BILL REQ. #:  S-3146.1 

Read first time 01/22/14.   Referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

     AN ACT Relating to ensuring growth management hearings board members meet qualifications relating to land use experience; and amending RCW 36.70A.250 and 36.70A.260.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 36.70A.250 and 2010 c 211 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A growth management hearings board for the state of Washington is created. The board shall consist of seven members qualified by experience or training in matters pertaining to land use law or land use planning and who have experience in the practical application of those matters. All seven board members shall be appointed by the governor, two each residing respectively in the central Puget Sound, eastern Washington, and western Washington regions, plus one board member residing within the state of Washington. At least three members of the board shall be admitted to practice law in this state and be engaged in the legal profession with a focus on land use at the time of his or her appointment, one each residing respectively in the central Puget Sound, eastern Washington, and western Washington regions. At least three members of the board shall have been ((a city or county)) an elected official or have been engaged in land use planning or land use law and who have experience in the practical application of those matters, one each residing respectively in the central Puget Sound, eastern Washington, and western Washington regions. After expiration of the terms of board members on the previously existing three growth management hearings boards, no more than four members of the seven-member board may be members of the same major political party. No more than two members at the time of their appointment or during their term may reside in the same county.
     (2) Each member of the board shall be appointed for a term of six years. A vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the unexpired portion of the term in which the vacancy occurs. Members of the previously existing three growth management hearings boards appointed before July 1, 2010, shall complete their staggered, six-year terms as members of the growth management hearings board created under subsection (1) of this section. The reduction from nine board members on the previously existing three growth management hearings boards to seven total members on the growth management hearings board shall be made through attrition, voluntary resignation, or retirement.

Sec. 2   RCW 36.70A.260 and 2010 c 211 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Each petition for review that is filed with the growth management hearings board shall be heard and decided by a regional panel of growth management hearings board members. Regional panels shall be constituted as follows:
     (a) Central Puget Sound region. A three-member central Puget Sound panel shall be selected to hear matters pertaining to cities and counties located within the region comprised of King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties.
     (b) Eastern Washington region. A three-member eastern Washington panel shall be selected to hear matters pertaining to cities and counties that are required or choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 and are located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains.
     (c) Western Washington region. A three-member western Washington panel shall be selected to hear matters pertaining to cities and counties that are required or choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, are located west of the crest of the Cascade mountains, and are not included in the central Puget Sound region. Skamania county, if it is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, may elect to be included within either the western Washington region or the eastern Washington region.
     (2)(a) Each regional panel selected to hear and decide cases shall consist of three board members, at least a majority of whom shall reside within the region in which the case arose, unless such members cannot sit on a particular case because of recusal or disqualification, or unless the board administrative officer determines that there is an emergency including, but not limited to, the unavailability of a board member due to illness, absence, vacancy, or significant workload imbalance. The presiding officer of each case shall reside within the region in which the case arose, unless the board administrative officer determines that there is an emergency.
     (b) Except as provided otherwise in this subsection (2)(b), each regional panel must: (i) Include one member admitted to practice law in this state; (ii) include one member who has been ((a city or county)) an elected official or was engaged in land use planning or land use law; and (iii) reflect the political composition of the board. The requirements of this subsection (2)(b) may be waived by the board administrative officer due to member unavailability, significant workload imbalances, or other reasons.