Brief Description: Allowing counties and cities one additional year to comply with the requirements of RCW 36.70A.130.

Sponsors: Representatives Springer, Simpson, Takko, Ericks and Clibborn.

Hearing Date: 2/28/05

Staff: Ethan Moreno (786-7386).

Background:

Growth Management Act
Enacted in 1990 and 1991, the Growth Management Act (GMA) establishes a comprehensive land use planning framework for county and city governments in Washington. The GMA specifies numerous provisions for jurisdictions fully planning under the Act (GMA jurisdictions) and establishes a reduced number of compliance requirements for all local governments.

GMA jurisdictions must adopt internally consistent comprehensive land use plans (comprehensive plans), which are generalized, coordinated land use policy statements of the governing body. GMA jurisdictions also must adopt development regulations that are consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan.

The adopted comprehensive plans and the corresponding development regulations are subject to continuing review and evaluation by the adopting county or city. GMA jurisdictions must review and, if needed, revise their comprehensive plans and development regulations according to a cyclical seven-year statutory schedule. Jurisdictions that are not fully planning under the GMA must satisfy requirements pertaining to critical areas and natural resource lands according to this same schedule. The schedule is as follows:

• On or before December 1, 2004, and every seven years thereafter, for Clallam, Clark, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom counties and the cities within those counties;
• On or before December 1, 2005, and every seven years thereafter, for Cowlitz, Island, Lewis, Mason, San Juan, Skagit, and Skamania counties and the cities within those counties;
• On or before December 1, 2006, and every seven years thereafter, for Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Spokane, and Yakima counties and the cities within those counties; and
• On or before December 1, 2007, and every seven years thereafter, for Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grays Harbor, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties and the cities within those counties.

Only these counties and cities in compliance with the statutory schedule may receive grants, loans, pledges, or financial guarantees from the public works and water quality accounts established in the state treasury.

Summary of Bill:

Counties and cities required to satisfy the review and, if necessary, revision requirements of the Growth Management Act (GMA) by December 1, 2005, December 1, 2006, and December 1, 2007, may complete the requirements one year after the applicable date. Counties and cities exercising this extension option and complying with the review and revision requirements one year after the applicable date must be deemed in compliance with such requirements.

Only those counties and cities in compliance with the statutory review and revision schedules in the GMA, those counties and cities making a good faith effort to comply with the schedules, and those counties and cities that have fully satisfied specified requirements according to the one-year extension provisions may receive grants, loans, pledges, or financial guarantees from the public works and water quality accounts established in the state treasury.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect on August 1, 2005.