H-1687.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2022

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Cairnes, O'Brien, Sherstad, Cooper, Radcliff and K. Schmidt

Read first time 02/18/97.  Referred to Committee on Transportation Policy & Budget.

Allowing alternative permitting procedures for projects of regional significance.

    AN ACT Relating to alternative permitting procedures for projects of regional significance; and adding a new section to chapter 47.80 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 47.80 RCW to read as follows:

    The regional transportation planning organizations have authority  to grant permits for those projects which:  (1) Are determined to be of regional significance or (2) cross jurisdictional boundaries that lie within the geographical parameters of an organization for which an applicant meets the requirements of the organization.

    The organization shall develop a permitting process which will incorporate the following:

    (a) Allow adequate time to post notice of the transportation project under consideration and hold a minimum of two public hearings prior to the issuance of a permit;

    (b) Involve all affected agencies and jurisdictions on a consultative partnership basis in the scoping and the preliminary design stages of a proposed transportation project;

    (c) Conduct open hearings at a minimum interval of every three months during the project life to allow for resolution in the scope of the project.  The issuance or nonissuance of a permit may not be subject for debate at any time after the organization has made a final determination on the status of a permit application.

    For the purpose of this chapter the transportation project of regional significance or project crossing jurisdictional boundaries shall be required to coordinate project scoping and preliminary design with the department of transportation.

    An applicant may submit a project for designation by the organization for eligibility for permitting under the processes set forth in this section.  The applicant may be the department of transportation, a regional transit authority, or other organizations so designated by the legislature.

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