Title: An act relating to the establishment of a growth management needs and priorities task force.

Brief Description: Establishing a growth management needs and priorities task force.

Sponsors: Representatives Jarrett, Dunshee, Priest, Moeller, Anderson, Linville, Ormsby and Dunn.

Brief History:

Local Government: 2/8/07, 2/23/07 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 6 members: Representatives Simpson, Chair; Eddy, Vice Chair; Curtis, Ranking Minority Member; Schindler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; B. Sullivan and Takko.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 1 member: Representative Ross.

Staff: Thamas Osborn (786-7129).

Background:

Overview of the Growth Management Act
The Growth Management Act (GMA) establishes a comprehensive land use planning framework for county and city governments in Washington. The GMA requires all local governments to comply with specific provisions for natural resource lands and critical areas, and establishes additional substantive and procedural compliance requirements for counties and cities meeting population and growth criteria.

The GMA establishes a list of planning goals to be used for guiding the development and adoption of comprehensive plans and development regulations by the GMA jurisdictions.

The GMA Planning Requirements
The GMA jurisdictions must satisfy numerous planning requirements. A principal compliance requirement is the adoption of internally consistent comprehensive land use plans (comprehensive plans), which are generalized, coordinated land use policy statements of the governing body. Each comprehensive plan must include planning provisions for specific mandatory "elements" such as land use, housing, utilities, and transportation.

The GMA jurisdictions must adopt development regulations that control development and land use activities. Locally adopted, these development regulations must be consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan of the adopting jurisdiction.

The Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development
The Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (DCTED) adopts guidelines to assist local governments in classifying natural resource lands (i.e., agricultural, forest, and mineral resource lands) and critical areas. The DCTED also receives copies of adopted and amended comprehensive plans and development regulations. The DCTED does not have the authority to approve local GMA plans and regulations.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

Overview of the Purpose, Goals, and Objectives of the Task Force
The act establishes a growth management needs and priorities task force for the purpose of examining the effectiveness of the GMA in meeting the goals and requirements of the implementing legislation. The mission of the task force is to gather information, identify issues, develop recommendations, and issue reports with respect to the following topics:

• how to improve the effectiveness of the GMA to meet the goals set forth in chapter 36.70A RCW;
• how to best meet the infrastructure and basic service needs of growing communities, including schools, local roads, fire and police service, and water, sewer, and other utilities, with recommendations for financing these service and infrastructure needs;
• how to best provide incentives to accommodate projected growth, protect resource lands, and protect critical areas;

• how local governments are prepared to address land use changes associated with climate change; and

• address any recommendations for additional topics that warrant continued work by the task force or by other groups.

   
Membership and Staffing of the Task Force
The task force will consist of community leaders to be appointed by the Governor in consultation with the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The task force will be chaired by the Director of the DCTED. The staff of the DCTED will be responsible for providing whatever support is neccesary to accomplish the goals of the task force.

Research, Facilitation and Support Services
The task force is authorized to obtain research and facilitation services by contract. In addition, the task force may establish work teams or advisory groups, as needed, to support the work of the task force.

Independent Assessment of Land Use Programs
The task force is required to secure an independent assessment of the effectiveness of land use programs in Washington with respect to achieving the goals of the GMA.

Reporting Requirements
A report must be issued by December 1, 2007, with recommendations for legislative and executive actions that address the specified topics to be addressed by the task force.
   
Expiration of the Task Force
The authorization of the task force expires as of December 30, 2007.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

As summarized below, the substitute bill makes significant changes to the original bill and thus constitutes a substantial redesign of the task force:

(1)   revises the membership of the task force to consist of an indeterminate number of community leaders to be appointed by the Governor in consultation with the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(2)   provides that the task force shall be chaired by the Director of the DCTED;

(3)   provides that staff support shall be provided by the DCTED;

(4)   authorizes the task force to obtain research and facilitation services by contract;

(5)   authorizes the task force to establish work teams or advisory groups, as needed, to support the work of the task force;

(6)   eliminates the involvement of the Ruckelshaus Center in the activities of the task force;

(7)   requires the task force to issue a report by December 1, 2007, with recommendations on legislative and executive actions that address, at a minimum, the following topics:

• how to improve the effectiveness of the GMA to meet the goals set forth in chapter 36.70A RCW;
• how to best meet the infrastructure and basic service needs of growing communities, including schools, local roads, fire and police service, and water, sewer, and other utilities, with recommendations for financing these service and infrastructure needs;
• how to best provide incentives to accommodate projected growth, protect resource lands, and protect critical areas;
• how local governments are prepared to address land use changes associated with climate change; and
• address any recommendations for additional topics that warrant continued work by the task force or by other groups; and

   

(8)   the authorization of the task force expires as of December 30, 2007.

Appropriation: The sum of $250,000 shall be appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development for the purposes of this act.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 25, 2007.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This task force is needed to provide an examination of the functioning of the Growth Management Act. However, the task force bill should be amended to revise the subject matter addressed by the task force and to change the composition to include additional members. Additional stakeholders need to be added, including some "high level" citizens groups. The Washington Planning Association should be added as a task force member. Also, the mission of the task force should be much broader, and should include housing issues. Finally, the Ruckelshaus Center should only be used for support and facilitation and not for an independent assessment of the functioning of the GMA.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Mike McCormick, Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association; Larry Stout, Realtors; Valerie Alexander, Friends of Clark County Futurewise; Dave Williams, Association of Washington Cities; Eric Johnson, Washington State Association of Counties; and Kaleen Cottingham, Futurewise.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.