A Generous People - Puyallup, WA

House Bill HB 1727 & Senate Bill SB 6727

Summary of Legislation:

• Clarifies intent of the Growth Management Act to accommodate growth.
• Ensures sufficient buildable land capacity is available for housing and employment growth.
• Provide opportunities for cities and counties to work together.

Problem:
The need to manage growth led to the designation of urban growth areas (UGAs). These designated areas when not managed well, restrict the supply of land and result in an imbalance between the supply and demand for housing. Restricting the supply of land is a major contributor to the cost of housing when sufficient buildable land capacity is not available to meet the demand for housing for all income levels. Housing and land prices have escalated rapidly. The restricted land supply together with the allowed densities and development regulations have caused working families to move further and further from their jobs, resulting in a number of unintended consequences such as traffic congestion and sprawl. It is important for the legislature to modify the Growth Management Act to reduce the restraints on developing in the UGAs and to ensure there is a sufficient amount of buildable land within the UGAs.

Background:
The Growth Management Act (GMA) included the use of designated urban growth areas to manage growth. Cities and counties planning under GMA are required to ensure that sufficient capacity of land suitable for development is available within their jurisdictions to accommodate allocated housing and employment growth.

Analysis:

• Housing to accommodate population targets to accommodate growth is not being met, causing a shortage of homes available to meet demand.
• Studies show that limited land capacity is a major contributor of housing costs.
• There are a number of critical factors that affect the actual buildable land capacity to create housing, affecting the ability to accommodate growth, including: infrastructure availability and capacity; market factors, including the economics of development and density; new environmental constraints; and, consumer preferences.
• Communities must ensure there is sufficient buildable land capacity available to accommodate residential and employment growth.

Section Provisions:
Sec. 1. Ammends RCW 36.70A.070 Comprehensive plans
Land Use Element: Clarifies that communities must designate a sufficient quantity of land suitable for development to accommodate projected population and anticipated commercial growth.

Housing Element: Clarifies that communities must ensure the availability of a variety of residential densities and housing types and identifies sufficient quantity of land suitable for housing development sufficient to accommodate existing and projected population growth.

Sec. 2. Amends RCW 36.70A.090 Innovative measures
Encourages communities to utilize innovative land use techniques including mixed use development and accessory dwelling units.

Sec. 3. NEW SECTION Managing growth - interlocal agreements
Authorizes jurisdictions to use an optional process through an interlocal agreement which allows one or more adjacent jurisdictions to share projected population growth and meet the housing needs of their jurisdictions. Ex. City of Puyallup and Pierce County (South Hill area).

Sec. 4. Amends RCW 36.70A.110 Urban growth areas (UGAs)
Requires counties of 175,000 residents to consult and cooperate with cities on: modifications to the urban growth areas; development regulation for unincorporated portions of UGAs consistent with adjacent cities; and adopt development regulations for new development in unincorporated portions of UGAs consistent with those of a city or cities which completely surround the area. In addition, a report is due 12/1/08 to appropriate legislative committees on how the implementation of the efforts required by this section.

Update: This legislation passed out of the Senate Rules Committee to the House Rules Committee, only to go no further before the session ended.