NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. "A new section is added to chapter 36.01 RCW to read as follows:
For any regional transportation authority projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016, a county must take all reasonable, feasible, and lawful measures necessary, including code or rule amendments and other agreements, to facilitate the preparation, filing, and processing of any required permits as soon as practicable, including assigning a single point of contact accountable for permit processing through environmental, design, and construction phases of a project. A county must participate in any project preferred alternative selection process as early as possible in the environmental process to facilitate expedited planning for regional transportation authority projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. A new section is added to chapter 35.21 RCW to read as follows:
For any regional transportation authority projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016, a city must take all reasonable, feasible, and lawful measures necessary, including code or rule amendments and other agreements, to facilitate the preparation, filing, and processing of any required permits as soon as practicable, including assigning a single point of contact accountable for permit processing through environmental, design, and construction phases of a project. A city must participate in any project preferred alternative selection process as early as possible in the environmental process to facilitate expedited planning for regional transportation authority projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 35A.21 RCW to read as follows:
For any regional transportation authority projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016, a city must take all reasonable, feasible, and lawful measures necessary, including code or rule amendments and other agreements, to facilitate the preparation, filing, and processing of any required permits as soon as practicable, including assigning a single point of contact accountable for permit processing through environmental, design, and construction phases of a project. A city must participate in any project preferred alternative selection process as early as possible in the environmental process to facilitate expedited planning for regional transportation authority projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. A new section is added to chapter 47.01 RCW to read as follows:
If applicable, for any regional transportation authority projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016, the department must take all reasonable, feasible, and lawful measures necessary, including rule amendments and other agreements, to facilitate the preparation, filing, and processing of any required permits as soon as practicable, including assigning a single point of contact accountable for permit processing through environmental, design, and construction phases of a project. If applicable, the department must participate in any project preferred alternative selection process as early as possible in the environmental process to facilitate expedited planning for regional transportation authority projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. A new section is added to chapter 81.112 RCW to read as follows:
A regional transit authority must submit, in compliance with RCW
43.01.036, biennial reports to the transportation committees of the legislature on the status of permit timelines and the effectiveness of sections 6 through 9 of this act in expediting the permitting process for projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016."
EFFECT: In regard to RTA projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016, requires cities, counties, and the Department of Transportation to take all reasonable, feasible, and lawful measures necessary to facilitate preparation and processing of any required permits as soon as practicable. Requires cities, counties, and the Department of Transportation to participate early in any project preferred alternative selection process for RTA projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016. Requires an RTA to submit biennial reports to the transportation committees of the legislature on the status of permit timelines and the effectiveness of the permits changes in this amendment in expediting the permitting process for RTA projects approved by voters after January 1, 2016.