Brief Description: Addressing transportation concurrency strategies.

Sponsors: Representatives Jarrett, Moeller, Tom, Simpson, Appleton, Linville, Sommers, Lantz and Dunshee.

Hearing Date: 2/7/05

Staff: Ethan Moreno (786-7386).

Background:

Growth Management Act Comprehensive Plan Elements
Among numerous requirements, jurisdictions fully planning under the Growth Management Act (GMA jurisdictions) must adopt internally consistent comprehensive land use plans, which are generalized, coordinated land use policy statements of the governing body. Except as otherwise provided, comprehensive plans must satisfy requirements for the following elements, each of which is a planning subset of a comprehensive plan:

• land use;
• housing;
• capital facilities plan;
• utilities;
• rural;
• transportation;
• economic development; and
• park and recreation.

The economic development and park and recreation elements do not require jurisdictional compliance or action until state funding is provided.

Transportation Element/Concurrency
The transportation element of a comprehensive plan must include numerous sub-elements that address, in part, transportation mandates for forecasting, finance, coordination, and facilities and services needs. A provision of the sub-element for facilities and services needs requires GMA jurisdictions to adopt level of service (LOS) standards for all locally owned arterials and transit routes. These standards are used to measure performance of the transportation system and should be regionally coordinated. The facilities and services needs sub-element must include specific actions and requirements for bringing into compliance locally owned transportation facilities or services failing to meet an established LOS.

GMA jurisdictions must adopt and enforce ordinances prohibiting development approval if the development causes the LOS on a locally owned transportation facility to decline below standards adopted in the transportation element. Exemptions to this prohibition may be made if improvements or strategies to accommodate development impacts 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.

"Concurrent with the development" means improvements or strategies that 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.

Regional Transportation Planning Organizations
Legislation enacted in 1990 authorized the creation of regional transportation planning organizations (RTPOs). RTPOs are formed through the voluntary association of local governments within a county or within geographically contiguous counties, as provided by law. RTPOs have duties prescribed in statute, including preparing and updating regional transportation strategies, and certifying that GMA transportation elements reflect guidelines and principles adopted to provide direction for the development and evaluation of these elements.

RTPOs must also prepare and update a regional transportation plan (plan) that is consistent with certain provision of the GMA. The plan must be developed in cooperation with the Department of Transportation, transportation providers, local governments, and other specified entities. In addition to satisfying other requirements, the plan must:

• be based upon a least cost planning methodology;
• identify existing or planned transportation facilities, services and programs;
• establish regional LOS standards for qualifying highways and ferry routes;
• include a financial plan; and
• assess regional development patterns and capital investments.

The plan must also set forth a proposed regional transportation approach, including capital investments, service improvements, programs, and transportation demand management measures to guide the development of an integrated, multimodal regional transportation system.

All transportation projects, programs, and demand management measures within the region must be consistent with the plan and adopted regional growth and transportation strategies.

Summary of Bill:

The transportation element of a comprehensive plan may include multimodal transportation improvements or strategies concurrent with the development to satisfy the concurrency requirements of the Growth Management Act (GMA). These improvements or strategies may include, but are not limited to, measures implementing or evaluating:

• multiple modes of transportation with peak and nonpeak hour capacity performance standards on locally owned transportation facilities; and
• modal performance standards meeting the peak and nonpeak hour capacity performance standards.

In accordance with specified concurrency provisions, jurisdictions implementing new transportation improvements or strategies after December 31, 2005, must prepare and submit annual performance reports to the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development. These reports must, at a minimum, include an evaluation of the effectiveness of the improvements or strategies.

New requirements for regional transportation plans (plans) adopted by regional transportation planning organizations are set forth. The proposed regional transportation approach of the plan must, for regional growth centers, address transportation concurrency strategies required by the GMA and include a measurement of vehicle level of service for off-peak periods and total multimodal capacity for peak periods.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 4, 2005.

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