Title: An act relating to removing a termination date affecting industrial land banks.

Brief Description: Removing a termination date affecting industrial land banks.

Sponsors: Representatives Curtis, Fromhold, Orcutt, Moeller, Wallace, Dunn and Hinkle.

Brief History:

Local Government: 2/13/07, 2/23/07 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Simpson, Chair; Eddy, Vice Chair; Curtis, Ranking Minority Member; Schindler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Ross, B. Sullivan and Takko.

Staff: Jessica Nowakowski (786-7291) and Ethan Moreno (786-7386).

Background:

Major Industrial Development Pilot Project
In 1996 the Legislature amended the Growth Management Act (GMA) to authorize a pilot project under which areas for major industrial development could be established, and expeditiously sited, outside urban growth areas (UGAs). Among other provisions, the pilot project legislation: (a) allowed only certain counties to participate in the project, such participation being contingent, in part, on meeting detailed criteria relating to population, geographic location, and unemployment statistics; (b) established criteria for siting these developments within designated banks of land; and (c) provided for amending comprehensive plans adopted under the GMA to implement these provisions. The provisions of the original pilot project have been amended several times to modify the applicability criteria and termination dates.

Master Planned Locations Establishment Criteria
Eligible counties may establish up to two master planned locations for major industrial activity within an urban industrial land bank (land bank) located outside UGAs. Among other criteria for establishing major industrial developments within designated land banks, eligible counties must provide for new infrastructure, determine the feasibility of alternate sites, and satisfy specific development regulation requirements. Additionally, when selecting locations for inclusion within a land bank, counties must give priority to locations adjacent to, or in close proximity to, a UGA.

County Eligibility Criteria for the Creation of Master Planned Industrial Development
The GMA allows only certain counties to be eligible for participation in the urban industrial land bank designation process. The eligible counties are categorized into two groupings that are differentiated according to the expiration date of their authority to engage in the land bank development process. The expiration of such authority for one group of counties is December 31, 2007. The expiration of such authority for the other group of counties was December 31, 2002.

To be included in the group of counties whose authority expires on December 31, 2007, a county must meet one of several sets of criteria that include detailed requirements related to population, geographic location, and unemployment statistics. These eligibility criteria allow the inclusion of counties that meet one of the following sets of conditions:

• has a population greater than 250,000 and is part of a metropolitan area that includes a city in another state subject to the same population requirement;
• has a population greater than 140,000 and is adjacent to another country;
• has a population greater than 40,000 but less than 75,000 and meet other specified criteria regarding unemployment statistics and geographic requirements;
• is east of the Cascade divide and borders another state to the south or is located wholly south of Interstate 90 and borders the Columbia River to the east; or
• has an average population density of less than 100 persons per square mile and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean and by the Hood Canal.

Summary of Bill:

The December 31, 2007 termination date for the authority of eligible counties from including or excluding master planned locations from industrial land banks is removed.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Industrial land banks have remained a viable option for many of the cities. By working with the county and utilizing industrial land banks, cities can develop the ability to have a diversified economic base even though they might not have the ability to attract industry to the particular community that they live in. This is an opportunity for small communities to maintain their quaint existence and still have a viable and diverse economic base.

Clark County has one industrial land bank project in existence and has another in the process of development.
         
(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Curtis, prime sponsor; and Mike Burgess, Clark County.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.