6070-S AMS PATT S2325.1

 

 

 

SSB 6070 - S AMD 135

By Senator Patterson

 

                                                                   

 

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

 

    "Sec. 1.  RCW 36.70A.020 and 1990 1st ex.s. c 17 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    The following goals are adopted to guide the development and adoption of comprehensive plans and development regulations of those counties and cities that are required or choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040.  The following goals are not listed in order of priority and shall be used exclusively for the purpose of guiding the development of comprehensive plans and development regulations:

    (1) Urban growth.  Encourage development in urban areas where adequate public facilities and services exist or can be provided in an efficient manner.

    (2) Reduce sprawl.  Reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low-density development.

    (3) Transportation.  Encourage efficient multimodal transportation systems that are based on regional priorities and coordinated with county and city comprehensive plans.

    (4) Housing.  Encourage the availability of affordable housing to all economic segments of the population of this state, promote a variety of residential densities and housing types, and encourage preservation of existing housing stock.

    (5) Economic development.  Encourage economic development throughout the state that is consistent with adopted comprehensive plans, promote economic opportunity for all citizens of this state, especially for unemployed and for disadvantaged persons, promote the retention and expansion of existing businesses and recruitment of new businesses, recognize regional differences impacting economic development opportunities, and encourage growth in areas experiencing insufficient economic growth, all within the capacities of the state's natural resources, public services, and public facilities.

    (6) Property rights.  Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation having been made.  The property rights of landowners shall be protected from arbitrary and discriminatory actions.

    (7) Permits.  Applications for both state and local government permits should be processed in a timely and fair manner to ensure predictability.

    (8) Natural resource industries.  Maintain and enhance natural resource-based industries, including productive timber, agricultural, and fisheries industries.  Encourage the conservation of productive forest lands and productive agricultural lands, and discourage incompatible uses.

    (9) Open space and recreation.  Encourage the retention of open space and development of recreational opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and develop parks.

    (10) Environment.  Protect the environment and enhance the state's high quality of life, including air and water quality, and the availability of water.

    (11) Citizen participation and coordination.  Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process and ensure coordination between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile conflicts.

    (12) Public facilities and services.  Ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service levels below locally established minimum standards.

    (13) Historic preservation.  Identify and encourage the preservation of lands, sites, and structures, that have historical or archaeological significance.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 36.70A.030 and 1997 c 429 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

    (1) "Adopt a comprehensive land use plan" means to enact a new comprehensive land use plan or to update an existing comprehensive land use plan.

    (2) "Agricultural land" means land primarily devoted to the commercial production of horticultural, viticultural, floricultural, dairy, apiary, vegetable, or animal products or of berries, grain, hay, straw, turf, seed, Christmas trees not subject to the excise tax imposed by RCW 84.33.100 through 84.33.140, finfish in upland hatcheries, or livestock, and that has long-term commercial significance for agricultural production.

    (3) "City" means any city or town, including a code city.

    (4) "Comprehensive land use plan," "comprehensive plan," or "plan" means a generalized coordinated land use policy statement of the governing body of a county or city that is adopted pursuant to this chapter.

    (5) "Critical areas" include the following areas and ecosystems:  (a) Wetlands; (b) areas with a critical recharging effect on aquifers used for potable water; (c) fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas; (d) frequently flooded areas; and (e) geologically hazardous areas.

    (6) "Department" means the department of community, trade, and economic development.

    (7) "Development regulations" or "regulation" means the controls placed on development or land use activities by a county or city, including, but not limited to, zoning ordinances, critical areas ordinances, shoreline master programs, official controls, planned unit development ordinances, subdivision ordinances, and binding site plan ordinances together with any amendments thereto.  A development regulation does not include a decision to approve a project permit application, as defined in RCW 36.70B.020, even though the decision may be expressed in a resolution or ordinance of the legislative body of the county or city.

    (8) "Forest land" means land primarily devoted to growing trees for long-term commercial timber production on land that can be economically and practically managed for such production, including Christmas trees subject to the excise tax imposed under RCW 84.33.100 through 84.33.140, and that has long-term commercial significance.  In determining whether forest land is primarily devoted to growing trees for long-term commercial timber production on land that can be economically and practically managed for such production, the following factors shall be considered:  (a) The proximity of the land to urban, suburban, and rural settlements; (b) surrounding parcel size and the compatibility and intensity of adjacent and nearby land uses; (c) long-term local economic conditions that affect the ability to manage for timber production; and (d) the availability of public facilities and services conducive to conversion of forest land to other uses.

    (9) "Geologically hazardous areas"  means areas that because of their susceptibility to erosion, sliding, earthquake, or other geological events, are not suited to the siting of commercial, residential, or industrial development consistent with public health or safety concerns.

    (10) "Long-term commercial significance" includes the growing capacity, productivity, and soil composition of the land for long-term commercial production, in consideration with the land's proximity to  population areas, and the possibility of more intense uses of the land.

    (11) "Minerals" include gravel, sand, and valuable metallic substances.

    (12) "Performance measures" required under RCW 36.70A.210(3) means a quantifiable measurement or index providing consistent and reliable information over time to help gauge how a jurisdiction is achieving specified performance results.

    (13) "Public facilities" include streets, roads, highways, sidewalks, street and road lighting systems, traffic signals, domestic water systems, storm and sanitary sewer systems, parks and recreational facilities, and schools.

    (((13))) (14) "Public services" include fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, public health, education, recreation, environmental protection, and other governmental services.

    (((14))) (15) "Rural character" refers to the patterns of land use and development established by a county in the rural element of its comprehensive plan:

    (a) In which open space, the natural landscape, and vegetation predominate over the built environment;

    (b) That foster traditional rural lifestyles, rural-based economies, and opportunities to both live and work in rural areas;

    (c) That provide visual landscapes that are traditionally found in rural areas and communities;

    (d) That are compatible with the use of the land by wildlife and for fish and wildlife habitat;

    (e) That reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low‑density development;

    (f) That generally do not require the extension of urban governmental services; and

    (g) That are consistent with the protection of natural surface water flows and ground water and surface water recharge and discharge areas.

    (((15))) (16) "Rural development" refers to development outside the urban growth area and outside agricultural, forest, and mineral resource lands designated pursuant to RCW 36.70A.170.  Rural development can consist of a variety of uses and residential densities, including clustered residential development, at levels that are consistent with the preservation of rural character and the requirements of the rural element.  Rural development does not refer to agriculture or forestry activities that may be conducted in rural areas.

    (((16))) (17) "Rural governmental services" or "rural services" include those public services and public facilities historically and typically delivered at an intensity usually found in rural areas, and may include domestic water systems, fire and police protection services, transportation and public transit services, and other public utilities associated with rural development and normally not associated with urban areas.  Rural services do not include storm or sanitary sewers, except as otherwise authorized by RCW 36.70A.110(4).

    (((17))) (18) "Urban growth" refers to growth that makes intensive use of land for the location of buildings, structures, and impermeable surfaces to such a degree as to be incompatible with the primary use of land for the production of food, other agricultural products, or fiber, or the extraction of mineral resources, rural uses, rural development, and natural resource lands designated pursuant to RCW 36.70A.170.  A pattern of more intensive rural development, as provided in RCW 36.70A.070(5)(d), is not urban growth.  When allowed to spread over wide areas, urban growth typically requires urban governmental services.  "Characterized by urban growth" refers to land having urban growth located on it, or to land located in relationship to an area with urban growth on it as to be appropriate for urban growth.

    (((18))) (19) "Urban growth areas" means those areas designated by a county pursuant to RCW 36.70A.110.

    (((19))) (20) "Urban governmental services" or "urban services" include those public services and public facilities at an intensity historically and typically provided in cities, specifically including storm and sanitary sewer systems, domestic water systems, street cleaning services, fire and police protection services, public transit services, and other public utilities associated with urban areas and normally not associated with rural areas.

    (((20))) (21) "Wetland" or "wetlands" means areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.  Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas.  Wetlands do not include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from nonwetland sites, including, but not limited to, irrigation and drainage ditches, grass-lined swales, canals, detention facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, farm ponds, and landscape amenities, or those wetlands created after July 1, 1990, that were unintentionally created as a result of the construction of a road, street, or highway.  Wetlands may include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from nonwetland areas created to mitigate conversion of wetlands.

 

    Sec. 3.  RCW 36.70A.070 and 1998 c 171 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    The comprehensive plan of a county or city that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 shall consist of a map or maps, and descriptive text covering objectives, principles, and standards used to develop the comprehensive plan.  The plan shall be an internally consistent document and all elements shall be consistent with the future land use map.  A comprehensive plan shall be adopted and amended with public participation as provided in RCW 36.70A.140.

    Each comprehensive plan shall include a plan, scheme, or design for each of the following:

    (1) A land use element designating the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of land, where appropriate, for agriculture, timber production, housing, commerce, industry, recreation, open spaces, general aviation airports, public utilities, public facilities, and other land uses.  The land use element shall include population densities, building intensities, and estimates of future population growth.  The land use element shall provide for protection of the quality and quantity of ground water used for public water supplies.  Where applicable, the land use element shall review drainage, flooding, and storm water run-off in the area and nearby jurisdictions and provide guidance for corrective actions to mitigate or cleanse those discharges that pollute waters of the state, including Puget Sound or waters entering Puget Sound.

    (2) A housing element ensuring the vitality and character of established residential neighborhoods that:  (a) Includes an inventory and analysis of existing and projected housing needs that identifies the number of housing units necessary to accommodate projected growth; (b) includes a statement of goals, policies, objectives, and mandatory provisions for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing, including single-family residences; (c) identifies sufficient land for housing, including, but not limited to, government-assisted housing, housing for low-income families, manufactured housing, multifamily housing, and group homes and foster care facilities; and (d) makes adequate provisions for existing and projected needs of all economic segments of the community.

    (3) A capital facilities plan element consisting of:  (a) An inventory of existing capital facilities owned by public entities, showing the locations and capacities of the capital facilities; (b) a forecast of the future needs for such capital facilities; (c) the proposed locations and capacities of expanded or new capital facilities; (d) at least a six-year plan that will finance such capital facilities within projected funding capacities and clearly identifies sources of public money for such purposes; and (e) a requirement to reassess the land use element if probable funding falls short of meeting existing needs and to ensure that the land use element, capital facilities plan element, and financing plan within the capital facilities plan element are coordinated and consistent.

    (4) A utilities element consisting of the general location, proposed location, and capacity of all existing and proposed utilities, including, but not limited to, electrical lines, telecommunication lines, and natural gas lines.

    (5) Rural element.  Counties shall include a rural element including lands that are not designated for urban growth, agriculture, forest, or mineral resources.  The following provisions shall apply to the rural element:

    (a) Growth management act goals and local circumstances.  Because circumstances vary from county to county, in establishing patterns of rural densities and uses, a county may consider local circumstances, but shall develop a written record explaining how the rural element harmonizes the planning goals in RCW 36.70A.020 and meets the requirements of this chapter.

    (b) Rural development.  The rural element shall permit rural development, forestry, and agriculture in rural areas.  The rural element shall provide for a variety of rural densities, uses, essential public facilities, and rural governmental services needed to serve the permitted densities and uses.  In order to achieve a variety of rural densities and uses, counties may provide for clustering, density transfer, design guidelines, conservation easements, and other innovative techniques that will accommodate appropriate rural densities and uses that are not characterized by urban growth and that are consistent with rural character.

    (c) Measures governing rural development.  The rural element shall include measures that apply to rural development and protect the rural character of the area, as established by the county, by:

    (i) Containing or otherwise controlling rural development;

    (ii) Assuring visual compatibility of rural development with the surrounding rural area;

    (iii) Reducing the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low-density development in the rural area;

    (iv) Protecting critical areas, as provided in RCW 36.70A.060, and surface water and ground water resources; and

    (v) Protecting against conflicts with the use of agricultural, forest, and mineral resource lands designated under RCW 36.70A.170.

    (d) Limited areas of more intensive rural development.  Subject to the requirements of this subsection and except as otherwise specifically provided in this subsection (5)(d), the rural element may allow for limited areas of more intensive rural development, including necessary public facilities and public services to serve the limited area as follows:

    (i) Rural development consisting of the infill, development, or redevelopment of existing commercial, industrial, residential, or mixed-use areas, whether characterized as shoreline development, villages, hamlets, rural activity centers, or crossroads developments.  A commercial, industrial, residential, shoreline, or mixed-use area shall be subject to the requirements of (d)(iv) of this subsection, but shall not be subject to the requirements of (c)(ii) and (iii) of this subsection.  An industrial area is not required to be principally designed to serve the existing and projected rural population;

    (ii) The intensification of development on lots containing, or new development of, small-scale recreational or tourist uses, including commercial facilities to serve those recreational or tourist uses, that rely on a rural location and setting, but that do not include new residential development.  A small-scale recreation or tourist use is not required to be principally designed to serve the existing and projected rural population.  Public services and public facilities shall be limited to those necessary to serve the recreation or tourist use and shall be provided in a manner that does not permit low-density sprawl;

    (iii) The intensification of development on lots containing isolated nonresidential uses or new development of isolated cottage industries and isolated small-scale businesses that are not principally designed to serve the existing and projected rural population and nonresidential uses, but do provide job opportunities for rural residents.  Public services and public facilities shall be limited to those necessary to serve the isolated nonresidential use and shall be provided in a manner that does not permit low-density sprawl;

    (iv) A county shall adopt measures to minimize and contain the existing areas or uses of more intensive rural development, as appropriate, authorized under this subsection.  Lands included in such existing areas or uses shall not extend beyond the logical outer boundary of the existing area or use, thereby allowing a new pattern of low-density sprawl.  Existing areas are those that are clearly identifiable and contained and where there is a logical boundary delineated predominately by the built environment, but that may also include undeveloped lands if limited as provided in this subsection.  The county shall establish the logical outer boundary of an area of more intensive rural development.  In establishing the logical outer boundary the county shall address (A) the need to preserve the character of existing natural neighborhoods and communities, (B) physical boundaries such as bodies of water, streets and highways, and land forms and contours, (C) the prevention of abnormally irregular boundaries, and (D) the ability to provide public facilities and public services in a manner that does not permit low-density sprawl;

    (v) For purposes of (d) of this subsection, an existing area or existing use is one that was in existence:

    (A) On July 1, 1990, in a county that was initially required to plan under all of the provisions of this chapter;

    (B) On the date the county adopted a resolution under RCW 36.70A.040(2), in a county that is planning under all of the provisions of this chapter under RCW 36.70A.040(2); or

    (C) On the date the office of financial management certifies the county's population as provided in RCW 36.70A.040(5), in a county that is planning under all of the provisions of this chapter pursuant to RCW 36.70A.040(5).

    (e) Exception.  This subsection shall not be interpreted to permit in the rural area a major industrial development or a master planned resort unless otherwise specifically permitted under RCW 36.70A.360 and 36.70A.365.

    (6) A transportation element that implements, and is consistent with, the land use element.

    (a) The transportation element shall include the following subelements:

    (i) Land use assumptions used in estimating travel;

    (ii) Estimated traffic impacts to state-owned transportation facilities resulting from land use assumptions to assist the department of transportation in monitoring the performance of state facilities, to plan improvements for the facilities, and to assess the impact of land-use decisions on state-owned transportation facilities;

    (iii) Facilities and services needs, including:

    (A) An inventory of air, water, and ground transportation facilities and services, including transit alignments and general aviation airport facilities, to define existing capital facilities and travel levels as a basis for future planning.  This inventory must include state-owned transportation facilities within the city or county's jurisdiction boundaries;

    (B) Level of service standards for all locally owned arterials and transit routes to serve as a gauge to judge performance of the system.  These standards should be regionally coordinated;

    (C) For state-owned transportation facilities, level of service standards for highways, as prescribed in chapters 47.06 and 47.80 RCW, to gauge the performance of the system.  The purposes of reflecting level of service standards for state highways in the local comprehensive plan are to monitor the performance of the system, to evaluate improvement strategies, and to facilitate coordination between the county's or city's six-year street, road, or transit program and the department of transportation's six-year investment program.  The concurrency requirements of (b) of this subsection do not apply to transportation facilities and services of statewide significance except for counties consisting of islands whose only connection to the mainland are state highways or ferry routes.  In these island counties, state highways and ferry route capacity must be a factor in meeting the concurrency requirements in (b) of this subsection;

    (D) Specific actions and requirements for bringing into compliance locally owned transportation facilities or services that are below an established level of service standard;

    (E) Forecasts of traffic for at least ten years based on the adopted land use plan to provide information on the location, timing, and capacity needs of future growth;

    (F) Identification of state and local system needs to meet current and future demands.  Identified needs on state-owned transportation facilities must be consistent with the statewide multimodal transportation plan required under chapter 47.06 RCW;

    (iv) Finance, including:

    (A) An analysis of funding capability to judge needs against probable funding resources;

    (B) A multiyear financing plan based on the needs identified in the comprehensive plan, the appropriate parts of which shall serve as the basis for the six-year street, road, or transit program required by RCW 35.77.010 for cities, RCW 36.81.121 for counties, and RCW 35.58.2795 for public transportation systems.  The multiyear financing plan should be coordinated with the six-year improvement program developed by the department of transportation as required by RCW 47.05.030;

    (C) If probable funding falls short of meeting identified needs, a discussion of how additional funding will be raised, or how land use assumptions will be reassessed to ensure that level of service standards will be met;

    (v) Intergovernmental coordination efforts, including an assessment of the impacts of the transportation plan and land use assumptions on the transportation systems of adjacent jurisdictions;

    (vi) Demand-management strategies.

    (b) After adoption of the comprehensive plan by jurisdictions required to plan or who choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, local jurisdictions must adopt and enforce ordinances which prohibit development approval if the development causes the level of service on a locally owned transportation facility to decline below the standards adopted in the transportation element of the comprehensive plan, unless transportation improvements or strategies to accommodate the impacts of development are made concurrent with the development.  These strategies may include increased public transportation service, ride sharing programs, demand management, and other transportation systems management strategies.  For the purposes of this subsection (6) "concurrent with the development" shall mean that improvements or strategies are in place at the time of development, or that a financial commitment is in place to complete the improvements or strategies within six years.

    (c) The transportation element described in this subsection (6), and the six-year plans required by RCW 35.77.010 for cities, RCW 36.81.121 for counties, RCW 35.58.2795 for public transportation systems, and RCW 47.05.030 for the state, must be consistent.

    (7) An economic development element establishing local goals, policies, objectives, and provisions for economic growth and vitality.  The element shall include:  (a) An assessment of the economic contributions made by existing commercial and industrial sectors to the community or region; (b) an assessment of opportunities for business retention, expansion, and recruitment; and (c) an assessment of future needs, including for capital facilities, land use, and housing, to accommodate projected growth and foster economic vitality.

 

    Sec. 4.  RCW 36.70A.130 and 1997 c 429 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Each comprehensive land use plan and development regulations shall be subject to continuing review and evaluation by the county or city that adopted them.  Not later than September 1, 2002, and at least every five years thereafter, a county or city shall take action to formally review and, if needed, revise its policies and regulations regarding critical areas and natural resource lands to ensure that these policies and regulations comply with this chapter.

    (2) A county or city planning under RCW 36.70A.040 shall take action to formally review and, if needed, revise its comprehensive land use plan and development regulations according to the following schedule to ensure that the plan and regulations ((are complying)) comply with the requirements of this chapter:

    (a) Not later than September 1, 2004, and every five years thereafter, for a county or city subject to the requirements of RCW 36.70A.215;

    (b) Not later than September 1, 2006, and every ten years thereafter, for a county or city not subject to the requirements of RCW 36.70A.215 that adopted its comprehensive plan according to this chapter between January 1, 1992, and January 1, 1997; and

    (c) Not later than September 1, 2008, and every ten years thereafter, for a county or city not subject to the requirements of RCW 36.70A.215 that adopted its comprehensive plan according to this chapter after January 1, 1997.

    (3) A county or city that becomes required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 after July 1, 2001, shall take action to formally review and, if needed, revise its comprehensive plan and development regulations no later than:

    (a) According to the schedule in subsection (2)(a) of this section for a county or city subject to the requirements of RCW 36.70A.215; or

    (b) Ten years after the date it was required to adopt its initial comprehensive plan and development regulations according to this chapter for a county or city not subject to RCW 36.70A.215 and every ten years thereafter.

    (4) The formal review and evaluation required by ((this)) subsection (2) of this section may be combined with the review required by subsection (((3))) (8) of this section.

    (5) Any amendment or revision to a comprehensive land use plan shall conform to this chapter, and any change to development regulations shall be consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan.

    (((2))) (6) For purposes of this section, "take action to review" includes the submittal by a county or city of an evaluation to the department, no later than one year before the date specified for the county or city in the schedule specified in subsection (2) of this section, describing its review and evaluation process and a schedule for considering amendments as needed to ensure compliance with this chapter.

    (7)(a) Each county and city shall establish and broadly disseminate to the public a public participation program identifying procedures whereby proposed amendments or revisions of the comprehensive plan are considered by the governing body of the county or city no more frequently than once every year except that amendments may be considered more frequently under the following circumstances:

    (i) The initial adoption of a subarea plan;

    (ii) The adoption or amendment of a shoreline master program under the procedures set forth in chapter 90.58 RCW; and

    (iii) The amendment of the capital facilities element of a comprehensive plan that occurs concurrently with the adoption or amendment of a county or city budget.

    (b) Except as otherwise provided in (a) of this subsection, all proposals shall be considered by the governing body concurrently so the cumulative effect of the various proposals can be ascertained.  However, after appropriate public participation a county or city may adopt amendments or revisions to its comprehensive plan that conform with this chapter whenever an emergency exists or to resolve an appeal of a comprehensive plan filed with a growth management hearings board or with the court.

    (((3))) (8) Each county that designates urban growth areas under RCW 36.70A.110 shall review, at least every ten years, its designated urban growth area or areas, and the densities permitted within both the incorporated and unincorporated portions of each urban growth area.  In conjunction with this review by the county, each city located within an urban growth area shall review the densities permitted within its boundaries, and the extent to which the urban growth occurring within the county has located within each city and the unincorporated portions of the urban growth areas.  The county comprehensive plan designating urban growth areas, and the densities permitted in the urban growth areas by the comprehensive plans of the county and each city located within the urban growth areas, shall be revised to accommodate the urban growth projected to occur in the county for the succeeding twenty-year period.  The review required by this subsection may be combined with the review and evaluation required by RCW 36.70A.215.

 

    Sec. 5.  RCW 36.70A.210 and 1998 c 171 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The legislature recognizes that counties are regional governments within their boundaries, and cities are primary providers of urban governmental services within urban growth areas.  For the purposes of this section, a "countywide planning policy" is a written policy statement or statements used solely for establishing a countywide framework from which county and city comprehensive plans are developed and adopted pursuant to this chapter.  This framework shall ensure that city and county comprehensive plans are consistent as required in RCW 36.70A.100.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the land-use powers of cities.

    (2) The legislative authority of a county that plans under RCW 36.70A.040 shall adopt a countywide planning policy in cooperation with the cities located in whole or in part within the county as follows:

    (a) No later than sixty calendar days from July 16, 1991, the legislative authority of each county that as of June 1, 1991, was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 shall convene a meeting with representatives of each city located within the county for the purpose of establishing a collaborative process that will provide a framework for the adoption of a countywide planning policy.  In other counties that are required or choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, this meeting shall be convened no later than sixty days after the date the county adopts its resolution of intention or was certified by the office of financial management.

    (b) The process and framework for adoption of a countywide planning policy specified in (a) of this subsection shall determine the manner in which the county and the cities agree to all procedures and provisions including but not limited to desired planning policies, deadlines, ratification of final agreements and demonstration thereof, and financing, if any, of all activities associated therewith.

    (c) If a county fails for any reason to convene a meeting with representatives of cities as required in (a) of this subsection, the governor may immediately impose any appropriate sanction or sanctions on the county from those specified under RCW 36.70A.340.

    (d) If there is no agreement by October 1, 1991, in a county that was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 as of June 1, 1991, or if there is no agreement within one hundred twenty days of the date the county adopted its resolution of intention or was certified by the office of financial management in any other county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, the governor shall first inquire of the jurisdictions as to the reason or reasons for failure to reach an agreement.  If the governor deems it appropriate, the governor may immediately request the assistance of the department of community, trade, and economic development to mediate any disputes that preclude agreement.  If mediation is unsuccessful in resolving all disputes that will lead to agreement, the governor may impose appropriate sanctions from those specified under RCW 36.70A.340 on the county, city, or cities for failure to reach an agreement as provided in this section.  The governor shall specify the reason or reasons for the imposition of any sanction.

    (e) No later than July 1, 1992, the legislative authority of each county that was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 as of June 1, 1991, or no later than fourteen months after the date the county adopted its resolution of intention or was certified by the office of financial management the county legislative authority of any other county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, shall adopt a countywide planning policy according to the process provided under this section and that is consistent with the agreement pursuant to (b) of this subsection, and after holding a public hearing or hearings on the proposed countywide planning policy.

    (3) A countywide planning policy shall at a minimum, address the following:

    (a) Policies to implement RCW 36.70A.110;

    (b) Policies for promotion of contiguous and orderly development and provision of urban services to such development;

    (c) Policies for siting public capital facilities of a countywide or statewide nature, including transportation facilities of statewide significance as defined in RCW 47.06.140;

    (d) Policies for countywide transportation facilities and strategies;

    (e) Policies that consider the need for affordable housing, such as housing for all economic segments of the population and parameters for its distribution;

    (f) Policies for joint county and city planning within urban growth areas;

    (g) Policies for countywide economic development and employment; ((and))

    (h) Policies for allocating, among the jurisdictions within the county, future employment opportunities and future housing development, by number of residential units, required to accommodate urban and rural population growth;

    (i) Policies establishing appropriate densities for urban and rural areas;

    (j) Performance measures to review progress towards accommodating the twenty-year population growth projections established in the countywide planning policies;

    (k) Policies that do not prohibit housing needed to accommodate the projected population growth; and

    (l) An analysis of the fiscal impact.

    (4) Federal agencies and Indian tribes may participate in and cooperate with the countywide planning policy adoption process.  Adopted countywide planning policies shall be adhered to by state agencies.

    (5) Failure to adopt a countywide planning policy that meets the requirements of this section may result in the imposition of a sanction or sanctions on a county or city within the county, as specified in RCW 36.70A.340.  In imposing a sanction or sanctions, the governor shall specify the reasons for failure to adopt a countywide planning policy in order that any imposed sanction or sanctions are fairly and equitably related to the failure to adopt a countywide planning policy.

    (6) Cities and the governor may appeal an adopted countywide planning policy to the growth management hearings board within sixty days of the adoption of the countywide planning policy.

    (7) Multicounty planning policies shall be adopted by two or more counties, each with a population of four hundred fifty thousand or more, with contiguous urban areas and may be adopted by other counties, according to the process established under this section or other processes agreed to among the counties and cities within the affected counties throughout the multicounty region.

 

    Sec. 6.  RCW 82.02.090 and 1990 1st ex.s. c 17 s 48 are each amended to read as follows:

    Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following definitions shall apply in RCW 82.02.050 through 82.02.090:

    (1) "Development activity" means any construction or expansion of a building, structure, or use, any change in use of a building or structure, or any changes in the use of land, that creates additional demand and need for public facilities.

    (2) "Development approval" means any written authorization from a county, city, or town which authorizes the commencement of development activity.

    (3) "Impact fee" means a payment of money imposed upon development as a condition of development approval to pay for public facilities needed to serve new growth and development, and that is reasonably related to the new development that creates additional demand and need for public facilities, that is a proportionate share of the cost of the public facilities, and that is used for facilities that reasonably benefit the new development.  "Impact fee" does not include a reasonable permit or application fee.

    (4) "Owner" means the owner of record of real property, although when real property is being purchased under a real estate contract, the purchaser shall be considered the owner of the real property if the contract is recorded.

    (5) "Proportionate share" means that portion of the cost of public facility improvements that are reasonably related to the service demands and needs of new development.

    (6) "Project improvements" mean site improvements and facilities that are planned and designed to provide service for a particular development project and that are necessary for the use and convenience of the occupants or users of the project, and are not system improvements.  No improvement or facility included in a capital facilities plan approved by the governing body of the county, city, or town shall be considered a project improvement.

    (7) "Public facilities" means the following capital facilities owned or operated by government entities:  (a) Public streets and roads; (b) publicly owned parks, open space, and recreation facilities; (c) school facilities; and (d) fire protection facilities in jurisdictions that are not part of a fire district other than that portion of a fire district within an urban growth area if such urban growth area is not contiguous to the boundary of any city or town.

    (8) "Service area" means a geographic area defined by a county, city, town, or intergovernmental agreement in which a defined set of public facilities provide service to development within the area.  Service areas shall be designated on the basis of sound planning or engineering principles.

    (9) "System improvements" mean public facilities that are included in the capital facilities plan and are designed to provide service to service areas within the community at large, in contrast to project improvements.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7.  A new section is added to chapter 36.70A RCW to read as follows:

    (1) A county or city is not required to implement chapter . . ., Laws of 2001 (this act) if the county or city does not receive specific funding to implement chapter . . ., Laws of 2001 (this act) during the biennium corresponding to the schedules specified in RCW 36.70A.130.

    (2) If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, corresponding with the fiscal note for this act is not made available at least two years prior to when work is due, this act is null and void.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8.  Sections 1 through 3 and 5 of this act take effect July 1, 2003."

 

 

 

SSB 6070 - S AMD 135

By Senator Patterson

 

                                                                   

 

    On page 1, line 2 of the title after "planning;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 36.70A.020, 36.70A.030, 36.70A.070, 36.70A.130, 36.70A.210, and 82.02.090; adding a new section to chapter 36.70A RCW; and providing an effective date."

 


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