AN ACT Relating to growth planning and coordination; adding a new section to chapter 47.26 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW; making an appropriation; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the future of the state is dependent upon the wise use of its resources and an orderly growth process that enhances the state's quality of life. The legislature finds that a balanced growth strategy is needed to protect natural resources and to ensure their availability for future generations, to provide needed infrastructure at the time growth has its impact, and to increase the predictability of development decisions.

The legislature finds that in some regions of the state, delayed investment for infrastructure by state and local governments has contributed significantly to transportation and other growth-related problems. A coordinated and orderly growth strategy will help to reduce the costs to state and local governments in terms of education, housing, infrastructure, environmental degradation, economic productivity, and police and fire protection. The legislature finds that a coordinated growth strategy will strengthen the ability of local governments and regions to promote orderly and balanced growth.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. There is hereby created the Washington state growth strategies commission, referred to in this chapter as the commission.

The commission shall consist of fifteen members appointed by the governor comprising a balance of the key geographic regions of the state as follows:

(1) Four members of the legislature, including one member from each of the four largest caucuses in the legislature;

(2) The chair, selected by the governor;

(3) One member selected from a list of qualified nominees submitted by the Washington state association of counties;

(4) One member selected from a list of qualified nominees submitted by the association of Washington cities;

(5) Eight citizen members from the private sector representing different positions on growth issues;

The governor shall appoint the members of the commission within thirty days after the effective date of this act. Members shall serve two-year terms.

The commission shall meet regularly and shall create subcommittees as needed to deal with specific issues and concerns. Members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060, except legislative members shall be reimbursed under RCW 44.04.120. The commission may receive private sector gifts and grants to carry out its purposes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The commission has the following powers and duties:

(1) Develop a specific growth strategy for the state that is consistent with the goals established in section 5 of this act;

(2) Evaluate the state interests, priorities, and values in planning for growth and enhancing coordination with and between local governments;

(3) Analyze growth planning and management systems used in other states and suggest appropriate alternatives for the state of Washington;

(4) Identify various state funds and regulations that directly affect growth planning and recommend ways to streamline, make more predictable, and coordinate state agency functions with local governments;

(5) Recommend ways to enhance regional planning on issues of regional significance, including but not limited to transportation, land-use, water quality, wetlands, housing, economic development, and infrastructure;

(6) Include broad-based citizen input in the recommendations of the commission; and

(7) Submit to the legislature by January 8, 1990, a set of preliminary findings or recommendations. Recommend to the legislature by January 1991, a coordinated system of growth planning including state and regional roles, enhanced comprehensive planning at the municipal and county levels, and means to fund the planning process.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The following are the state's growth planning goals, which are not listed in any order of priority:

(1) Support the planning, financing, and development of public facilities and services in the most efficient manner possible by supporting the maximum use of existing facilities before investing in new infrastructure;

(2) Protect landowners' property rights from unjust acquisitions or other arbitrary and discriminatory actions;

(3) Promote cost-effective growth planning that is coordinated and consistent between state government and local governments and that assures predictable and timely development decisions;

(4) Encourage the widest possible involvement by citizens in all aspects of the planning process to ensure that proposed growth strategies and plans have had the benefit of citizen input;

(5) Provide for highly efficient multimodal transportation systems that are based on regional consensus and priorities;

(6) Support orderly growth and development in appropriate areas of each community, while protecting its open space and quality of life, commercial public and private timber stands, agricultural lands, and sensitive natural ecosystems;

(7) Promote the increase of affordable housing stock, including housing for low-income and moderate-income families, manufactured housing, and multifamily housing;

(8) Maintain and enhance productive agriculture, timber, fisheries and other natural resource based industries;

(9) Protect the state's water quality and supply and critical natural resources, including lakes, river and coastal areas, and wildlife and fisheries habitat from incompatible development; and

(10) Promote and protect the availability of outdoor recreation opportunities for all Washington citizens.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Staffing of the commission shall be provided by the department of community development with support from the department of transportation. The governor and the legislature may provide additional staff and facilities as may be reasonably required to assist the commission in carrying out its duties and responsibilities. The chair of the commission shall be responsible for hiring the executive director.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. There is hereby appropriated from the general fund to the department of community development two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, to carry out the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. A new section is added to chapter 47.26 RCW to read as follows:

After July 1, 1989, fifty percent of all revenues derived from increases in tax rates or fees over the level of tax rates or fees existing on January 1, 1989, required to be deposited in the motor vehicle fund shall be transferred to the growth strategy account hereby created in the motor vehicle fund. No moneys in the growth strategy account of the motor vehicle fund shall be expended for any purpose unless legislation is adopted to implement the report of the commission required in section 3 of this act and the jurisdictions in which such moneys are expended comply with the requirements of such legislation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 1 through 5 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.