Brief Description: Including public school facilities as essential public facilities.

Sponsors: Representatives Quall, P. Sullivan, Talcott, Strow, Grant, Buri, Morrell, Miloscia, Dickerson, Morris, Lovick, Simpson, Tom, Chase, Kenney, O'Brien, Sells, Ormsby, Haigh and Santos.

Hearing Date: 1/24/05

Staff: Thamas Osborn (786-7129).

Background:

The Growth Management Act (GMA) establishes a comprehensive land use planning framework for county and city governments in Washington. Counties and cities meeting specific population and growth criteria are required to comply with the major requirements of the GMA. Counties not meeting these criteria may choose to plan under the GMA. Twenty-nine of 39 counties, and the cities within those 29 counties, are required to or have chosen to comply with the major requirements of the GMA.

In its comprehensive plan and related development regulations, each county and city planning under the GMA must establish a process for identifying and siting "essential public facilities", which are broadly defined as being those types of facilities that are" typically difficult to site". The definition includes demonstrative examples of such facilities, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

• airports;
• state education facilities;
• transportation facilities;
• correctional facilities;
• solid waste handling facilities; and
• in-patient facilities.

Although the pertinent GMA statute does not explicitly include public school facilities as a specific example of the type of facility included in the definition of essential public facilities, the breadth of the definition would seem to allow the inclusion of public school facilities.

Summary of Bill:

"Public school facilities" are explicitly added to the list of facilities categorized as essential public facilities subject to the comprehensive planning requirements of the GMA.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 19, 2005.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.