SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6432

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

          State & Local Government, February 3, 2000

Title:  An act relating to authorizing the preservation and development of national historic towns outside of urban growth areas.

Brief Description:  Authorizing the preservation and development of national historic towns outside of urban growth areas.

Sponsors:  Senators B. Sheldon, Horn, Haugen, Winsley, Sheahan, T. Sheldon, McAuliffe, Jacobsen and Gardner.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  1/26/2000, 2/3/2000 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6432 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

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

Staff:  Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background:  One of the 13 planning goals of the Growth Management Act (GMA) is historic preservation.  It guides the development of comprehensive plans and development regulations in counties and cities planning under GMA to identify and encourage the preservation of lands, sites and structures that have historical or archaeological significance.

There is no further direction in GMA regarding historic preservation.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Counties planning under GMA are allowed to designate national historic towns even though they may constitute urban growth outside of urban growth areas.  This is permitted only for towns that have been designated national historic landmarks by the Secretary of the Interior based on significant urban historic features and historically  contained a mix of residential and commercial or industrial uses.

A county may authorize an existing national historic town only under six conditions.  These conditions require the comprehensive plan to have specific policies to guide the preservation, redevelopment, economic sustainability, infill, and development of the town in various, specific ways.  Critical areas, infrastructure concurrency and otherwise designated urban growth boundaries must be respected.  The boundaries of the town must include all the area contained in the landmark designation and any additional limited buffer and transitional use areas.  The town may include types of uses that existed at times during its history, including urban densities.

The county may allocate a portion of its 20-year population projection to the projected number of permanent residents within the national historic town.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute bill does not limit the potential national historic towns only to those designated before 1990.  Only towns with the national designation based on significant historical urban features qualify.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  GMS does not address Port Gamble.  This bill is needed to stop the harassing, constant litigation and the cost that is a detriment to the community.  It needs tightened to ensure there cannot be an unrestricted urban growth area.  There are federal guidelines and precedents the county can adopt to ensure preserving the historic character of the town while permitting it to live and thrive as an economically viable entity.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Chris Endresen, Kitsap County; Stephanie Toothman, National Park Service; Roberta Farris, Pope Resources; Warren Olson, Econ. Dev. PUD, Kitsap County; Allyson Briols, State Historic Preservation; Silvia Klatman, Economic Development Council of Kitsap County; Grant Griffin, Kitsap Peninsula Visitor and Conservation Bureau; CONCERNS:  Steve Stuart, 1000 Friends of Washington; Mike Rylund, APA; Shane Hope, Washington CTED; Charlie Burrow, Tom Donnelly, KCRP; Josh Baldi, Washington Enviro Council.