READ FIRST TIME 02/02/04.   

     WHEREAS, The complexity of federal, state, and local permitting processes present coordinating challenges to regulators, project sponsors, and interested stakeholders; and
     WHEREAS, A more simple, coordinated, and efficient permit system could promote economic development, support state and local land use requirements, and provide environmental protections; and
     WHEREAS, A comprehensive review of permitting processes by a diverse group of stakeholders that includes each major caucus in the legislature and the governor is necessary to make recommendations for changes;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That a joint select legislative task force be established to evaluate and make recommendations to the legislature regarding the processes established by certain local governments, identified by the task force as being generally representative of other local governments in the state, for issuing permits to comply with: (1) Development regulations adopted pursuant to the growth management act, chapter 36.70A RCW; and (2) the requirements of the shoreline management act, chapter 90.58 RCW; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the evaluation and recommendations of the joint select legislative task force be limited to the permit processes established by counties subject to the requirements of RCW 36.70A.215 and the cities within those counties with at least fifty thousand residents as of the adoption date of this resolution; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the joint select legislative task force must invite the governor to join the task force for the purpose of forming a "Five-Corners Task Force"; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the joint select legislative task force be composed of the chair and ranking minority member of the senate land use and planning committee and the chair and ranking minority member of the house of representatives local government committee or their designees; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force gather information that the task force considers appropriate for the evaluation of permit processes established by the local governments identified by the task force; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That an advisory committee be established to provide assistance to the task force, upon request of the task force, that is limited to the specific scope and content requested by the task force; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the advisory committee shall be composed of the following members or their designees: The director of the department of community, trade, and economic development; the director of the department of ecology; the director of the office of regulatory assistance; a representative of a county, selected by the Washington state association of counties; a representative of a city, selected by the association of Washington cities; a representative from the business community; two representatives from the environmental community, one selected by 1000 Friends of Washington, and one selected by the Washington Environmental Council; a representative from the property rights community; a representative from agriculture; a representative from labor; a representative from the construction industry; a representative from the ports; and a representative from federally recognized Indian tribes; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the advisory committee shall select a chair from among its members for the purpose of conducting meetings and transmitting information from the advisory committee as a group to the task force; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That in developing its recommendations, the task force may consult with the advisory committee; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That staff support for the task force and the advisory committee shall be provided by senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force must invite staff from the department of community, trade, and economic development, the department of ecology, and the office of regulatory assistance to provide additional staff support for the task force and the advisory committee; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall report its evaluations and recommendations to the appropriate legislative committees by January 1, 2006.