SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5078

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

          State & Local Government, February 17, 1999

Title:  An act relating to parks and recreation facilities.

Brief Description:  Requiring additional consideration of the need for parks and recreation facilities in land use planning.

Sponsors:  Senators Jacobsen, Goings, Wojahn and Costa.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  2/11/99, 2/17/99 [DPS, DNPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5078 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen and Kline.

Minority Report:  Do not pass substitute.

  Signed by Senators Horn and McCaslin.

Staff:  Sharon Swanson (786-7445)

Background:  The Growth Management Act (GMA) was enacted in 1990 and 1991.  GMA establishes requirements for all counties in the state, and imposes additional requirements for the faster growing counties.  A city follows the lead of the county in which it is located.  Counties and cities subject to all the requirements of GMA are typically referred to as counties and cities that plan under GMA.

Requirements for counties and cities that plan under the GMA.  The primary requirements for counties and cities that plan under the GMA are:

$identification and protection of critical areas;

$identification and conservation of agricultural, forest and mineral resource lands;

$adoption of a countywide planning policy;

$designation of urban growth areas in which urban growth is encouraged and outside of which growth can occur only if it is not urban in nature;

$adoption of a comprehensive plan, to include a housing element, a rural element, and other elements;

$adoption of development regulations implementing the comprehensive plan; and

$adoption of goals to guide the development and adoption of a comprehensive plan, to include enhancement of recreational opportunities and to retain open spaces;

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The only requirement is an inventory of existing capital facilities, including land that is used or reasonably usable for outdoor youth activities, owned by public entities.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Cities and counties are required to inventory land reasonably usable for outdoor youth activities.  It does not require comprehensive plans to be opened or changed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 14, 1999.

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

Testimony For (original bill):  There is a tremendous need for playing fields for kids.  Recreational activities are necessary for happy, healthy children.  This would be a great investment for the future of all communities.

Testimony Against (original bill):  Once we graduate to a more intensive use of land, we will never return to a less intensive use.  Agricultural land would be forever damaged if we allow it to be turned into children=s playing fields.  Agricultural lands are on the outskirts of urban areas.  Urban sprawl would follow and destroy tremendous amounts of our agricultural lands.

Testified (original bill):  Gail Neubert, citizen (pro); Judy Taylor, King County Agriculture Commission (con); Ralph Vacca King County Ag. Comm. and WA Thoroughbred Breeder (con); Earl Bell, citizen (con); Rita Bailie, Rainier Audubon (con); Mike Ryherd, 1000 Friends of WA, APA WA (pro/con); Bob Tidball (con); Max Golladay, Kittitas Co. and Cattlemen (con); Donald Baker, Lake Washington Youth Soccer (pro); Larry Martin (con); Marsha Martin, Hollywood Hill Assn. (con); Melinda McBride, Puget Sound Fam. T. (con); Jim Haase, WA State Grange (con); Tony Screws, WA State Youth Soccer Assn. (pro); Vicki Sorg, Pro Parks (pro); Jodi Walker, BIAW (con); Marguerite Sutherland, PLAN (con); Scott Wallace, citizen (pro); Steve Konzen, LWYSA (pro); Doug Levy, City of Everett (mixed); Barbara Rudge, Friends of Skagit County (con); Annalee Cobbett, FamCity Alliance (con); Pete Sorg (pro); Jorge Barrera (pro); Diana Clayton (pro); Gabriel Gerveis, LWYSA (pro); Carol Ross (pro).