Land use & housing

GMA review and update cycle – grants available & webinar held

Over 100 cities and towns in Clallam, Clark, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom counties are supposed to undertake and complete a review and update (if necessary) of local GMA plans and regulations by December 2011. All other cities and towns will follow on a schedule in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

• We’ve heard that with current budget constraints, such updates may be limited and difficult to complete.
• We also know that few changes to GMA laws have occurred since most cities and towns undertook their last review and update process.
• There won’t be new state population forecasts available by the end of 2011 that would require these communities to plan for more growth. (Cities and towns in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties may have new population forecasts from the Puget Sound Regional Council and would be subject to adjustments based on those mutually-agreed-upon projections).

The Department of Commerce is making small grants available to cities and towns in these counties to conduct local reviews. As was the case during past reviews, funds were appropriated by the 2009 Legislature to help support (but not fully fund) this mandate. The amount was determined based on the level of the jurisdiction’s population and GMA responsibilities. For those interested to see what each jurisdiction received, it is available at: 2011 Growth Management Update Grant Amount List.

In order to receive a grant, Commerce has compiled an application package that has been sent to these communities. In tandem with AWC, Commerce recently conducted a one-hour webinar to help communities understand what is expected. We thank Commerce for supporting this efficient workshop attended by most of the 100 cities and towns! Copies of materials presented and referenced can be found at www.cornerstoneleadershiponline.com/AWC/index.html#recordings. For more information or questions, please contact Dave Williams, davew@awcnet.org.

AWC flexibility package for 2010

As part of AWC’s legislative package as a preliminary Major Priority, we will be asking the legislature to examine a number of mandates they have given cities and towns over the past decade or so. For those that cost money to implement:

• Are they still needed?
• Are the requirements the right ones? Implementable?
• Is the timing and frequency of "updating" appropriate

Among the items currently under consideration for possible inclusion in such a "package", we are discussing them within our Legislative Committee and among our Board members. We’d also like to hear what any others in the city family think of at least the following ideas (in no particular order):

"Flex up" what GMA impact fees can be spent on

• Broaden the definition of allowable transportation expenditures to include "multi-modal" (trails, transit and others).
• Cities can charge for fire, parks, roads and schools if provided by the city. Add police/public safety and emergency response facilities, as well as fire if provided by a district.
• Allow cities to charge fire impact fees in areas served by Fire Districts (current law allows only in areas served by city fire services).

"Skip" the next round of mandatory GMA updates in cities and counties

• Allow certain small and slow growing qualifying counties and cities to forgo the requirements of one review and revision cycle mandated under the Growth Management Act.
• Granting certain counties and cities two additional years to comply with review and revision requirements of the Growth Management Act.
• Possibly asking for or supporting legislation that "pauses" the update responsibilities – either because of insufficient funding OR because the Governor and Legislature decide to conduct a review of the GMA on its 20th anniversary (2010) – thus "pausing" while the review is conducted.

Shorelines management plans

• Reaffirm the legislative mandate to fully fund mandatory Shorelines Updates and remove the language that says we have to update by 2014 even if funding isn't provided (RCW 90.58.080(7)).

Review and update mandatory timelines

• Alter the GMA and Shoreline Planning "every 7 year" update schedule to "every 10 years" to better match the availability of census information and reduce planning and potential litigation costs.

Finally, if you have other ideas not on this list, we’d welcome hearing from you! Please submit them by clicking here. All entries will be eligible to win one free registration to our City Legislative Action Conference taking place in Olympia , January 27-28.

House Local Government Committee work session December 4 - GMA compliance

The House Local Government Committee will hold a work session to discuss the "pro’s and con’s" of our current Growth Management Act (GMA) system that mandates cities and counties adopt and implement plans and regulations, but unlike Oregon, doesn’t require the state to review and approve them.

The Committee has previously heard concerns expressed about the costs several communities have incurred when defending their plans or regulations that have been appealed to a Growth Management Hearings Board. Some legislators have wondered whether or not it would be less costly to jurisdictions if the state was responsible for approving plans and regulations and defending them upon appeal.

AWC has consistently supported the "local control" system of GMA that currently exists and doesn’t require state approval of local plans and regulations. If you have another opinion, please let us know! Those interested can tune into TVW to listen on December 4 at 10 am.

The Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association offers a "Sustainable Washington 2009: Planning for Climate Change"

We are very pleased to announce the completion of a year-long effort to provide a resource for planners in Washington on sustainability and climate change. The centerpiece of that effort, Sustainable Washington 2009 is now posted on the Chapter website at: www.washington-apa.org/sustainable_washington.

This document consists of over 90 pages of text and appendices that serve to:

• Explain the basic concepts of sustainability and climate change;
• Highlight predicted climate change impacts in Washington;
• Introduce planners to the need for planning that responds to climate uncertainty with a flexible, holistic, and long-term approach;
• Describe specific actions that planners can take in local, regional, and state jurisdictions to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the effects of climate change; and
• Define how planners can use existing planning tools, particularly GMA, to address these challenges.

This centerpiece document is designed to grow and evolve through updated hotlinks to provide examples of successful actions and a wide range of Internet resources for planners to use in working towards a sustainable future. This effort has also generated four other resources for planners:

1. A printed eight-page Executive Summary, designed to inform planners about the web-based materials and to encourage allied professionals, legislators, elected officials, and the public to join us in this effort. Look for this to arrive in your mailbox soon.
2.  The 2008 Survey of Planners, including the responses of over 500 planners in Washington and their efforts toward addressing climate change and sustainability issues: http://washington-apa.org/news/article/2008_member_survey_results/.
3. An open-architecture web-based set of Sustainability Stories, describing the successes and challenges encountered by local jurisdictions in developing climate action plans and sustainability strategies. The Sustainability Stories are created in a wiki format to allow local planners to add their own accounts and to update existing listings as new efforts get underway. This document is expected to be posted in later in November.
4. The 2009 Sustainability Policy Sampler includes example policies from local comprehensive plans and other documents from cities around the state. This document is expected to be posted in December.

New Partners for Smart Growth Conference – February 4-6 2010

Today, more than ever, we are faced with environmental and economic challenges that will define our generation, shape our future, and test our resilience as cities, regions, states, and a nation. Join leaders from across the U.S. in Seattle from February 4 - 6 for the New Partners in Smart Growth Conference, as we tackle these challenges head-on and demonstrate solutions to curb greenhouse gas emissions by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, creating a green economy, and building more livable, walkable, and healthier communities.

In December 1997, the EPA, together with the Urban Land Institute, co-sponsored the first "Partners for Smart Growth" conference. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of that first groundbreaking event.

The program will include the latest research, cutting-edge implementation tools and techniques, best practices, model projects, policies and codes, coordinated networking activities, interactive learning experiences, and new partners. Most importantly, this dynamic event offers you the opportunity to network and coordinate with your peers as well as practitioners from many different disciplines.

A highlight of the conference is a Small Towns Pre-conference Tour. Participants will join walkability expert Dan Burden for an action-packed 2-1/2 day tour of small towns in the Pacific Northwest by coach bus, bicycle, walking, and ferry. The February 1 - 3 tour starts at noon on Monday from SeaTac Airport and ends at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Seattle on Wednesday night. Click here for more details.

For more information about the conference please go to www.newpartners.org/about.html.

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