HB 1918 - DIGEST

Provides that, if, after January 1, 2006, a county or city planning under RCW 36.70A.040 that amends its comprehensive plan to designate new critical areas land located within an urban growth area in its comprehensive plan land use element under RCW 36.70A.070(1) or amends its development regulations or other standards and thereby reduces the development potential of land within its urban growth area designated for development in its comprehensive plan: (1) That county or city must determine the acreage and qualitative reduction in land suitable for development within its urban growth area and docket that amount as a deficiency to the planning director of the county in which the land is located;

(2) By September 1, 2008, and at least every five years thereafter, each county, in consultation with its cities as required by RCW 36.70A.110 and 36.70A.210, must increase the total land area within its urban growth areas by the total docketed acreage deficiency, with comparable qualitative land characteristics, through amendment of the county's comprehensive plan; and

(3) The county within which the increased land suitable for urban development is located must review its comprehensive plan elements under RCW 36.70A.070 and its development regulations under RCW 36.70A.060 and adopt any amendments necessary to assure that the comprehensive plan elements and development regulations are consistent with the changes required by this act. This review may be combined with but may not be delayed by the review required by RCW 36.70A.130(3) or the review and evaluation required by RCW 36.70A.215.