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Land Use & Housing
AWC Priority
Refinements to the Land Use and Housing Elements of GMA Plans (ESHB 1727)
This bill contains language in Sec. 4 that directs cities and counties to work more collaboratively on setting or changing urban growth area boundaries. ESHB 1727 also includes language suggesting that cities in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, Thurston, Clark and Spokane counties may ask their county to consult with them to create consistent development standards in abutting unincorporated portions of their urban growth areas. Reports on progress in reaching any agreements are to be reported to the Legislature by the end of 2007.
Other provisions of this Realtors’ top priority address some changes in what local GMA Housing and Land Use elements of Comprehensive Plans should include. This bill also outlines an optional process that a county and its cities may use to distribute state-projected population targets used as the basis of GMA 20-year plans. AWC does not oppose either of these provisions. None of these aforementioned provisions appear controversial.
However, there are several other provisions causing problems for the bill. One concerns issues in rural areas regarding so-called "rural villages" as well as conditions for establishing "wetland mitigation banks on farmland." Another provision addresses an issue between the city of Maple Valley and King County concerning which one of them should control the development future of an essentially vacant 160 acre county-owned parcel in the middle of the city that is not "in" the city or its urban growth area.
AWC is hoping the bill passes the Senate in some form and will continue to be worked out and delivered to the Governor for signature. For more information, please contact Dave Williams, davew@awcnet.org.
AWC Priority
Timing of Accrual of Property Tax Revenues (ESSB 5836)
This bill expedites the transfer of library and fire district property taxes in areas containing these services when annexed to a city. The Senate version was heard and passed from the House Local Government Committee on Thursday, March 29 and was amended to remove the Senate provision aimed at changing the annexation process in Aberdeen. The bill passed the House unanimously on April 6 and now goes back to the Senate for concurrence, which is expected to happen quickly.
SHB 1458 requires new notice requirements to property owners before condemnation decisions/actions may occur. The bill has passed both chambers and was delivered to the Governor for signature on April 11. AWC supports this bill.
ESHB 2016 limits the use of eminent domain for economic development purposes. AWC is supportive of provisions allowing for the resale of property back to the original owner if the property is not used for the purpose for which it was intended. We are less comfortable with provisions dealing with changed definitions about what constitutes economic development, which attempt to codify current case law regarding eminent domain.
We were given an opportunity to help craft an amended version of the bill before further Senate action and appreciate that several of our ideas were incorporated.
The bill must be approved by 5 pm on Friday, April 13; as of this writing, it is not clear whether that will happen. AWC continues to evaluate the bill as it passed the House and welcomes input from interested cities.
For more information or to provide input, please contact either Sheila Gall, sheilag@awcnet.org, or Dave Williams, davew@awcnet.org.
AWC Priority
Regulating House-Banked Social Card Games (ESSB 5558)
ESSB 5558 is on the House calendar awaiting action. It grandfathers existing city moratoriums that limit the number of card rooms. Seventeen cities currently have some form of a grandfather clause that must be addressed before legal action is taken against the city, likely voiding their moratorium. The bill also provides limited zoning authority and retains local governments’ ability to ban gambling establishments.
ESSB 5558 was amended by the House Commerce and Labor Committee to eliminate the mandate for the use of a referendum associated with the annexation of areas that include a card room and the subsequent ban.
AWC supposrt this bill, which has been on the calendar for a number of days without movement. House leadership is nervous about unintended consequences associated with the cap on gambling licenses. The bill must be approved by 5 pm on Friday, April 13, and passage is clearly in doubt.
Contact Jim Justin at jimj@awcnet.org or Sheila Gall at sheilag@awcnet.org with questions or comments.
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