FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 6544

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.

Background: Land may be divided into smaller pieces, assuming the smaller pieces, or lots, comply with local zoning and other land use and development laws. The owner wishing to make this division into smaller lots must first apply for approval of his or her plan to the local government having jurisdiction over the land.

This is called filing of the preliminary plat. This begins an administrative process that moves toward approval by involving the public and any agencies that have jurisdiction over the land and the land's proposed use. The legislative authority of the city, town, or county having jurisdiction is the entity that approves the preliminary plat, upon the advice of the administrative proceedings and planning commission, among others.

For applications to form five or more lots, the date that the preliminary plat is approved begins a five-year time-period during which the laws applicable to approval of the preliminary plat are the laws that apply to final approval of the plat.

If the legislative authority finds that the subdivision conforms to all terms of the approval of the preliminary plat, and satisfies all laws in effect at the time of the approval of the preliminary plat, then the legislative authority must inscribe and execute its written approval on the face of the plat. Any lots in the final plat filed for record are valid land uses even if land use law changed during, and up to, the five-year approval process. From the date of final approval of the plat of the subdivision, the subdivision is governed by the terms of approval of the final plat for five more years.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate	44	0
House	96	0