Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

Government Reform and  Land Use Committee

BILL ANALYSIS

HB 2596

Title of the Bill:  Clarifying that master planned resorts may obtain facilities, utilities, and services from outside service providers.

What this Bill Does:  Authorizes master planned resorts to use outside service providers for capital facilities, services and utilities or to share facilities, services and utilities with outside service providers.

Sponsors:  Representatives Chandler, Reams, Gardner, Lantz and Mulliken

Hearing Date: 1/26/98

Fiscal Note:   Not requested.

Analysis Prepared By:  Caroleen Dineen, 786-7156

BACKGROUND:

The Growth Management Act (AGMA@) provides for development of master planned resorts.   A Amaster planned resort@ is defined as:

. . .  a self-contained and fully integrated planned unit development, in a setting of significant natural amenities, with primary focus on destination resort facilities consisting of short-term visitor accommodation associated with a range of developed on-site indoor and outdoor recreational facilities.

Other residential uses may be included within the boundaries of a master planned resort if those uses are Aintegrated into and support the on-site recreational nature of the resort.@  RCW 36.70A.360.

Statutory criteria are specified for a county=s approval of a master planned resort.  One of these is the county=s determination that on-site and off-site infrastructure impacts are fully considered and mitigated.

SUMMARY:

A new intent section specifies that this legislation is: (a) based on recommendations from the 1994 Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development Master Planned Resort Task Force; and (b) is designed to clarify that master planned resorts may use capital facilities, utilities and services from outside service providers and agree to share facilities, utilities and services with such providers.

Master planned resort capital facilities, utilities and services (specified to include those related to sewer, water, storm water, security, fire suppression and emergency medical) provided on site are limited those meeting the needs of the master planned resort.  Outside service providers, including municipalities and special purpose districts, may provide capital facilities, utilities and services to a master planned resort.  The master planned resort must bear all costs related to service extensions and capacity increases directly attributable to the resort. 

The outside service providers and the master planned resort may agree to share capital facilities and utilities.  Any shared facilities and utilities may serve only the master planned resort and outside service or urban growth areas.

In addition to the determination that infrastructure impacts have been considered and mitigated, a county may approve a master planned resort only after determining that on-site and off-site service impacts  are fully considered and mitigated.

Rep. Bill Reams, Chair         Rep. Joyce Mulliken        Rep. Sandra Romero, Ranking Minority Member

Rep. Jack Cairnes, Vice Chair        Rep. Bill Thompson         Rep. Patricia Lantz, Asst. Ranking Minority Member

Rep. Mike Sherstad, Vice Chair       Rep. Roger Bush            Rep. Ruth Fisher

Rep. Thomas Mielke                   Rep. Georgia Gardner