SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 2723

                    As of February 20, 1998

Title:  An act relating to industrial land banks.

Brief Description:  Providing a procedure for designating industrial land banks.

Sponsors:  Representatives Cairnes, Mulliken, Reams, Sherstad, Thompson, Mielke, Bush and O'Brien.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  2/23/98.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Staff:  Genevieve Pisarski (786-7488)

Background:  Industrial development in counties that plan under the Growth Management Act can generally occur only within designated urban growth areas.  Exceptions include existing industrial areas located where limited intensive rural development is allowed and specific major industrial developments that require either a larger parcel than is available in an urban growth area or a location near resource land. 

Industrial land banks are allowed on a pilot basis in Clark and Whatcom counties through 1998 for general industrial purposes that are not retail commercial development or multi-tenant office parks and that require transportation facilities unavailable in an urban growth area.

Summary of Bill:  Criteria are established for any county that plans under the Growth Management Act to designate  industrial land banks. 

After appropriately amending its planning policies, a county may designate in its comprehensive plan up to two noncontiguous industrial land banks with multiple development sites, sized according to projected population and economic growth. 

The banks can include commercial and high-technology businesses and related office uses. 

The locations must be unique or already characterized by existing industrial or commercial development. 

For a unique location, a county must find that the location is unique or characterized by unique physical characteristics such as size or proximity to transportation, natural resources, or related industries and that necessary infrastructure is available or can be provided. 

For a location already characterized by existing industrial or commercial development, a county must find that an inventory indicates no suitable location in an existing urban growth area, the bank is important to documented state or county economic development goals, necessary infrastructure is available or can be provided, and the location is characterized by or adjacent to existing industrial or commercial development.

A county can approve a development proposal in an industrial land bank, if adequate infrastructure is provided or impact fees paid; impacts on transportation, the environment, and  designated resource lands are mitigated; buffers are provided; and comprehensive plans and development regulations are established to ensure that urban growth will not occur in adjacent areas.

The State Environmental Policy Act applies to industrial land banks.

The pilot projects do not terminate at the end of 1998.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.