HB 2091

Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS

Local Government Committee

HB 2091

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Requiring performance and reasonable measures for the purpose of growth management planning.

Sponsors: Representatives Miloscia and Springer.

Brief Summary of Bill

Requires county-wide planning policies (CPPs) adopted by counties that fully plan under the Growth Management Act (GMA) to include policies establishing performance measures that regularly review progress toward accommodating the population and employment growth projections established in the CPPs.

Establishes definitions in the GMA for "performance measures" and "reasonable measures."

Hearing Date: 2/20/07

Staff: Ethan Moreno (786-7386).

Background:

The Growth Management Act (GMA or Act) is the comprehensive land use planning framework for county and city governments in Washington. Enacted in 1990 and 1991, the GMA establishes numerous requirements for local governments obligated by mandate or choice to fully plan under the Act (planning jurisdictions) and a reduced number of directives for all other counties and cities. Twenty-nine of Washington's 39 counties, and the cities within those counties, are planning jurisdictions.

The GMA directs planning jurisdictions to adopt internally consistent comprehensive land use plans, which are generalized, coordinated land use policy statements of the governing body. Comprehensive plans must address specified planning elements, each of which is a subset of a comprehensive plan. Planning jurisdictions must also adopt development regulations that implement and conform with the comprehensive plan.

The legislative authority of each county fully planning under the GMA (planning county) must adopt a county-wide planning policy (CPP) in cooperation with the cities located wholly or partially within the county. A CPP is a written policy statement or statements used solely for establishing a county-wide framework from which county and city comprehensive plans are developed and adopted.

A CPP must address certain planning and analysis provisions, including:

Policies to implement urban growth area requirements;
Policies that consider the need for affordable housing; and
Policies for county-wide economic development and employment.

Counties and cities are also required to satisfy specific requirements pertaining to urban growth areas (UGAs). Using population projections made by the Office of Financial Management, and subject to statutory provisions, planning counties and each city within those counties must include within UGAs areas and densities sufficient to permit the urban growth that is projected to occur in the county or city for the succeeding 20 year period.

Summary of Bill:

County-wide planning policies adopted by counties that fully plan under the GMA must address the following additional requirement:

Policies establishing performance measures that regularly review progress toward accommodating the 20-year population and employment growth projections established in the CPPs.

New definitions are established in the GMA, as follows:

"Performance measures" means an indicator providing consistent and reliable information over time to help gauge how a jurisdiction is achieving specified performance results.
"Indicator" means a quantifiable measurement or index; and
"Reasonable measures" means comprehensive planning policies and development regulations that increase consistency with the GMA and the CPPs and comprehensive plan.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 15, 2007.

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