News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 11, 1997
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Locke announces improvements to the Growth Management Act

OLYMPIA - Gov. Gary Locke today announced proposed amendments to the Growth Management Act that would make it more flexible and more workable for counties and communities across the state. Sen. Bob McCaslin, R-Spokane, and Rep. Bill Reams, R-Bellevue, are prime sponsors of the legislation that will be introduced today.


Locke's amendments are based on the recommendations of the Land Use Study Commission, a group of 14 representatives of local government, business and environmental interests. The commission was created by the 1995 legislature to study ways to improve the state's land use and environmental laws.


"This proposal represents our best opportunity this session to modify the Growth Management Act and provide more weight to local governments and their planning efforts," said Gov. Locke. "This legislation truly represents the people's voice through the hard work of the Land Use Study Commission."


"Governor Locke's position regarding growth management is of vital interest to me," said McCaslin. "I will strive to work with Governor Locke with the needs and benefits of Washington state citizens in mind."


"We need proper planning now to adequately address the projected increase of our state's population into the next century," Reams added. "We need to address current concerns about the state's growth hearings boards to ensure that local planning is accomplished at the local level. I'm looking forward to working in a bipartisan effort to address these goals."


The Locke proposal would:


-Clarify and limit the regional Growth Management Hearings Boards' power to invalidate comprehensive plans.

-Change the standard of review to allow more weight to local government decisions.

-Add flexibility for zoning agricultural lands to allow some residential and non-agricultural uses.

-Clarify the definitions of rural areas, add guidelines for appropriate rural development and allow more intensive building in confined areas in already developed communities, shorelines, crossroads and small-scale tourist or recreational facilities.

-Require better public notice and opportunity for public comment from people affected by pending land use plans.

-Require the state's fastest growing counties to monitor and evaluate the success of the GMA to assure the desired urban density goals are being met.

-Encourage cooperative resolution of land use disputes by such changes as allowing an extension in a deadline if negotiations are under way.

Locke pointed out that the GMA process is even more critical in coming years because the state has revised population growth projections upward to 22 percent for the decade. An additional 400,000 new residents are expected in Washington state in the next four years, which would make the growth rate for the decade among the fastest in the nation.


"I know some legislators would like to repeal and pull the plug on the GMA. This would be unwise," Locke said. "We need a balanced approach that preserves the state's commitment to long-term planning for growth. This proposal ensures predictability in land use planning while respecting private property rights and upholding the tradition of local government control that promotes efficiency and protects our unique quality of life here in the Northwest.


"A bipartisan effort to improve the GMA is the best approach to creating the jobs and housing we need for the future while preserving our precious environment and quality of life," Locke said.


The legislation will be introduced and referred to committees today as Senate Bill 5758 and House Bill 1869.

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