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

SB 5832

Brief Description:  Enabling counties planning under chapter 36.70A RCW to create nine lots in a short subdivision within a designated urban growth area.

Sponsors:  Senator Haugen.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Allows Growth Management Act (GMA) counties that have adopted a comprehensive plan and development regulations in compliance with the GMA to increase to nine the number of lots in short subdivisions within urban growth areas.

Hearing Date:  2/20/02

Staff:  Amy Wood (786‑7127).

Background:

A property owner generally must have a proposed land division reviewed by the county, city, or town in which the land is located pursuant to a local short subdivision or subdivision ordinance.  Certain types of land divisions are exempt from statutory subdivision requirements. 

Subdivisions are defined as land divisions resulting in five or more lots, tracts or parcels.  A short subdivision is as a land division or redivision resulting in four or fewer lots, tracts parcels, sites or divisions.  A short subdivision containing fewer than four lots may be altered to create up to four lots within the original short plat boundaries. 

A city or town may provide by local ordinance for short subdivision of up to nine lots, tracts or parcels.  Counties are not authorized to increase the number of lots, tracts, or parcels in a short subdivision by local ordinance.

In addition to other requirements, the Growth Management Act (GMA) requires counties and cities planning under RCW 36.70A.040 (GMA jurisdictions) to designate an urban growth area (UGA) and to adopt a comprehensive plan and implementing development regulations within four years of the date the GMA jurisdiction began planning under the GMA.  The UGA is the area within which urban growth is encouraged and outside of which urban growth is prohibited.  "Urban growth" is defined in the GMA to mean growth making intensive use of land to an extent creating incompatibility with natural resource uses.

Summary of Bill:

Counties planning under Growth Management Act (GMA) requirements that have adopted a comprehensive plan and development regulations in compliance with the GMA may by ordinance increase the number of lots, tracts or parcels regulated as short subdivisions to a maximum of  nine within any urban growth area.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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