AN ACT Relating to authorizing hearing examiners to issue final decisions regarding final plats of subdivisions; and amending RCW 58.17.060, 58.17.070, 58.17.100, 58.17.110, 58.17.120, 58.17.130, 58.17.140, 58.17.150, 58.17.170, 58.17.190, 58.17.212, 58.17.215, 58.17.225, 58.17.310, and 58.17.330.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 58.17.060 and 1990 1st ex.s. c 17 s 51 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The legislative body of a city, town, or county shall adopt regulations and procedures, and appoint administrative personnel for the summary approval of short plats and short subdivisions or alteration or vacation thereof. When an alteration or vacation involves a public dedication, the alteration or vacation shall be processed as provided in RCW 58.17.212 or 58.17.215. Such regulations shall be adopted by ordinance and shall provide that a short plat and short subdivision may be approved only if written findings that are appropriate, as provided in RCW 58.17.110, are made by the administrative personnel, and may contain wholly different requirements than those governing the approval of preliminary and final plats of subdivisions and may require surveys and monumentations and shall require filing of a short plat, or alteration or vacation thereof, for record in the office of the county auditor: PROVIDED, That such regulations must contain a requirement that land in short subdivisions may not be further divided in any manner within a period of five years without the filing of a final plat, except that when the short plat contains fewer than four parcels, nothing in this section shall prevent the owner who filed the short plat from filing an alteration within the five-year period to create up to a total of four lots within the original short plat boundaries: PROVIDED FURTHER, That such regulations are not required to contain a penalty clause as provided in RCW 36.32.120 and may provide for wholly injunctive relief.

An ordinance requiring a survey shall require that the survey be completed and filed with the application for approval of the short subdivision.

(2) Cities, towns, and counties shall include in their short plat regulations and procedures pursuant to subsection (1) of this section provisions for considering sidewalks and other planning features that assure safe walking conditions for students who walk to and from school.

(3) The legislative body of a city, town, or county may by ordinance exempt short plats or short subdivisions from the requirements in subsection (1) of this section in which the division is for the purpose of establishing a site solely used for an uninhabited public or private utility or telecommunications facility, provided a record survey is recorded per chapter 58.09 RCW.

Sec. 2. RCW 58.17.070 and 1981 c 293 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

A preliminary plat of proposed subdivisions and dedications of land shall be submitted for approval to the ((~~legislative body of the~~)) city, town, or county within which the plat is situated.

Unless an applicant for preliminary plat approval requests otherwise, a preliminary plat shall be processed simultaneously with applications for rezones, variances, planned unit developments, site plan approvals, and similar quasi-judicial or administrative actions to the extent that procedural requirements applicable to these actions permit simultaneous processing.

Sec. 3. RCW 58.17.100 and 1995 c 347 s 428 are each amended to read as follows:

If a city, town, or county has established a planning commission or planning agency in accordance with state law or local charter, such commission or agency shall review all preliminary plats and make recommendations thereon to the city, town, or county legislative body to assure conformance of the proposed subdivision to the general purposes of the comprehensive plan and to planning standards and specifications as adopted by the city, town, or county. Reports of the planning commission or agency shall be advisory only: PROVIDED, That the legislative body of the city, town, or county may, by ordinance, assign to such commission or agency, or any department official or group of officials, such administrative functions, powers and duties as may be appropriate, including the holding of hearings, and recommendations for approval or disapproval of preliminary plats of proposed subdivisions.

Such recommendation shall be submitted to the legislative body not later than fourteen days following action by the hearing body. Upon receipt of the recommendation on any preliminary plat the legislative body shall at its next public meeting set the date for the public meeting where it shall consider the recommendations of the hearing body and may adopt or reject the recommendations of such hearing body based on the record established at the public hearing. If, after considering the matter at a public meeting, the legislative body deems a change in the planning commission's or planning agency's recommendation approving or disapproving any preliminary plat is necessary, the legislative body shall adopt its own recommendations and approve or disapprove the preliminary plat.

Every decision or recommendation made under this section shall be in writing and shall include findings of fact and conclusions to support the decision or recommendation.

A record of all public meetings and public hearings shall be kept by the appropriate city, town, or county authority and shall be open to public inspection.

((~~Sole authority to approve final plats, and to adopt or amend platting ordinances shall reside in the legislative bodies.~~))

Sec. 4. RCW 58.17.110 and 1995 c 32 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The city, town, or county ((~~legislative body~~)) shall inquire into the public use and interest proposed to be served by the establishment of the subdivision and dedication. It shall determine: (a) If appropriate provisions are made for, but not limited to, the public health, safety, and general welfare, for open spaces, drainage ways, streets or roads, alleys, other public ways, transit stops, potable water supplies, sanitary wastes, parks and recreation, playgrounds, schools and schoolgrounds, and shall consider all other relevant facts, including sidewalks and other planning features that assure safe walking conditions for students who only walk to and from school; and (b) whether the public interest will be served by the subdivision and dedication.

(2) A proposed subdivision and dedication shall not be approved unless the city, town, or county ((~~legislative body~~)) makes written findings that: (a) Appropriate provisions are made for the public health, safety, and general welfare and for such open spaces, drainage ways, streets or roads, alleys, other public ways, transit stops, potable water supplies, sanitary wastes, parks and recreation, playgrounds, schools and schoolgrounds and all other relevant facts, including sidewalks and other planning features that assure safe walking conditions for students who only walk to and from school; and (b) the public use and interest will be served by the platting of such subdivision and dedication. If it finds that the proposed subdivision and dedication make such appropriate provisions and that the public use and interest will be served, then the ((~~legislative body~~)) city, town, or county shall approve the proposed subdivision and dedication. Dedication of land to any public body, provision of public improvements to serve the subdivision, and/or impact fees imposed under RCW 82.02.050 through 82.02.090 may be required as a condition of subdivision approval. Dedications shall be clearly shown on the final plat. No dedication, provision of public improvements, or impact fees imposed under RCW 82.02.050 through 82.02.090 shall be allowed that constitutes an unconstitutional taking of private property. The ((~~legislative body~~)) city, town, or county shall not as a condition to the approval of any subdivision require a release from damages to be procured from other property owners.

(3) If the preliminary plat includes a dedication of a public park with an area of less than two acres and the donor has designated that the park be named in honor of a deceased individual of good character, the city, town, or county ((~~legislative body~~)) must adopt the designated name.

Sec. 5. RCW 58.17.120 and 1974 ex.s. c 134 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

The city, town, or county ((~~legislative body~~)) shall consider the physical characteristics of a proposed subdivision site and may disapprove a proposed plat because of flood, inundation, or swamp conditions. Construction of protective improvements may be required as a condition of approval, and such improvements shall be noted on the final plat.

No plat shall be approved by any city, town, or county ((~~legislative authority~~)) covering any land situated in a flood control zone as provided in chapter 86.16 RCW without the prior written approval of the department of ecology of the state of Washington.

Sec. 6. RCW 58.17.130 and 1974 ex.s. c 134 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

Local regulations shall provide that in lieu of the completion of the actual construction of any required improvements prior to the approval of a final plat, the city, town, or county ((~~legislative body~~)) may accept a bond, in an amount and with surety and conditions satisfactory to it, or other secure method, providing for and securing to the municipality the actual construction and installation of such improvements within a period specified by the city, town, or county ((~~legislative body~~)) and expressed in the bonds. In addition, local regulations may provide for methods of security, including the posting of a bond securing to the municipality the successful operation of improvements for an appropriate period of time up to two years after final approval. The municipality is hereby granted the power to enforce bonds authorized under this section by all appropriate legal and equitable remedies. Such local regulations may provide that the improvements such as structures, sewers, and water systems shall be designed and certified by or under the supervision of a registered civil engineer prior to the acceptance of such improvements.

Sec. 7. RCW 58.17.140 and 1995 c 68 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

Preliminary plats of any proposed subdivision and dedication shall be approved, disapproved, or returned to the applicant for modification or correction within ninety days from date of filing thereof unless the applicant consents to an extension of such time period or the ninety day limitation is extended to include up to twenty-one days as specified under RCW 58.17.095(3): PROVIDED, That if an environmental impact statement is required as provided in RCW 43.21C.030, the ninety day period shall not include the time spent preparing and circulating the environmental impact statement by the local government agency. Final plats and short plats shall be approved, disapproved, or returned to the applicant within thirty days from the date of filing thereof, unless the applicant consents to an extension of such time period. A final plat meeting all requirements of this chapter shall be submitted to the ((~~legislative body of the~~)) city, town, or county for approval within five years of the date of preliminary plat approval. Nothing contained in this section shall act to prevent any city, town, or county from adopting by ordinance procedures which would allow extensions of time that may or may not contain additional or altered conditions and requirements.

Sec. 8. RCW 58.17.150 and 1983 c 121 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

Each preliminary plat submitted for final approval of the ((~~legislative body~~)) city, town, or county shall be accompanied by the following agencies' recommendations for approval or disapproval:

(1) Local health department or other agency furnishing sewage disposal and supplying water as to the adequacy of the proposed means of sewage disposal and water supply;

(2) Local planning agency or commission, charged with the responsibility of reviewing plats and subdivisions, as to compliance with all terms of the preliminary approval of the proposed plat subdivision or dedication;

(3) City, town, or county engineer.

Except as provided in RCW 58.17.140, an agency or person issuing a recommendation for subsequent approval under subsections (1) and (3) of this section shall not modify the terms of its recommendations without the consent of the applicant.

Sec. 9. RCW 58.17.170 and 1981 c 293 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:

When the ((~~legislative body of the~~)) city, town, or county finds that the subdivision proposed for final plat approval conforms to all terms of the preliminary plat approval, and that said subdivision meets the requirements of this chapter, other applicable state laws, and any local ordinances adopted under this chapter which were in effect at the time of preliminary plat approval, it shall suitably inscribe and execute its written approval on the face of the plat. The original of said final plat shall be filed for record with the county auditor. One reproducible copy shall be furnished to the city, town or county engineer. One paper copy shall be filed with the county assessor. Paper copies shall be provided to such other agencies as may be required by ordinance. Any lots in a final plat filed for record shall be a valid land use notwithstanding any change in zoning laws for a period of five years from the date of filing. A subdivision shall be governed by the terms of approval of the final plat, and the statutes, ordinances, and regulations in effect at the time of approval under RCW 58.17.150 (1) and (3) for a period of five years after final plat approval unless the ((~~legislative body~~)) city, town, or county finds that a change in conditions creates a serious threat to the public health or safety in the subdivision.

Sec. 10. RCW 58.17.190 and 1969 ex.s. c 271 s 19 are each amended to read as follows:

The county auditor shall refuse to accept any plat for filing until approval of the plat has been given by the ((~~appropriate legislative body~~)) city, town, or county in which the plat is situated. Should a plat or dedication be filed without such approval, the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the plat is filed shall apply for a writ of mandate in the name of and on behalf of the ((~~legislative body~~)) city, town, or county required to approve same, directing the auditor and assessor to remove from their files or records the unapproved plat, or dedication of record.

Sec. 11. RCW 58.17.212 and 1987 c 354 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

Whenever any person is interested in the vacation of any subdivision or portion thereof, or any area designated or dedicated for public use, that person shall file an application for vacation with the ((~~legislative authority of the~~)) city, town, or county in which the subdivision is located. The application shall set forth the reasons for vacation and shall contain signatures of all parties having an ownership interest in that portion of the subdivision subject to vacation. If the subdivision is subject to restrictive covenants which were filed at the time of the approval of the subdivision, and the application for vacation would result in the violation of a covenant, the application shall contain an agreement signed by all parties subject to the covenants providing that the parties agree to terminate or alter the relevant covenants to accomplish the purpose of the vacation of the subdivision or portion thereof.

When the vacation application is specifically for a county road or city or town street, the procedures for road vacation or street vacation in chapter 36.87 or 35.79 RCW shall be utilized for the road or street vacation. When the application is for the vacation of the plat together with the roads and/or streets, the procedure for vacation in this section shall be used, but vacations of streets may not be made that are prohibited under RCW 35.79.030, and vacations of roads may not be made that are prohibited under RCW 36.87.130.

The ((~~legislative authority of the~~)) city, town, or county shall give notice as provided in RCW 58.17.080 and 58.17.090 and shall conduct a public hearing on the application for a vacation and may approve or deny the application for vacation of the subdivision after determining the public use and interest to be served by the vacation of the subdivision. If any portion of the land contained in the subdivision was dedicated to the public for public use or benefit, such land, if not deeded to the city, town, or county, shall be deeded to the city, town, or county unless the ((~~legislative authority~~)) city, town, or county shall set forth findings that the public use would not be served in retaining title to those lands.

Title to the vacated property shall vest with the rightful owner as shown in the county records. If the vacated land is land that was dedicated to the public, for public use other than a road or street, and the ((~~legislative authority~~)) city, town, or county has found that retaining title to the land is not in the public interest, title thereto shall vest with the person or persons owning the property on each side thereof, as determined by the ((~~legislative authority~~)) city, town, or county. When the road or street that is to be vacated was contained wholly within the subdivision and is part of the boundary of the subdivision, title to the vacated road or street shall vest with the owner or owners of property contained within the vacated subdivision.

This section shall not be construed as applying to the vacation of any plat of state-granted tide or shore lands.

Sec. 12. RCW 58.17.215 and 1987 c 354 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

When any person is interested in the alteration of any subdivision or the altering of any portion thereof, except as provided in RCW 58.17.040(6), that person shall submit an application to request the alteration to the ((~~legislative authority of the~~)) city, town, or county where the subdivision is located. The application shall contain the signatures of the majority of those persons having an ownership interest of lots, tracts, parcels, sites, or divisions in the subject subdivision or portion to be altered. If the subdivision is subject to restrictive covenants which were filed at the time of the approval of the subdivision, and the application for alteration would result in the violation of a covenant, the application shall contain an agreement signed by all parties subject to the covenants providing that the parties agree to terminate or alter the relevant covenants to accomplish the purpose of the alteration of the subdivision or portion thereof.

Upon receipt of an application for alteration, the ((~~legislative body~~)) city, town, or county shall provide notice of the application to all owners of property within the subdivision, and as provided for in RCW 58.17.080 and 58.17.090. The notice shall either establish a date for a public hearing or provide that a hearing may be requested by a person receiving notice within fourteen days of receipt of the notice.

The ((~~legislative body~~)) city, town, or county shall determine the public use and interest in the proposed alteration and may deny or approve the application for alteration. If any land within the alteration is part of an assessment district, any outstanding assessments shall be equitably divided and levied against the remaining lots, parcels, or tracts, or be levied equitably on the lots resulting from the alteration. If any land within the alteration contains a dedication to the general use of persons residing within the subdivision, such land may be altered and divided equitably between the adjacent properties.

After approval of the alteration, the ((~~legislative body~~)) city, town, or county shall order the applicant to produce a revised drawing of the approved alteration of the final plat or short plat, which after signature of the ((~~legislative authority~~)) city, town, or county, shall be filed with the county auditor to become the lawful plat of the property.

This section shall not be construed as applying to the alteration or replatting of any plat of state-granted tide or shore lands.

Sec. 13. RCW 58.17.225 and 1995 c 32 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The granting of an easement for ingress and egress or utilities over public property that is held as open space pursuant to a subdivision or plat, where the open space is already used as a utility right of way or corridor, where other access is not feasible, and where the granting of the easement will not impair public access or authorize construction of physical barriers of any type, may be authorized and exempted from the requirements of RCW 58.17.215 by the county, city, or town ((~~legislative authority~~)) following a public hearing with notice to the property owners in the affected plat.

Sec. 14. RCW 58.17.310 and 1990 c 194 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

In addition to any other requirements imposed by the provisions of this chapter, ((~~the legislative authority of any~~)) a city, town, or county shall not approve a short plat or final plat, as defined in RCW 58.17.020, for any subdivision, short subdivision, lot, tract, parcel, or site which lies in whole or in part in an irrigation district organized pursuant to chapter 87.03 RCW unless there has been provided an irrigation water right of way for each parcel of land in such district. In addition, if the subdivision, short subdivision, lot, tract, parcel, or site lies within land within the district classified as irrigable, completed irrigation water distribution facilities for such land may be required by the irrigation district by resolution, bylaw, or rule of general applicability as a condition for approval of the short plat or final plat by the ((~~legislative authority of the~~)) city, town, or county. Rights of way shall be evidenced by the respective plats submitted for final approval to the ((~~appropriate legislative authority~~)) city, town, or county. In addition, if the subdivision, short subdivision, lot, tract, parcel, or site to be platted is wholly or partially within an irrigation district of two hundred thousand acres or more and has been previously platted by the United States bureau of reclamation as a farm unit in the district, the ((~~legislative authority~~)) city, town, or county shall not approve for such land a short plat or final plat as defined in RCW 58.17.020 without the approval of the irrigation district and the administrator or manager of the project of the bureau of reclamation, or its successor agency, within which that district lies. Compliance with the requirements of this section together with all other applicable provisions of this chapter shall be a prerequisite, within the expressed purpose of this chapter, to any sale, lease, or development of land in this state.

Sec. 15. RCW 58.17.330 and 1995 c 347 s 429 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) As an alternative to those provisions of this chapter requiring a planning commission to hear and issue recommendations for plat approval, the county or city legislative ((~~body~~)) authority may adopt a hearing examiner system and shall specify by ordinance the legal effect of the decisions made by the examiner. The legal effect of such decisions shall include one of the following:

(a) The decision may be given the effect of a recommendation to the legislative ((~~body~~)) authority;

(b) The decision may be given the effect of an administrative decision appealable within a specified time limit to the legislative ((~~body~~)) authority; or

The legislative authority shall prescribe procedures to be followed by a hearing examiner.

(2) Each final decision of a hearing examiner shall be in writing and shall include findings and conclusions, based on the record, to support the decision. Each final decision of a hearing examiner, unless a longer period is mutually agreed to by the applicant and the hearing examiner, shall be rendered within ten working days following conclusion of all testimony and hearings.