"Sec. 10   RCW 84.34.037 and 1992 c 69 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Applications for classification or reclassification under RCW 84.34.020(1) shall be made to the county legislative authority. An application made for classification or reclassification of land under RCW 84.34.020(1) (b) and (c) which is in an area subject to a comprehensive plan shall be acted upon in the same manner in which an amendment to the comprehensive plan is processed. Application made for classification of land which is in an area not subject to a comprehensive plan shall be acted upon after a public hearing and after notice of the hearing shall have been given by one publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the area at least ten days before the hearing: PROVIDED, That applications for classification of land in an incorporated area shall be acted upon by: (a) A granting authority composed of three members of the county legislative body and three members of the city legislative body in which the land is located in a meeting where members may be physically absent but participating through telephonic connection; or (b) separate affirmative acts by both the county and city legislative bodies where both bodies affirm the entirety of an application without modification or both bodies affirm an application with identical modifications.
     (2) In determining whether an application made for classification or reclassification under RCW 84.34.020(1) (b) and (c) should be approved or disapproved, the granting authority may take cognizance of the benefits to the general welfare of preserving the current use of the property which is the subject of application, and shall consider:
     (a) The resulting revenue loss or tax shift;
     (b) Whether granting the application for land applying under RCW 84.34.020(1)(b) will (i) conserve or enhance natural, cultural, or scenic resources, (ii) protect streams, stream corridors, wetlands, natural shorelines and aquifers, (iii) protect soil resources and unique or critical wildlife and native plant habitat, (iv) promote conservation principles by example or by offering educational opportunities, (v) enhance the value of abutting or neighboring parks, forests, wildlife preserves, nature reservations, sanctuaries, or other open spaces, (vi) enhance recreation opportunities, (vii) preserve historic and archaeological sites, (viii) preserve visual quality along highway, road, and street corridors or scenic vistas, (ix) affect any other factors relevant in weighing benefits to the general welfare of preserving the current use of the property; and
     (c) Whether granting the application for land applying under RCW 84.34.020(1)(c) will (i) either preserve land previously classified under RCW 84.34.020(2) or preserve land that is traditional farmland and not classified under chapter 84.33 or 84.34 RCW, (ii) preserve land with a potential for returning to commercial agriculture, and (iii) affect any other factors relevant in weighing benefits to the general welfare of preserving the current use of property.
     (3) If a public benefit rating system is adopted under RCW 84.34.055, the county legislative authority shall rate property for which application for classification has been made under RCW 84.34.020(1) (b) and (c) according to the public benefit rating system in determining whether an application should be approved or disapproved, but when such a system is adopted, open space properties then classified under this chapter which do not qualify under the system shall not be removed from classification but may be rated according to the public benefit rating system.
     (4) The granting authority may approve the application with respect to only part of the land which is the subject of the application. If any part of the application is denied, the applicant may withdraw the entire application. The granting authority in approving in part or whole an application for land classified or reclassified pursuant to RCW 84.34.020(1) may also require that certain conditions be met, including but not limited to the granting of easements. As a condition of granting open space classification, the legislative body may not require public access on land classified under RCW 84.34.020(1)(b)(iii) for the purpose of promoting conservation of wetlands.
     (5) The granting or denial of the application for current use classification or reclassification is a legislative determination and shall be reviewable only for arbitrary and capricious actions.

Sec. 11   RCW 84.34.041 and 2002 c 315 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     An application for current use classification or reclassification under RCW 84.34.020(3) shall be made to the county legislative authority.
     (1) The application shall be made upon forms prepared by the department of revenue and supplied by the granting authority and shall include the following elements that constitute a timber management plan:
     (a) A legal description of, or assessor's parcel numbers for, all land the applicant desires to be classified as timber land;
     (b) The date or dates of acquisition of the land;
     (c) A brief description of the timber on the land, or if the timber has been harvested, the owner's plan for restocking;
     (d) Whether there is a forest management plan for the land;
     (e) If so, the nature and extent of implementation of the plan;
     (f) Whether the land is used for grazing;
     (g) Whether the land has been subdivided or a plat filed with respect to the land;
     (h) Whether the land and the applicant are in compliance with the restocking, forest management, fire protection, insect and disease control, weed control, and forest debris provisions of Title 76 RCW or applicable rules under Title 76 RCW;
     (i) Whether the land is subject to forest fire protection assessments pursuant to RCW 76.04.610;
     (j) Whether the land is subject to a lease, option, or other right that permits it to be used for a purpose other than growing and harvesting timber;
     (k) A summary of the past experience and activity of the applicant in growing and harvesting timber;
     (l) A summary of current and continuing activity of the applicant in growing and harvesting timber;
     (m) A statement that the applicant is aware of the potential tax liability involved when the land ceases to be classified as timber land.
     (2) An application made for classification of land under RCW 84.34.020(3) shall be acted upon after a public hearing and after notice of the hearing is given by one publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the area at least ten days before the hearing. Application for classification of land in an incorporated area shall be acted upon by: (a) A granting authority composed of three members of the county legislative body and three members of the city legislative body in which the land is located in a meeting where members may be physically absent but participating through telephonic connection; or (b) separate affirmative acts by both the county and city legislative bodies where both bodies affirm the entirety of an application without modification or both bodies affirm an application with identical modifications.
     (3) The granting authority shall act upon the application with due regard to all relevant evidence and without any one or more items of evidence necessarily being determinative, except that the application may be denied for one of the following reasons, without regard to other items:
     (a) The land does not contain a stand of timber as defined in chapter 76.09 RCW and applicable rules, except this reason shall not alone be sufficient to deny the application (i) if the land has been recently harvested or supports a growth of brush or noncommercial type timber, and the application includes a plan for restocking within three years or the longer period necessitated by unavailability of seed or seedlings, or (ii) if only isolated areas within the land do not meet minimum standards due to rock outcroppings, swamps, unproductive soil, or other natural conditions;
     (b) The applicant, with respect to the land, has failed to comply with a final administrative or judicial order with respect to a violation of the restocking, forest management, fire protection, insect and disease control, weed control, and forest debris provisions of Title 76 RCW or applicable rules under Title 76 RCW;
     (c) The land abuts a body of salt water and lies between the line of ordinary high tide and a line paralleling the ordinary high tide line and two hundred feet horizontally landward from the high tide line.
     (4) The timber management plan must be filed with the county legislative authority either: (a) When an application for classification under this chapter is submitted; (b) when a sale or transfer of timber land occurs and a notice of continuance is signed; or (c) within sixty days of the date the application for reclassification under this chapter or from designated forest land is received. The application for reclassification shall be accepted, but shall not be processed until the timber management plan is received. If the timber management plan is not received within sixty days of the date the application for reclassification is received, the application for reclassification shall be denied.
     If circumstances require it, the county assessor may allow in writing an extension of time for submitting a timber management plan when an application for classification or reclassification or notice of continuance is filed. When the assessor approves an extension of time for filing the timber management plan, the county legislative authority may delay processing an application until the timber management plan is received. If the timber management plan is not received by the date set by the assessor, the application or the notice of continuance shall be denied.
     The granting authority may approve the application with respect to only part of the land that is described in the application, and if any part of the application is denied, the applicant may withdraw the entire application. The granting authority, in approving in part or whole an application for land classified pursuant to RCW 84.34.020(3), may also require that certain conditions be met.
     Granting or denial of an application for current use classification is a legislative determination and shall be reviewable only for arbitrary and capricious actions. The granting authority may not require the granting of easements for land classified pursuant to RCW 84.34.020(3).
     The granting authority shall approve or disapprove an application made under this section within six months following the date the application is received."