Brief Description: Establishing the joint task force on essential public facilities.

Sponsors: Representatives Upthegrove, Schual-Berke, Sullivan, Nixon and Wallace.

Hearing Date: 2/3/03

Staff: Amy Wood (786-7127).

Background:

The Growth Management Act (GMA) requires a county and its cities to plan if the county meets certain population and growth criteria and allows counties not meeting these criteria to choose to plan under the GMA. Currently, 29 of 39 counties plan under the GMA.

The GMA requires all counties and cities in the state to take certain actions, including designation and protection of critical areas and of natural resource lands. The GMA imposes additional requirements on counties and cities planning under the GMA (GMA jurisdictions), including: (1) adoption of county-wide planning policies to coordinate comprehensive planning among counties and their cities; (2) designation of urban growth areas; (3) adoption of a comprehensive plan with certain required elements; and (4) adoption of implementing development regulations. Periodically, GMA jurisdictions must review their comprehensive plans and development regulations for consistency with the GMA requirements and must revise their plans and regulations if necessary.

The GMA jurisdictions must also include a process for identifying and siting essential public facilities. Essential public facilities are described in the GMA as those public facilities that are typically difficult to site and include, among other facilities, state and local correctional facilities, mental health facilities, and group homes. The Office of Financial Management is required to maintain a list of essential state public facilities that are required or likely to be built within six years. No GMA plan or development regulation may preclude the siting of essential public facilities.

Summary of Bill:

A task force on essential public facilities is created. The task force includes the following 12 members: six members of the house of representatives from diverse geographic locations, and six members of the senate from diverse geographic locations. The task force co-chairs are authorized to appoint experts and advisors as nonvoting members. 

The task force is required to,

      •    evaluate and develop processes to define regional and state mitigation responsibility resulting from the siting of essential public facilities;

      •    evaluate and develop funding options for state and regional jurisdictions to pay for mitigation costs; and

      •    consider options to incorporate regional and state mitigation responsibilities and funding tools into regional and state planning policies and agreements to ensure that regional and state mitigation measures will be fully implemented. 

The task force must begin by July 1, 2003. The task force is required to submit a final report, including any legislative recommendations, to the Legislature by January 1, 2004. The task force provisions expire June 1, 2004.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not Requested.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on July 1, 2003.