Land Use & Housing

As reported in last week’s Bulletin, most of AWC’s priority bills in this subject area are sidelined for this session. The following bills are still moving forward.

Timing of Accrual of Property Tax Revenues (SSB 5836/SHB 2031)

These companion bills expedite the transfer of library and fire district property taxes in areas containing these services when annexed to a city. Both bills contain provisions worked out with interested parties and, as of this writing, both need to move to the floor calanders for action. Efforts to make that happen are underway.

Refinements to the Land Use and Housing Elements of GMA Plans (SHB 1727)

Following non-stop discussions between city, county, environmental and realtor interests, the contents of the original bill have been negotiated to the point that AWC no longer opposes this legislation. Language includes some refinement to what must be included in land use and housing elements of GMA comprehensive plans the next time they are updated, as well as a new optional process by which sub-regions within a county or multiple adjoining counties may reallocate assigned 20-year population forecasts from the State Office of Financial Management. Such reallocations would have to be agreed upon by the participating jurisdictions and, overall, the forecasted numbers could not exceed the original ones.

Industrial Land Banks (HB 1925 & SHB 1965)

AWC is comfortable with both HB 1925, which removes a termination date affecting industrial land banks, and SHB 1965, which authorizes major industrial development within industrial land banks. The bills moved from the House after unanimous passage for consideration in the Senate.

Eminent Domain (SHB 1458 & SB 5444, SHB 2016)

SHB 1458 and SB 5444 require new notice requirements to property owners before condemnation decisions/action may occur. Both of these bills are supported by AWC and have passed their house of origin and will be considered in the opposite chamber.

SHB 2016 limits the use of eminent domain for economic development purposes. AWC is supportive of provisions allowing for the re-sale of property back to the original owner if the property is not used for the purpose for which is was intended. We are less comfortable with provisions dealing with changed definitions about what constitutes economic development. AWC expects this bill will pass the House; its fate from there is less certain. For more information, please contact either Sheila Gall, sheilag@awcnet.org, or Dave Williams, davew@awcnet.org.

Regulating House-Banked Social Card Games (ESSB 5558)

ESSB 5558 passed out of the Senate on a vote of 48 – 0 on Thursday, March 8, with a floor amendment to the referendum clause for cities choosing to ban gambling. The floor amendment cleans up the previous language and limits the length of the mandate on the use of the referendum. Specifically, the referendum is only required for cities that choose to ban gambling as of the effective date of the act through July 1, 2010. While many cities have already adopted referendum and initiative powers, some have not. We have negotiated this change with the other interested parties and the prime sponsor of the legislation. AWC supports the bill as it left the Senate.

ESSB 5558 will now go to the House Commerce and Labor Committee, chaired by Rep. Steve Conway (D-Tacoma). For background on this issue, see the Land Use & Housing section of the February 23, 2007 edition of the Bulletin. Please contact Jim Justin, jimj@awcnet.org, if you have any input or comments.

Essential State Community Justice Facilities (2SHB 1733)

The second substitute version of this bill that passed out of the House Appropriations committee on March 5 provides for a study by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the Department of Corrections (DOC) to review the placement of juvenile and adult offenders in residential facilities or work release facilities in communities. 2SHB 1733 is now on the House floor calendar awaiting possible floor action.

Rep. Steve Conway (D-Tacoma), the original sponsor of the bill, would like to amend the bill to return to the first substitute bill language which required DSHS and DOC to make equitable distributions of offenders and facilities in communities, based on the relative proportion of offenders that were sent from the community to state facilities.

AWC would like to know what cities think of this proposal to require an equitable distribution in state justice facilities. Please contact Tim Gugerty, timg@awcnet.org, or Sheila Gall, sheilag@awcnet.org, with comments.

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