Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Local Government & Housing

HB 1327

Brief Description:  Revising procedures for approval of water‑sewer district general comprehensive plans.

Sponsors:  Representatives Miloscia, Mulliken, Dunshee, Schoesler and Doumit.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Water-sewer comprehensive plans that require review by a state agency are considered approved if the agency fails to reject or conditionally approve the plan within 60 days of submittal, with an additional 60 days if insufficient time exists to adequately review the plan.

$Requires the district to provide a copy of the plan to every state and local entity that approved the plan within 30 days.

Hearing Date:  1/29/01

Staff:  Scott MacColl (786‑7106).

Background: 

Water-sewer district commissioners are required to adopt a comprehensive plan prior to ordering any improvements or submitting any proposition to a vote to incur indebtedness.  The district must adopt a comprehensive plan for the type of facilities the district proposes to provide, and may either combine all services into a single comprehensive general plan or prepare a separate general comprehensive plan for each of these services.

Prior to the plan becoming effective, the general comprehensive plan must be approved by any state agency whose approval may be required by applicable law.  Also, amendments to, alterations of, or additions to the general comprehensive plan requires the same approval process.  This approval process applies to a city or town legislative authority only when an amendment, alteration, or addition to the general comprehensive plan affects the particular city or town.

Summary of Bill: 

A water-sewer general comprehensive plan submitted to a state agency for review is considered approved if the state agency fails to reject or conditionally approved the plan 60 days after submittal.  This time line may be extended another 60 days if insufficient time exists to adequately review the plan within these limitations.  There is no definition of what constitutes ?insufficient time@ in the bill.

The standard as to whether or not an amendment, alteration, or addition affects a  particular city or town is changed to require that the amendment, alteration, or addition ?materially impacts@ the particular city or town.  This suggests a higher standard, yet ?materially impacts@ is not defined in the bill.

The district is required to provide a copy of the general comprehensive plan, or any amendment, alteration, or addition to the plan to every state agency, county, city, or town from which approval was required within 30 days after the effective date.

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

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.