HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2440

As Reported by House Committee On:

Transportation

Title:  An act relating to integration of transportation and land use planning.

Brief Description:  Integrating transportation and land use planning.

Sponsors:  Representatives Romero, Cooper, Fisher, Mitchell, Murray, Sullivan, Wood, Ogden and McIntire.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation:  1/28/02, 1/30/02 [DP].

Brief Summary of Bill

$Sets forth legislative intent that cities should integrate development, land use planning, and transportation planning.

$Directs the Department of Transportation and the Transportation Improvement Board to address urban densities and downtown revitalization, and integration of land use and transportation.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 16 members: Representatives Fisher, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Lovick, Vice Chair; Edwards, Haigh, Hatfield, Jackley, Jarrett, Murray, Ogden, Reardon, Rockefeller, Romero, Simpson, Sullivan and Wood.

Minority Report:  Do not pass. Signed by 8 members: Representatives Mitchell, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Hankins, Holmquist, Mielke, Morell, Skinner and Woods.

Staff:  Gene Baxstrom (786‑7303).

Background:

The Governor and the Legislature created the Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation (BRCT) in 1998 to do the following:  assess the local, regional and state transportation system; ensure that current and future money is spent wisely; make the system more accountable and predictable; and prepare a 20‑year plan for funding and investing in the transportation system.

In recommendation five, the BRCT recommended that the state invest in maintenance, preservation and improvement of the entire transportation system so that transportation benchmarks can be achieved.  Specifically, the commission recommended that jurisdictions integrate transportation and land use planning by developing a long‑term and effective strategy to reduce both traffic and investment costs by focusing new commercial and multi‑family growth in existing downtown, pedestrian and transit‑friendly neighborhoods.

Summary of  Bill:

City and county planning commissions, in carrying out their duties, should demonstrate how land use planning is integrated with transportation planning.

Priority programming criteria for the highway improvement program are expanded to include:  support for development in and revitalization of existing downtowns; the extent that development implements local comprehensive plans; the extent of compact, transit‑oriented development at appropriate residential and nonresidential densities; and the feasibility of multimodal transportation.  The statewide transportation plan must also take into account downtown preservation, population accommodation, and employment growth.

The Transportation Improvement Board is to consider the following criteria in funding projects:  downtown support; implementation of rural and urban densities; and whether agencies have land use planning that encourages compact development and multimodal transportation.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill encourages better integration of transportation investments and community development, resulting in more efficient use of public resources and more livable communities.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (In support) Representative Romero, prime sponsor; Margaret Kitchell, Livable Communities Coalition; Bryan Wahl, Washington Association of Realtors; and Steve Stuart, 1000 Friends of Washington.

(In support with concerns) Kristen Sawin, Association of Washington Business.