H‑0278.2   _____________________________________________

 

HOUSE BILL 1473

 

           _____________________________________________

 

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Mulliken, McMorris, Mielke and Boldt

 

Read first time 01/26/2001.  Referred to Committee on Local Government & Housing.

_1      AN ACT Relating to eliminating the authority of the growth

_2  management hearings boards to invalidate local plans and

_3  regulations; amending RCW 36.70A.140, 36.70A.300, 36.70A.320, and

_4  36.70A.330; creating a new section; repealing RCW 36.70A.302,

_5  36.70A.305, and 36.70A.335; providing an effective date; and

_6  declaring an emergency.

     

_7  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     

_8      Sec. 1.  RCW 36.70A.140 and 1995 c 347 s 107 are each amended to

_9  read as follows:

10      Each county and city that is required or chooses to plan under

11  RCW 36.70A.040 shall establish and broadly disseminate to the

12  public a public participation program identifying procedures

13  providing for early and continuous public participation in the

14  development and amendment of comprehensive land use plans and

15  development regulations implementing such plans.  The procedures

16  shall provide for broad dissemination of proposals and

17  alternatives, opportunity for written comments, public meetings

18  after effective notice, provision for open discussion,

                               p. 1                       HB 1473

_1  communication programs, information services, and consideration of

_2  and response to public comments.  ((In enacting legislation in

_3  response to the board's decision pursuant to RCW 36.70A.300

_4  declaring part or all of a comprehensive plan or development

_5  regulation invalid, the county or city shall provide for public

_6  participation that is appropriate and effective under the

_7  circumstances presented by the board's order.))  Errors in exact

_8  compliance with the established program and procedures shall not

_9  render the comprehensive land use plan or development regulations

10  invalid if the spirit of the program and procedures is observed.

     

11      Sec. 2.  RCW 36.70A.300 and 1997 c 429 s 14 are each amended to

12  read as follows:

13      (1) The board shall issue a final order that shall be based

14  exclusively on whether or not a state agency, county, or city is

15  in compliance with the requirements of this chapter, chapter 90.58

16  RCW as it relates to adoption or amendment of shoreline master

17  programs, or chapter 43.21C RCW as it relates to adoption of

18  plans, development regulations, and amendments thereto, under RCW

19  36.70A.040 or chapter 90.58 RCW.

20      (2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the final

21  order shall be issued within one hundred eighty days of receipt of

22  the petition for review, or, if multiple petitions are filed,

23  within one hundred eighty days of receipt of the last petition

24  that is consolidated.

25      (b) The board may extend the period of time for issuing a

26  decision to enable the parties to settle the dispute if additional

27  time is necessary to achieve a settlement, and (i) an extension is

28  requested by all parties, or (ii) an extension is requested by the

29  petitioner and respondent and the board determines that a

30  negotiated settlement between the remaining parties could resolve

31  significant issues in dispute.  The request must be filed with the

32  board not later than seven days before the date scheduled for the

33  hearing on the merits of the petition.  The board may authorize one

34  or more extensions for up to ninety days each, subject to the

35  requirements of this section.

36      (3) In the final order, the board shall either:

37      (a) Find that the state agency, county, or city is in

HB 1473                        p. 2

_1  compliance with the requirements of this chapter, chapter 90.58

_2  RCW as it relates to the adoption or amendment of shoreline master

_3  programs, or chapter 43.21C RCW as it relates to adoption of

_4  plans, development regulations, and amendments thereto, under RCW

_5  36.70A.040 or chapter 90.58 RCW; or

_6      (b) Find that the state agency, county, or city is not in

_7  compliance with the requirements of this chapter, chapter 90.58

_8  RCW as it relates to the adoption or amendment of shoreline master

_9  programs, or chapter 43.21C RCW as it relates to adoption of

10  plans, development regulations, and amendments thereto, under RCW

11  36.70A.040 or chapter 90.58 RCW, in which case the board shall

12  remand the matter to the affected state agency, county, or city.

13  The board shall specify a reasonable time not in excess of one

14  hundred eighty days, or such longer period as determined by the

15  board in cases of unusual scope or complexity, within which the

16  state agency, county, or city shall comply with the requirements

17  of this chapter.  The board may require periodic reports to the

18  board on the progress the jurisdiction is making towards

19  compliance.

20      (4) ((Unless the board makes a determination of invalidity as

21  provided in RCW 36.70A.302,)) A finding of noncompliance and an

22  order of remand shall not affect the validity of comprehensive

23  plans and development regulations during the period of remand.

24      (5) Any party aggrieved by a final decision of the hearings

25  board may appeal the decision to superior court as provided in RCW

26  34.05.514 or 36.01.050 within thirty days of the final order of

27  the board.

     

28      Sec. 3.  RCW 36.70A.320 and 1997 c 429 s 20 are each amended to

29  read as follows:

30      (1) Except as provided in subsection (((5))) (4) of this

31  section, comprehensive plans and development regulations, and

32  amendments thereto, adopted under this chapter are presumed valid

33  upon adoption.

34      (2) ((Except as otherwise provided in subsection (4) of this

35  section,)) The burden is on the petitioner to demonstrate that any

36  action taken by a state agency, county, or city under this chapter

37  is not in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.

                               p. 3                       HB 1473

 

_1      (3) In any petition under this chapter, the board, after full

_2  consideration of the petition, shall determine whether there is

_3  compliance with the requirements of this chapter.  In making its

_4  determination, the board shall consider the criteria adopted by

_5  the department under RCW 36.70A.190(4).  The board shall find

_6  compliance unless it determines that the action by the state

_7  agency, county, or city is clearly erroneous in view of the entire

_8  record before the board and in light of the goals and requirements

_9  of this chapter.

10      (4) ((A county or city subject to a determination of invalidity

11  made under RCW 36.70A.300 or 36.70A.302 has the burden of

12  demonstrating that the ordinance or resolution it has enacted in

13  response to the determination of invalidity will no longer

14  substantially interfere with the fulfillment of the goals of this

15  chapter under the standard in RCW 36.70A.302(1).

16      (5))) The shoreline element of a comprehensive plan and the

17  applicable development regulations adopted by a county or city

18  shall take effect as provided in chapter 90.58 RCW.

     

19      Sec. 4.  RCW 36.70A.330 and 1997 c 429 s 21 are each amended to

20  read as follows:

21      (1) After the time set for complying with the requirements of

22  this chapter under RCW 36.70A.300(3)(b) has expired, ((or at an

23  earlier time upon the motion of a county or city subject to a

24  determination of invalidity under RCW 36.70A.300,)) the board

25  shall set a hearing for the purpose of determining whether the

26  state agency, county, or city is in compliance with the

27  requirements of this chapter.

28      (2) The board shall conduct a hearing and issue a finding of

29  compliance or noncompliance with the requirements of this chapter

30  and with any compliance schedule established by the board in its

31  final order.  A person with standing to challenge the legislation

32  enacted in response to the board's final order may participate in

33  the hearing along with the petitioner and the state agency,

34  county, or city.  A hearing under this subsection shall be given the

35  highest priority of business to be conducted by the board, and a

36  finding shall be issued within forty-five days of the filing of

37  the motion under subsection (1) of this section with the board.

HB 1473                        p. 4

_1  The board shall issue any order necessary to make adjustments to

_2  the compliance schedule and set additional hearings as provided in

_3  subsection (((5))) (4) of this section.

_4      (3) If the board after a compliance hearing finds that the

_5  state agency, county, or city is not in compliance, the board

_6  shall transmit its finding to the governor.  The board may recommend

_7  to the governor that the sanctions authorized by this chapter be

_8  imposed.  The board shall take into consideration the county's or

_9  city's efforts to meet its compliance schedule in making the

10  decision to recommend sanctions to the governor.

11      (4) ((In a compliance hearing upon petition of a party, the

12  board shall also reconsider its final order and decide, if no

13  determination of invalidity has been made, whether one now should

14  be made under RCW 36.70A.302.

15      (5))) The board shall schedule additional hearings as

16  appropriate pursuant to subsections (1) and (2) of this section.

     

17      NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  The following acts or parts of acts are each

18  repealed:

19      (1) RCW 36.70A.302 (Determination of invalidity‑-Vesting of

20  development permits‑-Interim controls) and 1997 c 429 s 16;

21      (2) RCW 36.70A.305 (Expedited review) and 1996 c 325 s 4; and

22      (3) RCW 36.70A.335 (Order of invalidity issued before July 27,

23  1997) and 1997 c 429 s 22.

     

24      NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  This act applies to all petitions for

25  review filed with the growth management hearings boards on or

26  after July 1, 2001.

     

27      NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7.  This act is necessary for the immediate

28  preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of

29  the state government and its existing public institutions, and

30  takes effect July 1, 2001.

 

‑‑‑ END ‑‑‑

                               p. 5                       HB 1473