1991 sp.s. c 32 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall establish a program of technical and financial assistance and incentives to counties and cities to encourage and facilitate the adoption and implementation of comprehensive plans and development regulations throughout the state.

(2) The department shall develop a priority list and establish funding levels for planning and technical assistance grants both for counties and cities that plan under RCW 36.70A.040. Priority for assistance shall be based on a county's or city's population growth rates, commercial and industrial development rates, the existence and quality of a comprehensive plan and development regulations, and other relevant factors.

(3) The department shall develop and administer a grant program to provide direct financial assistance to counties and cities for the preparation of comprehensive plans under this chapter. The department may establish provisions for county and city matching funds to conduct activities under this subsection. Grants may be expended for any purpose directly related to the preparation of a county or city comprehensive plan as the county or city and the department may agree, including, without limitation, the conducting of surveys, inventories and other data gathering and management activities, the retention of planning consultants, contracts with regional councils for planning and related services, and other related purposes.

(4) The department shall establish a program of technical assistance:

(a) Utilizing department staff, the staff of other state agencies, and the technical resources of counties and cities to help in the development of comprehensive plans required under this chapter. The technical assistance may include, but not be limited to, model land use ordinances, regional education and training programs, and information for local and regional inventories; and

(b) Adopting by rule procedural criteria to assist counties and cities in adopting comprehensive plans and development regulations that meet the goals and requirements of this chapter. These criteria shall reflect regional and local variations and the diversity that exists among different counties and cities that plan under this chapter.

(5) The department shall provide mediation services to resolve disputes between counties and cities regarding, among other things, coordination of regional issues and designation of urban growth areas.

(6) The department shall provide services to facilitate the timely resolution of disputes between a federally recognized Indian tribe and a city or county.

(7) The department shall provide planning grants to enhance citizen participation under RCW 36.70A.140.

Sec. 6. RCW 36.70A.210 and 2009 c 121 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The legislature recognizes that counties are regional governments within their boundaries, and cities are primary providers of urban governmental services within urban growth areas. For the purposes of this section, a "countywide planning policy" is a written policy statement or statements used solely for establishing a countywide framework from which county and city comprehensive plans are developed and adopted pursuant to this chapter. This framework shall ensure that city and county comprehensive plans are consistent as required in RCW 36.70A.100. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the land-use powers of cities.

(2) The legislative authority of a county that plans under RCW 36.70A.040 shall adopt a countywide planning policy in cooperation with the cities located in whole or in part within the county as follows:

(a) No later than sixty calendar days from July 16, 1991, the legislative authority of each county that as of June 1, 1991, was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 shall convene a meeting with representatives of each city located within the county for the purpose of establishing a collaborative process that will provide a framework for the adoption of a countywide planning policy. In other counties that are required or choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, this meeting shall be convened no later than sixty days after the date the county adopts its resolution of intention or was certified by the office of financial management.

(b) The process and framework for adoption of a countywide planning policy specified in (a) of this subsection shall determine the manner in which the county and the cities agree to all procedures and provisions including but not limited to desired planning policies, deadlines, ratification of final agreements and demonstration thereof, and financing, if any, of all activities associated therewith.

(c) If a county fails for any reason to convene a meeting with representatives of cities as required in (a) of this subsection, the governor may immediately impose any appropriate sanction or sanctions on the county from those specified under RCW 36.70A.340.

(d) If there is no agreement by October 1, 1991, in a county that was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 as of June 1, 1991, or if there is no agreement within one hundred twenty days of the date the county adopted its resolution of intention or was certified by the office of financial management in any other county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, the governor shall first inquire of the jurisdictions as to the reason or reasons for failure to reach an agreement. If the governor deems it appropriate, the governor may immediately request the assistance of the department of ((community, trade, and economic development))commerce to mediate any disputes that preclude agreement. If mediation is unsuccessful in resolving all disputes that will lead to agreement, the governor may impose appropriate sanctions from those specified under RCW 36.70A.340 on the county, city, or cities for failure to reach an agreement as provided in this section. The governor shall specify the reason or reasons for the imposition of any sanction.

(e) No later than July 1, 1992, the legislative authority of each county that was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 as of June 1, 1991, or no later than fourteen months after the date the county adopted its resolution of intention or was certified by the office of financial management the county legislative authority of any other county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, shall adopt a countywide planning policy according to the process provided under this section and that is consistent with the agreement pursuant to (b) of this subsection, and after holding a public hearing or hearings on the proposed countywide planning policy.

(3) A countywide planning policy shall at a minimum, address the following:

(a) Policies to implement RCW 36.70A.110;

(b) Policies for promotion of contiguous and orderly development and provision of urban services to such development;

(c) Policies for siting public capital facilities of a countywide or statewide nature, including transportation facilities of statewide significance as defined in RCW 47.06.140;

(d) Policies for countywide transportation facilities and strategies;

(e) Policies that consider the need for affordable housing, such as housing for all economic segments of the population and parameters for its distribution;

(f) Policies for joint county and city planning within urban growth areas;

(g) Policies for countywide economic development and employment, which must include consideration of the future development of commercial and industrial facilities; ((and))

(h) An analysis of the fiscal impact; and

(i) Policies that address the protection of tribal cultural resources in collaboration with federally recognized Indian tribes that are invited pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, provided that a tribe, or more than one tribe, chooses to participate in the process.

(4) Federal agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes ((may))whose reservation or ceded lands lie within the county shall be invited to participate in and cooperate with the countywide planning policy adoption process. Adopted countywide planning policies shall be adhered to by state agencies.

(5) Failure to adopt a countywide planning policy that meets the requirements of this section may result in the imposition of a sanction or sanctions on a county or city within the county, as specified in RCW 36.70A.340. In imposing a sanction or sanctions, the governor shall specify the reasons for failure to adopt a countywide planning policy in order that any imposed sanction or sanctions are fairly and equitably related to the failure to adopt a countywide planning policy.

(6) Cities and the governor may appeal an adopted countywide planning policy to the growth management hearings board within sixty days of the adoption of the countywide planning policy.

(7) Multicounty planning policies shall be adopted by two or more counties, each with a population of four hundred fifty thousand or more, with contiguous urban areas and may be adopted by other counties, according to the process established under this section or other processes agreed to among the counties and cities within the affected counties throughout the multicounty region.

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