S-4284.1  _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 6422

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

 

By Senators Haugen, Morton, Hale, Swecker, Prentice and Sutherland

 

Read first time 01/15/96.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

 

Requiring additional planning for general aviation facilities.



    AN ACT Relating to protecting general aviation facilities from encroachment of incompatible land uses; reenacting and amending RCW 36.70A.070; adding a new section to chapter 35.63 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 35A.63 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 36.70 RCW.

 

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

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 36.70A.070 and 1995 c 400 s 3 and 1995 c 377 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

    The comprehensive plan of a county or city that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 shall consist of a map or maps, and descriptive text covering objectives, principles, and standards used to develop the comprehensive plan.  The plan shall be an internally consistent document and all elements shall be consistent with the future land use map.  A comprehensive plan shall be adopted and amended with public participation as provided in RCW 36.70A.140.

    Each comprehensive plan shall include a plan, scheme, or design for each of the following:

    (1) A land use element designating the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of land, where appropriate, for agriculture, timber production, housing, commerce, industry, recreation, open spaces, general aviation airports, public utilities, public facilities, and other land uses.  The land use element shall include population densities, building intensities, and estimates of future population growth.  The land use element shall provide for protection of the quality and quantity of ground water used for public water supplies.  Where applicable, the land use element shall review drainage, flooding, and storm water run-off in the area and nearby jurisdictions and provide guidance for corrective actions to mitigate or cleanse those discharges that pollute waters of the state, including Puget Sound or waters entering Puget Sound.

    (2) A housing element ensuring the vitality and character of established residential neighborhoods that:  (a) Includes an inventory and analysis of existing and projected housing needs; (b) includes a statement of goals, policies, objectives, and mandatory provisions for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing, including single-family residences; (c) identifies sufficient land for housing, including, but not limited to, government-assisted housing, housing for low-income families, manufactured housing, multifamily housing, and group homes and foster care facilities; and (d) makes adequate provisions for existing and projected needs of all economic segments of the community.

    (3) A capital facilities plan element consisting of:  (a) An inventory of existing capital facilities owned by public entities, showing the locations and capacities of the capital facilities; (b) a forecast of the future needs for such capital facilities; (c) the proposed locations and capacities of expanded or new capital facilities; (d) at least a six-year plan that will finance such capital facilities within projected funding capacities and clearly identifies sources of public money for such purposes; and (e) a requirement to reassess the land use element if probable funding falls short of meeting existing needs and to ensure that the land use element, capital facilities plan element, and financing plan within the capital facilities plan element are coordinated and consistent.

    (4) A utilities element consisting of the general location, proposed location, and capacity of all existing and proposed utilities, including, but not limited to, electrical lines, telecommunication lines, and natural gas lines.

    (5) Counties shall include a rural element including lands that are not designated for urban growth, agriculture, forest, or mineral resources.  The rural element shall permit appropriate land uses that are compatible with the rural character of such lands and provide for a variety of rural densities and uses and may also provide for clustering, density transfer, design guidelines, conservation easements, and other innovative techniques that will accommodate appropriate rural uses not characterized by urban growth.

    (6) A transportation element that implements, and is consistent with, the land use element.  The transportation element shall include the following subelements:

    (a) Land use assumptions used in estimating travel;

    (b) Facilities and services needs, including:

    (i) An inventory of air, water, and ((land)) ground transportation facilities and services, including transit alignments and general aviation airport facilities, to define existing capital facilities and travel levels as a basis for future planning;

    (ii) Level of service standards for all arterials and transit routes to serve as a gauge to judge performance of the system.  These standards should be regionally coordinated;

    (iii) Specific actions and requirements for bringing into compliance any facilities or services that are below an established level of service standard;

    (iv) Forecasts of traffic for at least ten years based on the adopted land use plan to provide information on the location, timing, and capacity needs of future growth;

    (v) Identification of system expansion needs and transportation system management needs to meet current and future demands;

    (c) Finance, including:

    (i) An analysis of funding capability to judge needs against probable funding resources;

    (ii) A multiyear financing plan based on the needs identified in the comprehensive plan, the appropriate parts of which shall serve as the basis for the six-year street, road, or transit program required by RCW 35.77.010 for cities, RCW 36.81.121 for counties, and RCW 35.58.2795 for public transportation systems;

    (iii) If probable funding falls short of meeting identified needs, a discussion of how additional funding will be raised, or how land use assumptions will be reassessed to ensure that level of service standards will be met;

    (d) Intergovernmental coordination efforts, including an assessment of the impacts of the transportation plan and land use assumptions on the transportation systems of adjacent jurisdictions;

    (e) Demand-management strategies.

    After adoption of the comprehensive plan by jurisdictions required to plan or who choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, local jurisdictions must adopt and enforce ordinances which prohibit development approval if the development causes the level of service on a transportation facility to decline below the standards adopted in the transportation element of the comprehensive plan, unless transportation improvements or strategies to accommodate the impacts of development are made concurrent with the development.  These strategies may include increased public transportation service, ride sharing programs, demand management, and other transportation systems management strategies.  For the purposes of this subsection (6) "concurrent with the development" shall mean that improvements or strategies are in place at the time of development, or that a financial commitment is in place to complete the improvements or strategies within six years.

    The transportation element described in this subsection, and the six-year plans required by RCW 35.77.010 for cities, RCW 36.81.121 for counties, and RCW 35.58.2795 for public transportation systems, must be consistent.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 35.63 RCW to read as follows:

    Every city and town in which there is located a reliever or general aviation airport that is operated for the benefit of the general public, whether publicly owned or privately owned public use, shall, through its comprehensive plan and development regulations, discourage the siting of incompatible uses adjacent to such reliever or general aviation airport.  Such plans and regulations may only be adopted or amended after formal consultation with:  Airport owners and managers, private airport operators, general aviation pilots, ports, and the aviation division of the department of transportation.  All proposed and adopted plans and regulations shall be filed with the aviation division of the department of transportation within a reasonable time after release for public consideration and comment.  Each city and town may obtain technical assistance from the aviation division of the department of transportation to develop plans and regulations consistent with this section.

    Any additions or amendments to comprehensive plans or development regulations required by this section may be adopted during the normal course of land-use proceedings.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 35A.63 RCW to read as follows:

    Every city in which there is located a reliever or general aviation airport that is operated for the benefit of the general public, whether publicly owned or privately owned public-use, shall, through its comprehensive plan and development regulations, discourage the siting of incompatible uses adjacent to such reliever or general aviation airport.  Such plans and regulations may only be adopted or amended after formal consultation with:  Airport owners and managers, private airport operators, general aviation pilots, ports, and the aviation division of the department of transportation.  All proposed and adopted plans and regulations shall be filed with the aviation division of the department of transportation within a reasonable time after release for public consideration and comment.  Each city may obtain technical assistance from the aviation division of the department of transportation to develop plans and regulations consistent with this section.

    Any additions or amendments to comprehensive plans or development regulations required by this section may be adopted during the normal course of land-use proceedings.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 36.70 RCW to read as follows:

    Every county in which there is located a reliever or general aviation airport that is operated for the benefit of the general public, whether publicly owned or privately owned public use, shall, through its comprehensive plan and development regulations, discourage the siting of incompatible uses adjacent to such reliever or general aviation airport.  Such plans and regulations may only be adopted or amended after formal consultation with:  Airport owners and managers, private airport operators, general aviation pilots, ports, and the aviation division of the department of transportation.  All proposed and adopted plans and regulations shall be filed with the aviation division of the department of transportation within a reasonable time after release for public consideration and comment.  Each county may obtain technical assistance from the aviation division of the department of transportation to develop plans and regulations consistent with this section.

    Any additions or amendments to comprehensive plans or development regulations required by this section may be adopted during the normal course of land-use proceedings.

 


                            --- END ---