Land use and growth management issues saw an intense session this year; but only two bills ultimately passed despite multiple proposals having worked their way far into the process. After an interim during which a large stakeholder group failed to reach
consensus on Growth Management Act (GMA) reforms, it initially appeared that land use and GMA issues would get little attention this session. Despite that, the pressure of the looming comprehensive plan update cycle led the Legislature to advance
several proposed reforms.
AWC worked hard with legislators and proponents to negotiate significant enhancements to the GMA in the arena of climate change,
affordable housing, and salmon recovery.
On each of the three issues, AWC arrived at a position of support for the proposed changes, provided that planning costs for cities were funded by the state – as is required under the GMA.
The proposals on climate and salmon recovery passed the House and advanced through the Senate policy committee before stalling in fiscal committees. On the affordable housing front, the Legislature passed HB 1220, which contained negotiated direction to cities on siting of emergency shelter facilities and more extensive GMA planning requirements on housing. Unfortunately, the Legislature declined to provide
sufficient funding for the planning work, so those requirements are currently optional for cities. There is still time in the 2022 session for the state to provide the funding, and we expect it to be a topic of conversation next year.
Bill # | Description | Status |
|---|
HB 1220 | Supporting emergency shelters and housing through local planning and development regulations. | Gov signed with partial veto. Law; effective July 25, 2021. |
HB 1335 | Concerning review and property owner notification of recorded documents with unlawful racial restrictions. | Law; effective July 25, 2021. |
SB 5225 | Direct appeals for APA and LUPA cases. | Law; various effective dates starting June 13, 2021. |
SB 5368 | New annexation method. | Gov signed with partial veto. Law; effective July 25, 2021. |
HB 1099 | Improving the state's climate response through updates to the state's comprehensive planning framework. | Did not pass. |
HB 1117 | Promoting salmon recovery through revisions to the state's comprehensive planning framework, including net ecological gain. | Did not pass. |
HB 1232 | Adding the requirement to plan for duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and townhouses
under the Growth Management Act. | Did not pass. |
HB 1241 | Amending the Growth Management Act update timeline, adding work plans and progress reports, and tribal consultation. | Did not pass. |
SB 5042 | Concerning the effective date of certain actions taken under the Growth Management Act. | Did not pass. |
SB 5269 | Including the value of increased residential building capacity in the property tax levy limit calculation and zoning for multifamily housing units. | Did not pass. |
SB 5306 | Concerning local salmon habitat recovery planning in critical areas. | Did not pass. |
SB 5380 | Concerning the default approval of building permits. | Did not pass. |