WSR 14-05-049

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed February 14, 2014, 11:19 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 365-190 WAC, Minimum guidelines to classify agricultural, forest and mineral lands and critical areas and chapter 365-196 WAC, Procedural criteria for adopting comprehensive plans and development regulations.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 36.70A.050 and 36.70A.190.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: To amend existing rules to reflect statutory changes adopted between 2011 and 2013 - amending three rules to clarify that "critical areas" do not include irrigation and drainage ditches; and amend ten rules to reflect new deadlines for counties and cities to comply with required reviews, revisions, and evaluations under the Growth Management Act (GMA).

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Department of commerce (commerce) will use the interagency work group (IAWG) on growth management for ongoing coordination with agencies that work with local governments on GMA issues. The IAWG is a group of state agency representatives that meet regularly to coordinate state agency participation in local government GMA planning. It includes representatives from the departments of ecology, transportation, fish and wildlife, health, natural resources, agriculture, social and health services, and other state agency representatives as needed.

Process for Developing New Rule: The public is encouraged to provide comments and recommendations on draft rules to be posted on the agency web site at www.commerce.wa.gov/wacupdate and distributed to a listserv mailing list. Commerce will coordinate with local government agencies at quarterly planner forums and other venues at local request. After amendments are proposed, the public may also participate by providing written comments and/or testimony during the public hearing and comment process.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Tim Gates, growth management services unit, (360) 725-3058 or tim.gates@commerce.wa.gov. The public can participate by submitting written comments by e-mail to WACupdate@commerce.wa.gov, or standard mail to WAC Update, Growth Management Services, Washington Department of Commerce, P.O. Box 42525, Olympia, WA 98504-2525. The project web page is www.commerce.wa.gov/wacupdate. Commerce maintains a listserv e-mail distribution list for those interested in receiving ongoing information about this process. Instructions to register for the listserv are available on the project web page.

February 14, 2014

Nick Demerice

Assistant Director

External Relations