BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to allowing rural counties to remove themselves and their cities from the planning requirements of the growth management act; amending RCW 36.70A.040; adding a new section to chapter 36.70A RCW; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 36.70A.040 and 1995 c 400 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) Each county that has both a population of fifty thousand or more and, until May 16, 1995, has had its population increase by more than ten percent in the previous ten years or, on or after May 16, 1995, has had its population increase by more than seventeen percent in the previous ten years, and the cities located within such county, and any other county regardless of its population that has had its population increase by more than twenty percent in the previous ten years, and the cities located within such county, shall ((~~conform with all of the requirements of this chapter~~)) plan under this section. However, the county legislative authority of ((~~such a county with a population of less than fifty thousand population~~)) a rural county may adopt a resolution removing the county, and the cities located within the county, from the requirement((~~s of adopting comprehensive land use plans and development regulations under this chapter~~)) to plan under this section if this resolution is adopted and filed with the department by December 31, ((~~1990, for counties initially meeting this set of criteria~~)) 1998, or within ((~~sixty days~~)) six months of the date the office of financial management certifies that a county meets this set of criteria under subsection (5) of this section. A county that adopts a resolution removing the county, and the cities located within the county, from the requirement to plan under this section remains subject to the requirements for the designation and protection of critical areas and the designation of natural resource lands under RCW 36.70A.060(2), 36.70A.170, and 36.70A.172.

(b) Once a county meets either of these sets of criteria and the county has not adopted a resolution under (a) of this subsection, the requirement to ((~~conform with all of the requirements of this chapter~~)) plan under this section remains in effect, even if the county no longer meets one of these sets of criteria.

(2) The county legislative authority of any county that does not ((~~meet either of the sets of criteria established~~)) plan under ((~~subsection (1) of~~)) this section may adopt a resolution indicating its intention ((~~to have subsection (1) of this section apply to~~)) that the county plan under this section. Each city, located in a county that ((~~chooses to plan~~)) adopts a resolution under this subsection((,)) shall ((~~conform with all of the requirements of this chapter~~)) plan under this section. Once such a resolution has been adopted, the county and the cities located within the county remain subject to all of the requirements of this ((~~chapter~~)) section. However, a rural county that, before the effective date of this act, adopted a resolution of intention under this subsection to plan under this section may adopt a resolution removing the county, and the cities located within the county, from the requirement to plan under this section if the resolution is adopted and filed with the department by December 31, 1998. A county that adopts a resolution removing the county, and the cities located within the county, from the requirement to plan under this section remains subject to the requirements for the designation and protection of critical areas and the designation of natural resource lands under RCW 36.70A.060(2), 36.70A.170, and 36.70A.172.

(3) Any county or city that is initially required to ((~~conform with all of the requirements of this chapter~~)) plan under this section, and, where applicable, the county legislative authority has not adopted a resolution removing the county from these requirements as provided in subsection (1) of this section, shall take actions under this chapter as follows: (a) The county legislative authority shall adopt a county-wide planning policy under RCW 36.70A.210; (b) the county and each city located within the county shall designate critical areas, agricultural lands, forest lands, and mineral resource lands, and adopt development regulations conserving these designated agricultural lands, forest lands, and mineral resource lands and protecting these designated critical areas, under RCW 36.70A.170 and 36.70A.060; (c) the county shall designate and take other actions related to urban growth areas under RCW 36.70A.110; (d) if the county has a population of fifty thousand or more, the county and each city located within the county shall adopt a comprehensive plan under this chapter and development regulations that are consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan on or before July 1, 1994, and if the county has a population of less than fifty thousand, the county and each city located within the county shall adopt a comprehensive plan under this chapter and development regulations that are consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan by January 1, 1995, but if the governor makes written findings that a county with a population of less than fifty thousand or a city located within such a county is not making reasonable progress toward adopting a comprehensive plan and development regulations the governor may reduce this deadline for such actions to be taken by no more than one hundred eighty days. Any county or city subject to this subsection may obtain an additional six months before it is required to have adopted its development regulations by submitting a letter notifying the department of community, trade, and economic development of its need prior to the deadline for adopting both a comprehensive plan and development regulations.

(4) Any county or city that is required to ((~~conform with all the requirements of this chapter~~)) plan under this section, as a result of the county legislative authority adopting its resolution of intention under subsection (2) of this section, and the county legislative authority has not adopted a resolution removing the county from these requirements under subsection (2) of this section, shall take actions under this chapter as follows: (a) The county legislative authority shall adopt a county-wide planning policy under RCW 36.70A.210; (b) the county and each city that is located within the county shall adopt development regulations conserving agricultural lands, forest lands, and mineral resource lands it designated under RCW 36.70A.060 within one year of the date the county legislative authority adopts its resolution of intention; (c) the county shall designate and take other actions related to urban growth areas under RCW 36.70A.110; and (d) the county and each city that is located within the county shall adopt a comprehensive plan and development regulations that are consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan not later than four years from the date the county legislative authority adopts its resolution of intention, but a county or city may obtain an additional six months before it is required to have adopted its development regulations by submitting a letter notifying the department of community, trade, and economic development of its need prior to the deadline for adopting both a comprehensive plan and development regulations.

(5) If the office of financial management certifies that the population of a county that ((~~previously had not been required to~~)) does not plan under ((~~subsection (1) or (2) of~~)) this section has changed sufficiently to meet either of the sets of criteria specified under subsection (1) of this section, and where applicable, the county legislative authority has not adopted a resolution removing the county from these requirements as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the county and each city within such county shall take actions under this chapter as follows: (a) The county legislative authority shall adopt a county-wide planning policy under RCW 36.70A.210; (b) the county and each city located within the county shall adopt development regulations under RCW 36.70A.060 conserving agricultural lands, forest lands, and mineral resource lands it designated within one year of the certification by the office of financial management; (c) the county shall designate and take other actions related to urban growth areas under RCW 36.70A.110; and (d) the county and each city located within the county shall adopt a comprehensive land use plan and development regulations that are consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan within four years of the certification by the office of financial management, but a county or city may obtain an additional six months before it is required to have adopted its development regulations by submitting a letter notifying the department of community, trade, and economic development of its need prior to the deadline for adopting both a comprehensive plan and development regulations.

(6) A copy of each document that is required under this section shall be submitted to the department at the time of its adoption.

(7) For purposes of this section, "rural county" means a county with a land base that is at least seventy-five percent in public ownership or designated resource lands, as determined by the county, or has a population density of sixty or fewer persons per square mile, as determined by the office of financial management.

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

If a county adopts a resolution under RCW 36.70A.040 (1)(a) or (2) removing the county and the cities located within the county from the requirement to plan under this chapter, any claim pending before a board or court that relates to the requirement to plan under this chapter is moot and the claim shall be dismissed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.