1782-S AMH BATE H2689.4
SHB 1782 - H AMD 1020
By Representative Bateman
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
Sec. 1. "RCW 36.70A.030 and 2021 c 254 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) "Adopt a comprehensive land use plan" means to enact a new comprehensive land use plan or to update an existing comprehensive land use plan.
(2) "Affordable housing" means, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, residential housing whose monthly costs, including utilities other than telephone, do not exceed thirty percent of the monthly income of a household whose income is:
(a) For rental housing, sixty percent of the median household income adjusted for household size, for the county where the household is located, as reported by the United States department of housing and urban development; or
(b) For owner-occupied housing, eighty percent of the median household income adjusted for household size, for the county where the household is located, as reported by the United States department of housing and urban development.
(3) "Agricultural land" means land primarily devoted to the commercial production of horticultural, viticultural, floricultural, dairy, apiary, vegetable, or animal products or of berries, grain, hay, straw, turf, seed, Christmas trees not subject to the excise tax imposed by RCW 84.33.100 through 84.33.140, finfish in upland hatcheries, or livestock, and that has long-term commercial significance for agricultural production.
(4) "City" means any city or town, including a code city.
(5) "Comprehensive land use plan," "comprehensive plan," or "plan" means a generalized coordinated land use policy statement of the governing body of a county or city that is adopted pursuant to this chapter.
(6) "Cottage housing" means four or more residential units on a lot with a common open space that is either:
(a) Owned in common; or
(b) Has units owned as condominium units with property owned in common and a minimum of 20 percent of the lot size as open space.
(7) "Courtyard apartments" means up to four attached dwelling units arranged on two or three sides of a central courtyard or lawn area.
(8) "Critical areas" include the following areas and ecosystems: (a) Wetlands; (b) areas with a critical recharging effect on aquifers used for potable water; (c) fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas; (d) frequently flooded areas; and (e) geologically hazardous areas. "Fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas" does not include such artificial features or constructs as irrigation delivery systems, irrigation infrastructure, irrigation canals, or drainage ditches that lie within the boundaries of and are maintained by a port district or an irrigation district or company.
(((7)))(9) "Department" means the department of commerce.
(((8)))(10) "Development regulations" or "regulation" means the controls placed on development or land use activities by a county or city, including, but not limited to, zoning ordinances, critical areas ordinances, shoreline master programs, official controls, planned unit development ordinances, subdivision ordinances, and binding site plan ordinances together with any amendments thereto. A development regulation does not include a decision to approve a project permit application, as defined in RCW 36.70B.020, even though the decision may be expressed in a resolution or ordinance of the legislative body of the county or city.
(((9)))(11) "Emergency housing" means temporary indoor accommodations for individuals or families who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless that is intended to address the basic health, food, clothing, and personal hygiene needs of individuals or families. Emergency housing may or may not require occupants to enter into a lease or an occupancy agreement.
(((10)))(12) "Emergency shelter" means a facility that provides a temporary shelter for individuals or families who are currently homeless. Emergency shelter may not require occupants to enter into a lease or an occupancy agreement. Emergency shelter facilities may include day and warming centers that do not provide overnight accommodations.
(((11)))(13) "Extremely low-income household" means a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together whose adjusted income is at or below thirty percent of the median household income adjusted for household size, for the county where the household is located, as reported by the United States department of housing and urban development.
(((12)))(14) "Forestland" means land primarily devoted to growing trees for long-term commercial timber production on land that can be economically and practically managed for such production, including Christmas trees subject to the excise tax imposed under RCW 84.33.100 through 84.33.140, and that has long-term commercial significance. In determining whether forestland is primarily devoted to growing trees for long-term commercial timber production on land that can be economically and practically managed for such production, the following factors shall be considered: (a) The proximity of the land to urban, suburban, and rural settlements; (b) surrounding parcel size and the compatibility and intensity of adjacent and nearby land uses; (c) long-term local economic conditions that affect the ability to manage for timber production; and (d) the availability of public facilities and services conducive to conversion of forestland to other uses.
(((13)))(15) "Freight rail dependent uses" means buildings and other infrastructure that are used in the fabrication, processing, storage, and transport of goods where the use is dependent on and makes use of an adjacent short line railroad. Such facilities are both urban and rural development for purposes of this chapter. "Freight rail dependent uses" does not include buildings and other infrastructure that are used in the fabrication, processing, storage, and transport of coal, liquefied natural gas, or "crude oil" as defined in RCW 90.56.010.
(((14)))(16) "Geologically hazardous areas" means areas that because of their susceptibility to erosion, sliding, earthquake, or other geological events, are not suited to the siting of commercial, residential, or industrial development consistent with public health or safety concerns.
(((15)))(17) "Long-term commercial significance" includes the growing capacity, productivity, and soil composition of the land for long-term commercial production, in consideration with the land's proximity to population areas, and the possibility of more intense uses of the land.
(((16)))(18) "Low-income household" means a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together whose adjusted income is at or below eighty percent of the median household income adjusted for household size, for the county where the household is located, as reported by the United States department of housing and urban development.
(((17)))(19) "Major transit stop" means:
(a) A stop on a high capacity transportation system funded or expanded under the provisions of chapter 81.104 RCW;
(b) Commuter rail stops;
(c) Stops on rail or fixed guideway systems, including transitways;
(d) Stops on bus rapid transit routes or routes that run on high occupancy vehicle lanes;
(e) Stops for a bus or other transit mode providing actual fixed route service at intervals of at least 15 minutes for at least five hours during the peak hours of operation on weekdays; or
(f) Washington state ferry terminals.
(20) "Middle housing" means duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, attached and detached accessory dwelling units, cottage housing, stacked flats, townhouses, and courtyard apartments.
(21) "Minerals" include gravel, sand, and valuable metallic substances.
(((18)))(22) "Moderate-income household" means a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together whose adjusted income is at or below 120 percent of the median household income adjusted for household size, for the county where the household is located, as reported by the United States department of housing and urban development.
(((19)))(23) "Permanent supportive housing" is subsidized, leased housing with no limit on length of stay that prioritizes people who need comprehensive support services to retain tenancy and utilizes admissions practices designed to use lower barriers to entry than would be typical for other subsidized or unsubsidized rental housing, especially related to rental history, criminal history, and personal behaviors. Permanent supportive housing is paired with on-site or off-site voluntary services designed to support a person living with a complex and disabling behavioral health or physical health condition who was experiencing homelessness or was at imminent risk of homelessness prior to moving into housing to retain their housing and be a successful tenant in a housing arrangement, improve the resident's health status, and connect the resident of the housing with community-based health care, treatment, or employment services. Permanent supportive housing is subject to all of the rights and responsibilities defined in chapter 59.18 RCW.
(((20)))(24) "Public facilities" include streets, roads, highways, sidewalks, street and road lighting systems, traffic signals, domestic water systems, storm and sanitary sewer systems, parks and recreational facilities, and schools.
(((21)))(25) "Public services" include fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, public health, education, recreation, environmental protection, and other governmental services.
(((22)))(26) "Recreational land" means land so designated under RCW 36.70A.1701 and that, immediately prior to this designation, was designated as agricultural land of long-term commercial significance under RCW 36.70A.170. Recreational land must have playing fields and supporting facilities existing before July 1, 2004, for sports played on grass playing fields.
(((23)))(27) "Rural character" refers to the patterns of land use and development established by a county in the rural element of its comprehensive plan:
(a) In which open space, the natural landscape, and vegetation predominate over the built environment;
(b) That foster traditional rural lifestyles, rural-based economies, and opportunities to both live and work in rural areas;
(c) That provide visual landscapes that are traditionally found in rural areas and communities;
(d) That are compatible with the use of the land by wildlife and for fish and wildlife habitat;
(e) That reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low-density development;
(f) That generally do not require the extension of urban governmental services; and
(g) That are consistent with the protection of natural surface water flows and groundwater and surface water recharge and discharge areas.
(((24)))(28) "Rural development" refers to development outside the urban growth area and outside agricultural, forest, and mineral resource lands designated pursuant to RCW 36.70A.170. Rural development can consist of a variety of uses and residential densities, including clustered residential development, at levels that are consistent with the preservation of rural character and the requirements of the rural element. Rural development does not refer to agriculture or forestry activities that may be conducted in rural areas.
(((25)))(29) "Rural governmental services" or "rural services" include those public services and public facilities historically and typically delivered at an intensity usually found in rural areas, and may include domestic water systems, fire and police protection services, transportation and public transit services, and other public utilities associated with rural development and normally not associated with urban areas. Rural services do not include storm or sanitary sewers, except as otherwise authorized by RCW 36.70A.110(4).
(((26)))(30) "Short line railroad" means those railroad lines designated class II or class III by the United States surface transportation board.
(((27)))(31) "Stacked flat" means dwelling units in a two or three story residential building on a residential zoned lot in which each floor may be separately rented or owned and is a discrete dwelling unit.
(32) "Townhouses" means dwelling units constructed in a row of two or more attached units, where each dwelling unit is located on an individual lot or parcel and shares at least one common wall with an adjacent unit.
(33) "Urban governmental services" or "urban services" include those public services and public facilities at an intensity historically and typically provided in cities, specifically including storm and sanitary sewer systems, domestic water systems, street cleaning services, fire and police protection services, public transit services, and other public utilities associated with urban areas and normally not associated with rural areas.
(((28)))(34) "Urban growth" refers to growth that makes intensive use of land for the location of buildings, structures, and impermeable surfaces to such a degree as to be incompatible with the primary use of land for the production of food, other agricultural products, or fiber, or the extraction of mineral resources, rural uses, rural development, and natural resource lands designated pursuant to RCW 36.70A.170. A pattern of more intensive rural development, as provided in RCW 36.70A.070(5)(d), is not urban growth. When allowed to spread over wide areas, urban growth typically requires urban governmental services. "Characterized by urban growth" refers to land having urban growth located on it, or to land located in relationship to an area with urban growth on it as to be appropriate for urban growth.
(((29)))(35) "Urban growth areas" means those areas designated by a county pursuant to RCW 36.70A.110.
(((30)))(36) "Very low-income household" means a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together whose adjusted income is at or below fifty percent of the median household income adjusted for household size, for the county where the household is located, as reported by the United States department of housing and urban development.
(((31)))(37) "Wetland" or "wetlands" means areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas. Wetlands do not include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from nonwetland sites, including, but not limited to, irrigation and drainage ditches, grass-lined swales, canals, detention facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, farm ponds, and landscape amenities, or those wetlands created after July 1, 1990, that were unintentionally created as a result of the construction of a road, street, or highway. Wetlands may include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from nonwetland areas created to mitigate conversion of wetlands.
Sec. 2. RCW 36.70A.210 and 2009 c 121 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The legislature recognizes that counties are regional governments within their boundaries, and cities are primary providers of urban governmental services within urban growth areas. For the purposes of this section, a "countywide planning policy" is a written policy statement or statements used solely for establishing a countywide framework from which county and city comprehensive plans are developed and adopted pursuant to this chapter. This framework shall ensure that city and county comprehensive plans are consistent as required in RCW 36.70A.100. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the land-use powers of cities.
(2) The legislative authority of a county that plans under RCW 36.70A.040 shall adopt a countywide planning policy in cooperation with the cities located in whole or in part within the county as follows:
(a) No later than sixty calendar days from July 16, 1991, the legislative authority of each county that as of June 1, 1991, was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 shall convene a meeting with representatives of each city located within the county for the purpose of establishing a collaborative process that will provide a framework for the adoption of a countywide planning policy. In other counties that are required or choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, this meeting shall be convened no later than sixty days after the date the county adopts its resolution of intention or was certified by the office of financial management.
(b) The process and framework for adoption of a countywide planning policy specified in (a) of this subsection shall determine the manner in which the county and the cities agree to all procedures and provisions including but not limited to desired planning policies, deadlines, ratification of final agreements and demonstration thereof, and financing, if any, of all activities associated therewith.
(c) If a county fails for any reason to convene a meeting with representatives of cities as required in (a) of this subsection, the governor may immediately impose any appropriate sanction or sanctions on the county from those specified under RCW 36.70A.340.
(d) If there is no agreement by October 1, 1991, in a county that was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 as of June 1, 1991, or if there is no agreement within one hundred twenty days of the date the county adopted its resolution of intention or was certified by the office of financial management in any other county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, the governor shall first inquire of the jurisdictions as to the reason or reasons for failure to reach an agreement. If the governor deems it appropriate, the governor may immediately request the assistance of the department of ((community, trade, and economic development))commerce to mediate any disputes that preclude agreement. If mediation is unsuccessful in resolving all disputes that will lead to agreement, the governor may impose appropriate sanctions from those specified under RCW 36.70A.340 on the county, city, or cities for failure to reach an agreement as provided in this section. The governor shall specify the reason or reasons for the imposition of any sanction.
(e) No later than July 1, 1992, the legislative authority of each county that was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 as of June 1, 1991, or no later than fourteen months after the date the county adopted its resolution of intention or was certified by the office of financial management the county legislative authority of any other county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, shall adopt a countywide planning policy according to the process provided under this section and that is consistent with the agreement pursuant to (b) of this subsection, and after holding a public hearing or hearings on the proposed countywide planning policy.
(3) A countywide planning policy shall at a minimum, address the following:
(a) Policies to implement RCW 36.70A.110;
(b) Policies for promotion of contiguous and orderly development and provision of urban services to such development;
(c) Policies for siting public capital facilities of a countywide or statewide nature, including transportation facilities of statewide significance as defined in RCW 47.06.140;
(d) Policies for countywide transportation facilities and strategies;
(e) Policies that consider the need for affordable housing, such as housing for all economic segments of the population and parameters for its distribution and to address how the county and its cities will jointly meet the requirements to consider all housing types identified in RCW 36.70A.070(2), including, within an urban growth area boundary, single-family residences and all middle housing types. Such policies must address how the combined efforts of the county and its cities will ensure the housing element requirements in RCW 36.70A.070(2) are met as the county and each city update their comprehensive plans. The requirements of this subsection related to considering middle housing within an urban growth area boundary do not apply to a county or city that is not subject to the review and evaluation requirements of RCW 36.70A.215 if the county or city has adopted findings and provided evidence as provided for in RCW 36.70A.070(2) that the current infrastructure within an urban growth area boundary is not capable of supporting such development or that there is little likelihood that infrastructure will be built to support such development within the 20-year planning period;
(f) Policies to address how the county and its cities will jointly meet the requirements of RCW 36.70A.070(1);
(((f)))(g) Policies for joint county and city planning within urban growth areas;
(((g)))(h) Policies for countywide economic development and employment, which must include consideration of the future development of commercial and industrial facilities; and
(((h)))(i) An analysis of the fiscal impact.
(4) Federal agencies and Indian tribes may participate in and cooperate with the countywide planning policy adoption process. Adopted countywide planning policies shall be adhered to by state agencies.
(5) Failure to adopt a countywide planning policy that meets the requirements of this section may result in the imposition of a sanction or sanctions on a county or city within the county, as specified in RCW 36.70A.340. In imposing a sanction or sanctions, the governor shall specify the reasons for failure to adopt a countywide planning policy in order that any imposed sanction or sanctions are fairly and equitably related to the failure to adopt a countywide planning policy.
(6) Cities and the governor may appeal an adopted countywide planning policy to the growth management hearings board within sixty days of the adoption of the countywide planning policy.
(7) Multicounty planning policies shall be adopted by two or more counties, each with a population of four hundred fifty thousand or more, with contiguous urban areas and may be adopted by other counties, according to the process established under this section or other processes agreed to among the counties and cities within the affected counties throughout the multicounty region. Measured increases to regional housing capacity following implementation of the requirements under section 4 of this act must not be considered in making any determination that a jurisdiction has exceeded or will exceed its population forecast.
Sec. 3. RCW 36.70A.070 and 2021 c 254 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
The comprehensive plan of a county or city that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 shall consist of a map or maps, and descriptive text covering objectives, principles, and standards used to develop the comprehensive plan. The plan shall be an internally consistent document and all elements shall be consistent with the future land use map. A comprehensive plan shall be adopted and amended with public participation as provided in RCW 36.70A.140. Each comprehensive plan shall include a plan, scheme, or design for each of the following:
(1) A land use element designating the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of land, where appropriate, for agriculture, timber production, housing, commerce, industry, recreation, open spaces, general aviation airports, public utilities, public facilities, and other land uses. The land use element shall include population densities, building intensities, and estimates of future population growth. The land use element shall provide for protection of the quality and quantity of groundwater used for public water supplies. Wherever possible, the land use element should consider utilizing urban planning approaches that promote physical activity. Where applicable, the land use element shall review drainage, flooding, and stormwater runoff in the area and nearby jurisdictions and provide guidance for corrective actions to mitigate or cleanse those discharges that pollute waters of the state, including Puget Sound or waters entering Puget Sound.
(2) A housing element ensuring the vitality and character of established residential neighborhoods that:
(a) Includes an inventory and analysis of existing and projected housing needs that identifies the number of housing units necessary to manage projected growth, as provided by the department of commerce, including:
(i) Units for moderate, low, very low, and extremely low-income households; and
(ii) Emergency housing, emergency shelters, and permanent supportive housing;
(b) Includes a statement of goals, policies, objectives, and mandatory provisions for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing, including single-family residences, and within an urban growth area boundary, moderate density housing options including(([,])), but not limited to, duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes;
(c) Identifies sufficient capacity of land for housing including, but not limited to, government-assisted housing, housing for moderate, low, very low, and extremely low-income households, manufactured housing, multifamily housing, group homes, foster care facilities, emergency housing, emergency shelters, permanent supportive housing, and within an urban growth area boundary, consideration of duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes;
(d) Makes adequate provisions for existing and projected needs of all economic segments of the community, including:
(i) Incorporating consideration for low, very low, extremely low, and moderate-income households;
(ii) Documenting programs and actions needed to achieve housing availability including gaps in local funding, barriers such as development regulations, and other limitations;
(iii) Consideration of housing locations in relation to employment location; and
(iv) Consideration of the role of accessory dwelling units in meeting housing needs;
(e) Identifies local policies and regulations that result in racially disparate impacts, displacement, and exclusion in housing, including:
(i) Zoning that may have a discriminatory effect;
(ii) Disinvestment; and
(iii) Infrastructure availability;
(f) Identifies and implements policies and regulations to address and begin to undo racially disparate impacts, displacement, and exclusion in housing caused by local policies, plans, and actions;
(g) Identifies areas that may be at higher risk of displacement from market forces that occur with changes to zoning development regulations and capital investments; ((and))
(h) Establishes antidisplacement policies, with consideration given to the preservation of historical and cultural communities as well as investments in low, very low, extremely low, and moderate-income housing; equitable development initiatives; inclusionary zoning; community planning requirements; tenant protections; land disposition policies; and consideration of land that may be used for affordable housing;
(i) Establishes a goal and plan to adopt development regulations, investments, incentives, or other programs which will achieve substantial measurable progress over a 20-year planning horizon toward increased economic and racial integration in all areas of the jurisdiction through programs encouraging, authorizing, directly investing in, or incentivizing new affordable housing options for all economic segments of the population including duplex, triplex, townhomes, accessory dwelling units, multifamily housing, subdivision of properties above minimum lot size, or with condominium common ownership.
(i) The county or city shall make a finding that comprehensive plans and development regulations affirmatively prevent displacement of lower and moderate-income community members, including families, in communities of interest. Such communities shall be determined based on community input solicited through appropriate outreach, including public meetings, in order to ensure that there is no net displacement of lower and moderate-income residents or people from racial, ethnic, and religious communities which have been subject to discriminatory housing policies in the past.
(ii) Any city planning under RCW 36.70A.040 that has a population of 30,000 or more as of the effective date of this section, or any city that is determined by the office of financial management pursuant to RCW 43.62.030 to have a population of 30,000 or more at least one year prior to its next comprehensive plan update, shall adopt a subelement of their plan's housing element which shall ensure that the jurisdiction will adopt development regulations, fees, incentives, subsidies, or funded investment programs, including programs funded pursuant to interlocal agreements, that are found to reasonably meet the projected needs for new housing for all economic segments of the region and to prevent displacement of lower-income residents and communities; and
(j) Allows subdivision of lots to increase the supply of housing affordable to lower and moderate-income residents. For short subdivision of lots developed with more than one house, ownership of the houses may be divided using the unit lot subdivision process. A property containing a detached accessory dwelling unit may be segregated in ownership from the principal dwelling unit.
In counties and cities subject to the review and evaluation requirements of RCW 36.70A.215, any revision to the housing element shall include consideration of prior review and evaluation reports and any reasonable measures identified. The housing element should link jurisdictional goals with overall county goals to ensure that the housing element goals are met.
(3) A capital facilities plan element consisting of: (a) An inventory of existing capital facilities owned by public entities, showing the locations and capacities of the capital facilities; (b) a forecast of the future needs for such capital facilities; (c) the proposed locations and capacities of expanded or new capital facilities; (d) at least a six-year plan that will finance such capital facilities within projected funding capacities and clearly identifies sources of public money for such purposes; and (e) a requirement to reassess the land use element if probable funding falls short of meeting existing needs and to ensure that the land use element, capital facilities plan element, and financing plan within the capital facilities plan element are coordinated and consistent. Park and recreation facilities shall be included in the capital facilities plan element.
(4) A utilities element consisting of the general location, proposed location, and capacity of all existing and proposed utilities, including, but not limited to, electrical lines, telecommunication lines, and natural gas lines.
(5) Rural element. Counties shall include a rural element including lands that are not designated for urban growth, agriculture, forest, or mineral resources. The following provisions shall apply to the rural element:
(a) Growth management act goals and local circumstances. Because circumstances vary from county to county, in establishing patterns of rural densities and uses, a county may consider local circumstances, but shall develop a written record explaining how the rural element harmonizes the planning goals in RCW 36.70A.020 and meets the requirements of this chapter.
(b) Rural development. The rural element shall permit rural development, forestry, and agriculture in rural areas. The rural element shall provide for a variety of rural densities, uses, essential public facilities, and rural governmental services needed to serve the permitted densities and uses. To achieve a variety of rural densities and uses, counties may provide for clustering, density transfer, design guidelines, conservation easements, and other innovative techniques that will accommodate appropriate rural economic advancement, densities, and uses that are not characterized by urban growth and that are consistent with rural character.
(c) Measures governing rural development. The rural element shall include measures that apply to rural development and protect the rural character of the area, as established by the county, by:
(i) Containing or otherwise controlling rural development;
(ii) Assuring visual compatibility of rural development with the surrounding rural area;
(iii) Reducing the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low-density development in the rural area;
(iv) Protecting critical areas, as provided in RCW 36.70A.060, and surface water and groundwater resources; and
(v) Protecting against conflicts with the use of agricultural, forest, and mineral resource lands designated under RCW 36.70A.170.
(d) Limited areas of more intensive rural development. Subject to the requirements of this subsection and except as otherwise specifically provided in this subsection (5)(d), the rural element may allow for limited areas of more intensive rural development, including necessary public facilities and public services to serve the limited area as follows:
(i) Rural development consisting of the infill, development, or redevelopment of existing commercial, industrial, residential, or mixed-use areas, whether characterized as shoreline development, villages, hamlets, rural activity centers, or crossroads developments.
(A) A commercial, industrial, residential, shoreline, or mixed-use area are subject to the requirements of (d)(iv) of this subsection, but are not subject to the requirements of (c)(ii) and (iii) of this subsection.
(B) Any development or redevelopment other than an industrial area or an industrial use within a mixed-use area or an industrial area under this subsection (5)(d)(i) must be principally designed to serve the existing and projected rural population.
(C) Any development or redevelopment in terms of building size, scale, use, or intensity shall be consistent with the character of the existing areas. Development and redevelopment may include changes in use from vacant land or a previously existing use so long as the new use conforms to the requirements of this subsection (5);
(ii) The intensification of development on lots containing, or new development of, small-scale recreational or tourist uses, including commercial facilities to serve those recreational or tourist uses, that rely on a rural location and setting, but that do not include new residential development. A small-scale recreation or tourist use is not required to be principally designed to serve the existing and projected rural population. Public services and public facilities shall be limited to those necessary to serve the recreation or tourist use and shall be provided in a manner that does not permit low-density sprawl;
(iii) The intensification of development on lots containing isolated nonresidential uses or new development of isolated cottage industries and isolated small-scale businesses that are not principally designed to serve the existing and projected rural population and nonresidential uses, but do provide job opportunities for rural residents. Rural counties may allow the expansion of small-scale businesses as long as those small-scale businesses conform with the rural character of the area as defined by the local government according to RCW 36.70A.030(23). Rural counties may also allow new small-scale businesses to utilize a site previously occupied by an existing business as long as the new small-scale business conforms to the rural character of the area as defined by the local government according to RCW 36.70A.030(23). Public services and public facilities shall be limited to those necessary to serve the isolated nonresidential use and shall be provided in a manner that does not permit low-density sprawl;
(iv) A county shall adopt measures to minimize and contain the existing areas or uses of more intensive rural development, as appropriate, authorized under this subsection. Lands included in such existing areas or uses shall not extend beyond the logical outer boundary of the existing area or use, thereby allowing a new pattern of low-density sprawl. Existing areas are those that are clearly identifiable and contained and where there is a logical boundary delineated predominately by the built environment, but that may also include undeveloped lands if limited as provided in this subsection. The county shall establish the logical outer boundary of an area of more intensive rural development. In establishing the logical outer boundary, the county shall address (A) the need to preserve the character of existing natural neighborhoods and communities, (B) physical boundaries, such as bodies of water, streets and highways, and land forms and contours, (C) the prevention of abnormally irregular boundaries, and (D) the ability to provide public facilities and public services in a manner that does not permit low-density sprawl;
(v) For purposes of (d) of this subsection, an existing area or existing use is one that was in existence:
(A) On July 1, 1990, in a county that was initially required to plan under all of the provisions of this chapter;
(B) On the date the county adopted a resolution under RCW 36.70A.040(2), in a county that is planning under all of the provisions of this chapter under RCW 36.70A.040(2); or
(C) On the date the office of financial management certifies the county's population as provided in RCW 36.70A.040(5), in a county that is planning under all of the provisions of this chapter pursuant to RCW 36.70A.040(5).
(e) Exception. This subsection shall not be interpreted to permit in the rural area a major industrial development or a master planned resort unless otherwise specifically permitted under RCW 36.70A.360 and 36.70A.365.
(6) A transportation element that implements, and is consistent with, the land use element.
(a) The transportation element shall include the following subelements:
(i) Land use assumptions used in estimating travel;
(ii) Estimated traffic impacts to state-owned transportation facilities resulting from land use assumptions to assist the department of transportation in monitoring the performance of state facilities, to plan improvements for the facilities, and to assess the impact of land-use decisions on state-owned transportation facilities;
(iii) Facilities and services needs, including:
(A) An inventory of air, water, and ground transportation facilities and services, including transit alignments and general aviation airport facilities, to define existing capital facilities and travel levels as a basis for future planning. This inventory must include state-owned transportation facilities within the city or county's jurisdictional boundaries;
(B) Level of service standards for all locally owned arterials and transit routes to serve as a gauge to judge performance of the system. These standards should be regionally coordinated;
(C) For state-owned transportation facilities, level of service standards for highways, as prescribed in chapters 47.06 and 47.80 RCW, to gauge the performance of the system. The purposes of reflecting level of service standards for state highways in the local comprehensive plan are to monitor the performance of the system, to evaluate improvement strategies, and to facilitate coordination between the county's or city's six-year street, road, or transit program and the office of financial management's ten-year investment program. The concurrency requirements of (b) of this subsection do not apply to transportation facilities and services of statewide significance except for counties consisting of islands whose only connection to the mainland are state highways or ferry routes. In these island counties, state highways and ferry route capacity must be a factor in meeting the concurrency requirements in (b) of this subsection;
(D) Specific actions and requirements for bringing into compliance locally owned transportation facilities or services that are below an established level of service standard;
(E) Forecasts of traffic for at least ten years based on the adopted land use plan to provide information on the location, timing, and capacity needs of future growth;
(F) Identification of state and local system needs to meet current and future demands. Identified needs on state-owned transportation facilities must be consistent with the statewide multimodal transportation plan required under chapter 47.06 RCW;
(iv) Finance, including:
(A) An analysis of funding capability to judge needs against probable funding resources;
(B) A multiyear financing plan based on the needs identified in the comprehensive plan, the appropriate parts of which shall serve as the basis for the six-year street, road, or transit program required by RCW 35.77.010 for cities, RCW 36.81.121 for counties, and RCW 35.58.2795 for public transportation systems. The multiyear financing plan should be coordinated with the ten-year investment program developed by the office of financial management as required by RCW 47.05.030;
(C) If probable funding falls short of meeting identified needs, a discussion of how additional funding will be raised, or how land use assumptions will be reassessed to ensure that level of service standards will be met;
(v) Intergovernmental coordination efforts, including an assessment of the impacts of the transportation plan and land use assumptions on the transportation systems of adjacent jurisdictions;
(vi) Demand-management strategies;
(vii) Pedestrian and bicycle component to include collaborative efforts to identify and designate planned improvements for pedestrian and bicycle facilities and corridors that address and encourage enhanced community access and promote healthy lifestyles.
(b) After adoption of the comprehensive plan by jurisdictions required to plan or who choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, local jurisdictions must adopt and enforce ordinances which prohibit development approval if the development causes the level of service on a locally owned transportation facility to decline below the standards adopted in the transportation element of the comprehensive plan, unless transportation improvements or strategies to accommodate the impacts of development are made concurrent with the development. These strategies may include increased public transportation service, ride-sharing programs, demand management, and other transportation systems management strategies. For the purposes of this subsection (6), "concurrent with the development" means that improvements or strategies are in place at the time of development, or that a financial commitment is in place to complete the improvements or strategies within six years. If the collection of impact fees is delayed under RCW 82.02.050(3), the six-year period required by this subsection (6)(b) must begin after full payment of all impact fees is due to the county or city.
(c) The transportation element described in this subsection (6), the six-year plans required by RCW 35.77.010 for cities, RCW 36.81.121 for counties, and RCW 35.58.2795 for public transportation systems, and the ten-year investment program required by RCW 47.05.030 for the state, must be consistent.
(7) An economic development element establishing local goals, policies, objectives, and provisions for economic growth and vitality and a high quality of life. A city that has chosen to be a residential community is exempt from the economic development element requirement of this subsection.
(8) A park and recreation element that implements, and is consistent with, the capital facilities plan element as it relates to park and recreation facilities. The element shall include: (a) Estimates of park and recreation demand for at least a ten-year period; (b) an evaluation of facilities and service needs; and (c) an evaluation of intergovernmental coordination opportunities to provide regional approaches for meeting park and recreational demand.
(9) It is the intent that new or amended elements required after January 1, 2002, be adopted concurrent with the scheduled update provided in RCW 36.70A.130. Requirements to incorporate any such new or amended elements shall be null and void until funds sufficient to cover applicable local government costs are appropriated and distributed by the state at least two years before local government must update comprehensive plans as required in RCW 36.70A.130.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 36.70A RCW to read as follows:
(1) Any city planning under RCW 36.70A.040 that has a population of 30,000 or more as of the effective date of this section, or any city that is determined by the office of financial management pursuant to RCW 43.62.030 to have a population of 30,000 or more at least one year prior to its next comprehensive plan update, must authorize the development of no fewer than four residential units on all lots zoned for residential use within one-quarter mile of a major transit stop.
(2)(a) As an alternative to the requirements in subsection (1) of this section, cities may alter local zoning to allow an average minimum net density equivalent to 33 dwelling units per acre within one-quarter mile of a major transit stop.
(b) In determining net density for housing within one-quarter mile of a major transit stop a city may exclude sensitive or critical areas, dedicated open space, schools, bodies of water, or lands which are not buildable to the level of density otherwise required.
(c) Any city that authorizes additional housing units pursuant to subsection (1) of this section or chooses to adopt an average minimum density pursuant to (a) of this subsection shall also adopt findings of fact demonstrating that the actions taken to authorize additional housing units or implement the average minimum density will not result in racially disparate impacts, displacement, or further exclusion in housing. The city shall transmit such findings to the department.
(3)(a) A city is exempt from the requirements in subsection (1) of this section if the city has adopted an ordinance to amend its comprehensive plan to allow for an increase in local dwelling unit capacity by an average of 10 units per buildable residential zoned acre across the city since July 1, 2019.
(b) A city that is exempt under (a) of this subsection shall implement the requirements of subsection (1) or (2) of this section by the next comprehensive plan update after the effective date of this section.
(4) When providing for the required additional housing units as required in subsection (1) of this section or for the minimum net density as required in subsection (2) of this section, the city shall ensure that multifamily housing within such areas includes sufficient units to meet the projections of housing needed within the planning horizon for families and households of various sizes and income levels.
(5) Any city with a population over 100,000 may not require the inclusion of off-street parking as a condition for the construction of middle housing within one-quarter mile of a major transit stop, unless the street on which the construction will occur has no on-street parking.
(6)(a) Outside of the limitations in this section, a city may apply all otherwise applicable regulations for the development of middle housing, including regulations for health, safety, or environment.
(b) Cities may adopt development and design standards related to the siting and design of additional housing units. Such development and design standards may not discourage the development of additional housing units through unreasonable costs, fees, delays, or other requirements or actions which individually or cumulatively make impracticable the permitting, siting, or construction of additional housing units, provided that this subsection does not limit the amount of affordable housing that a city may require to be provided, either on-site or through an in-lieu payment, pursuant to a program enacted under RCW 36.70A.540. A city may not require zoning, development, siting, or design review standards for additional housing units that are more restrictive than those required for detached single-family residences and the same development permit and environmental review processes that apply to detached single-family residences shall be applied to additional housing units.
(7) If a county or city does not allow all middle housing types on lots zoned for detached single-family residential use and located more than one-quarter mile of a major transit stop within an urban growth area boundary, then the applicable countywide planning policy required under RCW 36.70A.210 must provide for how the county, as a whole, and its cities will meet the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the community during the planning period. The planning, development, and other requirements of this subsection related to all middle housing types within an urban growth area boundary do not apply to a county or city that is not subject to the review and evaluation requirements of RCW 36.70A.215 if the county or city adopts findings and provides evidence that the current infrastructure within an urban growth area boundary is not capable of supporting such development or that there is little likelihood that infrastructure will be built to support such development within the 20-year planning period.
(8) Nothing in this section prohibits a city from permitting detached single-family residences.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 36.70A RCW to read as follows:
(1) Any city subject to the requirements under section 4 of this act may apply to the department for, and the department may certify, an extension of the implementation timelines.
(2) An extension certified under this section may be applied only to specific areas where a city has identified water, sewer, stormwater, or transportation services that are currently deficient, or are expected to be deficient within the next five years, and for which the local government has established a plan of actions that will remedy the deficiency in those services on a specific timeline. The department may certify additional extensions of a city's remediation timeline.
(3) For any subarea or community of interest within the jurisdiction for which the city or county finds that the increases in housing density required under section 4 of this act may create a significant risk of displacement of lower or moderate-income residents, reducing racial and economic integration, or of not meeting goals to increase affordable housing near transit, the city or county may apply to the department for flexibility in implementation for a limited period of time not to exceed one year.
(4) The department may establish by rule any procedures necessary to implement this section.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 64.38 RCW to read as follows:
Governing documents of associations within areas of cities subject to the additional housing unit and density requirements of this act that are created after the effective date of this section may not prohibit the construction or development of the types of housing or density requirements that must be permitted by this act within such cities.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7. A new section is added to chapter 64.90 RCW to read as follows:
Declarations and governing documents of a common interest community within areas of cities subject to the additional housing unit and density requirements of this act that are created after the effective date of this section may not prohibit the construction or development of the types of housing or density requirements that must be permitted by this act within such cities.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8. If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2022, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void."
Correct the title.
EFFECT: Makes the following changes:
(1) Removes the requirement that the Department of Commerce evaluate the costs for counties and cities to review and revise their comprehensive plans to assure compliance with the Growth Management Act and other requirements related to the evaluation.
(2) Removes additional technical and financial assistance requirements for the Department of Commerce.
(3) Removes the requirement that the Department of Commerce promote equitable and meaningful participation in development of comprehensive plans and development regulations and distribute grants to historically marginalized communities and populations.
(4) Removes the provision allowing the Department of Commerce to contract with a public or nonprofit agency to assist local governments in comprehensive planning and other obligations under the Growth Management Act.
(5) Removes the changes to the land use element, capital facilities plan element, and the transportation element of the comprehensive plan, and removes all changes to the housing element of the comprehensive plan except certain displacement requirements.
(6) Removes the middle housing requirements for cities planning under the Growth Management Act with a population of 20,000 or more and instead requires cities planning under the Growth Management Act with a population of 30,000 or more to authorize up to four units on all lots within one-quarter mile of a major transit stop.
(7) Removes middle housing requirements for cities with a population under 20,000.
(8) Provides that measured increases to regional housing capacity following implementation of the middle housing requirements shall not be considered in making a determination that a jurisdiction has exceeded or will exceed its population forecast for countywide planning policies under the Growth Management Act.
(9) Requires a city or county that does not allow all middle housing types on lots zoned for detached single-family residential use and located more than one-quarter mile of a major transit stop within an urban growth area to provide in the countywide planning policy for how the county and its cities will meet existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the community during the planning period.
(10) Provides an exception to the middle housing requirements for a city that has adopted an ordinance to amend its comprehensive plan to allow for an increase in local dwelling unit capacity by an average of 10 units per buildable residential zoned acre across the city since July 1, 2019, provided that the city implements the requirements by the next comprehensive plan update after the act takes effect.
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