HB 1582 -
By Committee on Natural Resources & Marine Waters
ADOPTED 03/30/2011
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 76.09.050 and 2010 c 210 s 20 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The board shall establish by rule which forest practices shall
be included within each of the following classes:
Class I: Minimal or specific forest practices that have no direct
potential for damaging a public resource and that may be conducted
without submitting an application or a notification except that when
the regulating authority is transferred to a local governmental entity,
those Class I forest practices that involve timber harvesting or road
construction within "urban growth areas," designated pursuant to
chapter 36.70A RCW, are processed as Class IV forest practices, but are
not subject to environmental review under chapter 43.21C RCW;
Class II: Forest practices which have a less than ordinary
potential for damaging a public resource that may be conducted without
submitting an application and may begin five calendar days, or such
lesser time as the department may determine, after written notification
by the operator, in the manner, content, and form as prescribed by the
department, is received by the department. However, the work may not
begin until all forest practice fees required under RCW 76.09.065 have
been received by the department. Class II shall not include forest
practices:
(a) On ((lands platted after January 1, 1960, as provided in
chapter 58.17 RCW or on lands that have or are being converted to
another use)) forest lands that are being converted to another use;
(b) Which require approvals under the provisions of the hydraulics
act, RCW 77.55.021;
(c) Within "shorelines of the state" as defined in RCW 90.58.030;
(d) Excluded from Class II by the board; or
(e) Including timber harvesting or road construction within "urban
growth areas," designated pursuant to chapter 36.70A RCW, which are
Class IV;
Class III: Forest practices other than those contained in Class I,
II, or IV. A Class III application must be approved or disapproved by
the department within thirty calendar days from the date the department
receives the application. However, the applicant may not begin work on
that forest practice until all forest practice fees required under RCW
76.09.065 have been received by the department;
Class IV: Forest practices other than those contained in Class I
or II:
(a) On ((lands platted after January 1, 1960, as provided in
chapter 58.17 RCW, (b) on lands that have or are being converted to
another use, (c))) forest lands that are being converted to another
use;
(b) On lands which, pursuant to RCW 76.09.070 as now or hereafter
amended, are not to be reforested because of the likelihood of future
conversion to urban development((,));
(((d) involving)) (c) That involve timber harvesting or road
construction on forest lands that are contained within "urban growth
areas," designated pursuant to chapter 36.70A RCW, except where the
forest landowner provides:
(i) A written statement of intent signed by the forest landowner
not to convert to a use other than commercial forest product operations
for ten years, accompanied by either a written forest management plan
acceptable to the department or documentation that the land is enrolled
under the provisions of chapter 84.33 or 84.34 RCW; or
(ii) A conversion option harvest plan approved by the local
governmental entity and submitted to the department as part of the
application((,)); and/or
(((e))) (d) Which have a potential for a substantial impact on the
environment and therefore require an evaluation by the department as to
whether or not a detailed statement must be prepared pursuant to the
state environmental policy act, chapter 43.21C RCW. Such evaluation
shall be made within ten days from the date the department receives the
application: PROVIDED, That nothing herein shall be construed to
prevent any local or regional governmental entity from determining that
a detailed statement must be prepared for an action pursuant to a Class
IV forest practice taken by that governmental entity concerning the
land on which forest practices will be conducted. A Class IV
application must be approved or disapproved by the department within
thirty calendar days from the date the department receives the
application, unless the department determines that a detailed statement
must be made, in which case the application must be approved or
disapproved by the department within sixty calendar days from the date
the department receives the application, unless the commissioner of
public lands, through the promulgation of a formal order, determines
that the process cannot be completed within such period. However, the
applicant may not begin work on that forest practice until all forest
practice fees required under RCW 76.09.065 have been received by the
department.
Forest practices under Classes I, II, and III are exempt from the
requirements for preparation of a detailed statement under the state
environmental policy act.
(2) Except for those forest practices being regulated by local
governmental entities as provided elsewhere in this chapter, no Class
II, Class III, or Class IV forest practice shall be commenced or
continued after January 1, 1975, unless the department has received a
notification with regard to a Class II forest practice or approved an
application with regard to a Class III or Class IV forest practice
containing all information required by RCW 76.09.060 as now or
hereafter amended. However, in the event forest practices regulations
necessary for the scheduled implementation of this chapter and RCW
90.48.420 have not been adopted in time to meet such schedules, the
department shall have the authority to regulate forest practices and
approve applications on such terms and conditions consistent with this
chapter and RCW 90.48.420 and the purposes and policies of RCW
76.09.010 until applicable forest practices regulations are in effect.
(3) Except for those forest practices being regulated by local
governmental entities as provided elsewhere in this chapter, if a
notification or application is delivered in person to the department by
the operator or the operator's agent, the department shall immediately
provide a dated receipt thereof. In all other cases, the department
shall immediately mail a dated receipt to the operator.
(4) Except for those forest practices being regulated by local
governmental entities as provided elsewhere in this chapter, forest
practices shall be conducted in accordance with the forest practices
regulations, orders and directives as authorized by this chapter or the
forest practices regulations, and the terms and conditions of any
approved applications.
(5) Except for those forest practices being regulated by local
governmental entities as provided elsewhere in this chapter, the
department of natural resources shall notify the applicant in writing
of either its approval of the application or its disapproval of the
application and the specific manner in which the application fails to
comply with the provisions of this section or with the forest practices
regulations. Except as provided otherwise in this section, if the
department fails to either approve or disapprove an application or any
portion thereof within the applicable time limit, the application shall
be deemed approved and the operation may be commenced: PROVIDED, That
this provision shall not apply to applications which are neither
approved nor disapproved pursuant to the provisions of subsection (7)
of this section: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That if seasonal field conditions
prevent the department from being able to properly evaluate the
application, the department may issue an approval conditional upon
further review within sixty days: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That the
department shall have until April 1, 1975, to approve or disapprove an
application involving forest practices allowed to continue to April 1,
1975, under the provisions of subsection (2) of this section. Upon
receipt of any notification or any satisfactorily completed application
the department shall in any event no later than two business days after
such receipt transmit a copy to the departments of ecology and fish and
wildlife, and to the county, city, or town in whose jurisdiction the
forest practice is to be commenced. Any comments by such agencies
shall be directed to the department of natural resources.
(6) For those forest practices regulated by the board and the
department, if the county, city, or town believes that an application
is inconsistent with this chapter, the forest practices regulations, or
any local authority consistent with RCW 76.09.240 as now or hereafter
amended, it may so notify the department and the applicant, specifying
its objections.
(7) For those forest practices regulated by the board and the
department, the department shall not approve portions of applications
to which a county, city, or town objects if:
(a) The department receives written notice from the county, city,
or town of such objections within fourteen business days from the time
of transmittal of the application to the county, city, or town, or one
day before the department acts on the application, whichever is later;
and
(b) The objections relate to ((lands either:)) forest lands that ((
(i) Platted after January 1, 1960, as provided in chapter 58.17
RCW; or
(ii) Onhave or)) are being converted to
another use.
The department shall either disapprove those portions of such
application or appeal the county, city, or town objections to the
appeals board. If the objections related to ((subparagraphs)) (b)(((i)
and (ii))) of this subsection are based on local authority consistent
with RCW 76.09.240 as now or hereafter amended, the department shall
disapprove the application until such time as the county, city, or town
consents to its approval or such disapproval is reversed on appeal.
The applicant shall be a party to all department appeals of county,
city, or town objections. Unless the county, city, or town either
consents or has waived its rights under this subsection, the department
shall not approve portions of an application affecting such lands until
the minimum time for county, city, or town objections has expired.
(8) For those forest practices regulated by the board and the
department, in addition to any rights under the above paragraph, the
county, city, or town may appeal any department approval of an
application with respect to any lands within its jurisdiction. The
appeals board may suspend the department's approval in whole or in part
pending such appeal where there exists potential for immediate and
material damage to a public resource.
(9) For those forest practices regulated by the board and the
department, appeals under this section shall be made to the appeals
board in the manner and time provided in RCW 76.09.205. In such
appeals there shall be no presumption of correctness of either the
county, city, or town or the department position.
(10) For those forest practices regulated by the board and the
department, the department shall, within four business days notify the
county, city, or town of all notifications, approvals, and disapprovals
of an application affecting lands within the county, city, or town,
except to the extent the county, city, or town has waived its right to
such notice.
(11) For those forest practices regulated by the board and the
department, a county, city, or town may waive in whole or in part its
rights under this section, and may withdraw or modify any such waiver,
at any time by written notice to the department.
(12) Notwithstanding subsections (2) through (5) of this section,
forest practices applications or notifications are not required for
exotic insect and disease control operations conducted in accordance
with RCW 76.09.060(8) where eradication can reasonably be expected.
Sec. 2 RCW 76.09.240 and 2010 c 219 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1)(a) Counties planning under RCW 36.70A.040 with a population
greater than one hundred thousand, and the cities and towns within
those counties, where more than a total of twenty-five Class IV forest
practices applications, as defined in RCW 76.09.050(1) Class IV (a)
through (d), have been filed with the department between January 1,
2003, and December 31, 2005, shall adopt and enforce ordinances or
regulations as provided in subsection (2) of this section for the
following:
(i) Forest practices classified as Class I, II, III, and IV that
are within urban growth areas designated under RCW 36.70A.110, except
for forest practices on ownerships of contiguous forest land equal to
or greater than twenty acres where the forest landowner provides, to
the department and the county, city, or town, a written statement of
intent, signed by the forest landowner, not to convert to a use other
than growing commercial timber for ten years. This statement must be
accompanied by either:
(A) A written forest management plan acceptable to the department;
or
(B) Documentation that the land is enrolled as forest land of long-term commercial significance under the provisions of chapter 84.33 RCW;
and
(ii) Forest practices classified as Class IV, outside urban growth
areas designated under RCW 36.70A.110, involving either timber harvest
or road construction, or both on:
(A) ((Lands platted after January 1, 1960, as provided in chapter
58.17 RCW;)) Forest lands that ((
(B)have or)) are being converted to another
use; or
(((C))) (B) Lands which, under RCW 76.09.070, are not to be
reforested because of the likelihood of future conversion to urban
development;
(b) Counties planning under RCW 36.70A.040, and the cities and
towns within those counties, not included in (a) of this subsection,
may adopt and enforce ordinances or regulations as provided in (a) of
this subsection; and
(c) Counties not planning under RCW 36.70A.040, and the cities and
towns within those counties, may adopt and enforce ordinances or
regulations as provided in subsection (2) of this section for forest
practices classified as Class IV involving either timber harvest or
road construction, or both on:
(i) ((Lands platted after January 1, 1960, as provided in chapter
58.17 RCW;)) Forest lands that ((
(ii)have or)) are being converted to another
use; or
(((iii))) (ii) Lands which, under RCW 76.09.070, are not to be
reforested because of the likelihood of future conversion to urban
development.
(2) Before a county, city, or town may regulate forest practices
under subsection (1) of this section, it shall ensure that its critical
areas and development regulations are in compliance with RCW 36.70A.130
and, if applicable, RCW 36.70A.215. The county, city, or town shall
notify the department and the department of ecology in writing sixty
days prior to adoption of the development regulations required in this
section. The transfer of jurisdiction shall not occur until the
county, city, or town has notified the department, the department of
revenue, and the department of ecology in writing of the effective date
of the regulations. Ordinances and regulations adopted under
subsection (1) of this section and this subsection must be consistent
with or supplement development regulations that protect critical areas
pursuant to RCW 36.70A.060, and shall at a minimum include:
(a) Provisions that require appropriate approvals for all phases of
the conversion of forest lands, including land clearing and grading;
and
(b) Procedures for the collection and administration of permit and
recording fees.
(3) Activities regulated by counties, cities, or towns as provided
in subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall be administered and
enforced by those counties, cities, or towns. The department shall not
regulate these activities under this chapter.
(4) The board shall continue to adopt rules and the department
shall continue to administer and enforce those rules in each county,
city, or town for all forest practices as provided in this chapter
until such a time as the county, city, or town has updated its
development regulations as required by RCW 36.70A.130 and, if
applicable, RCW 36.70A.215, and has adopted ordinances or regulations
under subsections (1) and (2) of this section. However, counties,
cities, and towns that have adopted ordinances or regulations regarding
forest practices prior to ((July 22, 2007,)) the effective date of this
section are not required to readopt their ordinances or regulations in
order to satisfy the requirements of this section except as necessary
to ensure consistency with Class IV forest practices as defined in RCW
76.09.050.
(5) Upon request, the department shall provide technical assistance
to all counties, cities, and towns while they are in the process of
adopting the regulations required by this section, and after the
regulations become effective.
(6) For those forest practices over which the board and the
department maintain regulatory authority no county, city, municipality,
or other local or regional governmental entity shall adopt or enforce
any law, ordinance, or regulation pertaining to forest practices,
except that to the extent otherwise permitted by law, such entities may
exercise any:
(a) Land use planning or zoning authority: PROVIDED, That exercise
of such authority may regulate forest practices only((: (i))) where
the application submitted under RCW 76.09.060 as now or hereafter
amended indicates that the lands ((have been or will be)) are being
converted to a use other than commercial forest product production((;
or (ii) on lands which have been platted after January 1, 1960, as
provided in chapter 58.17 RCW)): PROVIDED, That no permit system
solely for forest practices shall be allowed; that any additional or
more stringent regulations shall not be inconsistent with the forest
practices regulations enacted under this chapter; and such local
regulations shall not unreasonably prevent timber harvesting;
(b) Taxing powers;
(c) Regulatory authority with respect to public health; and
(d) Authority granted by chapter 90.58 RCW, the "Shoreline
Management Act of 1971."
(7) All counties and cities adopting or enforcing regulations or
ordinances under this section shall include in the regulation or
ordinance a requirement that a verification accompany every permit
issued for forest land by that county or city associated with the
conversion to a use other than commercial timber operation, as that
term is defined in RCW 76.09.020, that verifies that the land in
question is not or has not been subject to a notice of conversion to
nonforestry uses under RCW 76.09.060 during the six-year period prior
to the submission of a permit application.
(8) To improve the administration of the forest excise tax created
in chapter 84.33 RCW, a county, city, or town that regulates forest
practices under this section shall report permit information to the
department of revenue for all approved forest practices permits. The
permit information shall be reported to the department of revenue no
later than sixty days after the date the permit was approved and shall
be in a form and manner agreed to by the county, city, or town and the
department of revenue. Permit information includes the landowner's
legal name, address, telephone number, and parcel number.
Sec. 3 RCW 43.21C.037 and 1997 c 173 s 6 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Decisions pertaining to applications for Class I, II, and III
forest practices, as defined by rule of the forest practices board
under RCW 76.09.050, are not subject to the requirements of RCW
43.21C.030(2)(c) as now or hereafter amended.
(2) When the applicable county, city, or town requires a license in
connection with any proposal involving forest practices:
(a) ((on lands platted after January 1, 1960, as provided in
chapter 58.17 RCW, (b))) On forest lands that ((have or)) are being
converted to another use((,)); or
(((c))) (b) On lands which, pursuant to RCW 76.09.070 as now or
hereafter amended, are not to be reforested because of the likelihood
of future conversion to urban development, then the local government,
rather than the department of natural resources, is responsible for any
detailed statement required under RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c).
(3) Those forest practices determined by rule of the forest
practices board to have a potential for a substantial impact on the
environment, and thus to be Class IV practices, require an evaluation
by the department of natural resources as to whether or not a detailed
statement must be prepared pursuant to this chapter. The evaluation
shall be made within ten days from the date the department receives the
application. A Class IV forest practice application must be approved
or disapproved by the department within thirty calendar days from the
date the department receives the application, unless the department
determines that a detailed statement must be made, in which case the
application must be approved or disapproved by the department within
sixty days from the date the department receives the application,
unless the commissioner of public lands, through the promulgation of a
formal order, determines that the process cannot be completed within
such period. This section shall not be construed to prevent any local
or regional governmental entity from determining that a detailed
statement must be prepared for an action regarding a Class IV forest
practice taken by that governmental entity concerning the land on which
forest practices will be conducted."
HB 1582 -
By Committee on Natural Resources & Marine Waters
ADOPTED 03/30/2011
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "purposes;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "and amending RCW 76.09.050, 76.09.240, and 43.21C.037."