BP BHEAD INT H

AN ACT Relating to local permit assistance; amending RCW 36.70B.020; and adding new sections to chapter 36.70B RCW.

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

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

On or before January 1, 1997, every local government shall prepare, and thereafter keep current, both a general inventory of its project permit requirements and a handbook describing in more detail requirements for each project permit.

Each handbook must include: (1) A description of activities that are subject to the project permit requirements; (2) where and how staff may be contacted who administer the project permit process, including names, job titles, work street addresses, work telephone numbers, and work electronic mail addresses; (3) a description of requirements for obtaining the project permit; (4) project permit application forms; and (5) a copy of several successful applications for the project permit, with names, addresses, and other personal information related to the successful applicants deleted.

The inventory and each handbook must describe the combined project review and environmental review required by RCW 36.70B.050.

The inventory and a handbook for every county and city planning under RCW 36.70A.040 must describe the integrated and consolidated project permit process required by RCW 36.70B.060. The inventory and a handbook for any other county or city, that chooses to establish an integrated and consolidated project permit process, must describe this process.

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

On or before January 1, 1997, every local government shall prepare, and thereafter keep current, a general description of each development regulation it has adopted.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 36.70B RCW to read as follows:

On or before January 1, 1997, every local government shall establish an assistance center, or provide a central location and designated staff person, to: (1) Maintain and distribute the inventory and handbooks required by section 1 of this act; (2) maintain and distribute the general description of its development regulations required by section 2 of this act; and (3) provide advice on project permit requirements for members of the public or direct members of the public to appropriate staff who can provide advice on project permit requirements.

Sec. 4. RCW 36.70B.020 and 1995 c 347 s 402 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Closed record appeal" means an administrative appeal on the record to a local government body or officer, including the legislative body, following an open record hearing on a project permit application when the appeal is on the record with no or limited new evidence or information allowed to be submitted and only appeal argument allowed.

(2) "Development regulation" means any ordinance establishing regulatory controls on development or land use activities, including, but not limited to, zoning ordinance, official control, subdivision ordinance, binding site plan ordinance, and shoreline master program.

(3) "Local government" means a county, city, or town.

((~~(3)~~)) (4) "Open record hearing" means a hearing, conducted by a single hearing body or officer authorized by the local government to conduct such hearings, that creates the local government's record through testimony and submission of evidence and information, under procedures prescribed by the local government by ordinance or resolution. An open record hearing may be held prior to a local government's decision on a project permit to be known as an "open record predecision hearing." An open record hearing may be held on an appeal, to be known as an "open record appeal hearing," if no open record predecision hearing has been held on the project permit.

((~~(4)~~)) (5) "Project permit" or "project permit application" means any land use or environmental permit or license required from a local government for a project action, including but not limited to building permits, subdivisions, binding site plans, planned unit developments, conditional uses, shoreline substantial development permits, site plan review, permits or approvals required by critical area ordinances, site-specific rezones authorized by a comprehensive plan or subarea plan, but excluding the adoption or amendment of a comprehensive plan, subarea plan, or development regulations except as otherwise specifically included in this subsection.

((~~(5)~~)) (6) "Public meeting" means an informal meeting, hearing, workshop, or other public gathering of people to obtain comments from the public or other agencies on a proposed project permit prior to the local government’s decision. A public meeting may include, but is not limited to, a design review or architectural control board meeting, a special review district or community council meeting, or a scoping meeting on a draft environmental impact statement. A public meeting does not include an open record hearing. The proceedings at a public meeting may be recorded and a report or recommendation may be included in the local government’s project permit application file.