1. Planning under the Growth Management Act
Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development
Growth Management Program

2. Goals of the Growth Management Act
Urban Growth
Reduce Sprawl
Transportation
Housing
Economic
Development

3. Goals of the Growth Management Act
Property Rights
Permits
Natural Resource Industries
Open Space and Recreation
Environment

4. Goals of the Growth Management Act
Citizen Participation
Public Facilities and Services
Historic Preservation
Shoreline Management

5. Balancing the goals

6. The GMA applies to all cities and counties in the state

7. Classification, designation and protection/conservation:
Critical areas:
wetlands
fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas
aquifer recharge areas
frequently flooded areas
geologically hazardous areas
Natural Resource Lands:
forest lands
agricultural lands
mineral lands

8. GMA Requirements for fully planning communities
Multi-county planning policies
(King, Pierce, Kitsap, Snohomish)
County-wide planning policies
Comprehensive plan
Development
regulations
Project review

9. Coordination - Countywide Planning Policies
Policy framework for local plans to:
Designate urban growth areas
Site county-wide or state-wide facilities
Consider need for affordable housing
Jointly plan within urban growth areas
Plan for economic development

10. Designation of Urban Growth Areas (UGAs)
Population allocation
Land capacity analysis
Provision for adequate public facilities and services

11. Comprehensive Plans
Mandatory Elements
Land Use
Housing
Capital Facilities
Transportation
Utilities
Rural (counties only)
Shoreline Master Program (policies)

12. Development Regulations to Implement the Plan
zoning
plats and subdivisions
concurrency
critical areas
impact fees
stormwater regulations
anything implementing the plan policies
shoreline master program (regulations)

13. Consistency Internal plan consistency
Activities and capital budget decisions
Development regulation consistency with the plan
Project consistency with the plan and regulations

14. Project Consistency RCW 36.70B.030 and 040
Type of land use
Level of development
Infrastructure
Character of development
No appeal of land use, residential densities in UGAs, or infrastructure, if consistent

15. Growth Management Hearings Boards
Three regional hearings boards
Review plans and regulations, including SMPs, not projects
Review population projections
Plans and regulations presumed valid

16. Update Requirements
Not later than stated deadlines, counties and cities must take action to review and, if needed revise plans and regulations to ensure compliance with GMA.
At a minimum, must include CAOs and population allocations

17. Comprehensive Plan and Regulation amendments
Comprehensive plans only amended once a year except:
Adoption of subarea plan
Adoption/amendment of SMP
Amendment of capital facilities plan with budget
Amendment to resolve hearings board appeal
Emergency amendments
Development regulations amended any time, provided they are consistent with the comprehensive plan
Docket deficiencies noted during project review

18. GMA land use planning: An ongoing process
Regional policies
Local comp plans
Development regulations
Permits/ enforcement
Capital facility plans
Plan implementation – e.g. subarea or neighborhood plans
Citizen involvement/education
Incentives
Monitoring

19. Early and Continuous Public Participation
Public participation program:
notice requirements
public meetings
workshops
citizen advisory committees
public hearings
opportunities for written comment

20. Key Issues Around Salmon Recovery and Growth
Accommodation of population/density
Regulatory impact on affordability of housing
Water availability for people and fish
Pressure to streamline the permit process
What is best available science (BAS)?
Applicability of BAS in riparian areas

21. Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development
Growth Management Program
(360)