Updating comprehensive plans

AN ACT Relating to updating comprehensive plans; amending RCW 1
36.70A.130; and creating a new section. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that providing 4
housing to citizens of the state of Washington is of utmost 5
importance. Giving local governments the ability to rapidly permit 6
housing projects will aid in more housing being built more rapidly.7
Sec. 2. RCW 36.70A.130 and 2024 c 17 s 1 are each amended to 8
read as follows: 9
(1)(a) Each comprehensive land use plan and development 10
regulations shall be subject to continuing review and evaluation by 11
the county or city that adopted them. Except as otherwise provided, a 12
county or city shall take legislative action to review and, if 13
needed, revise its comprehensive land use plan and development 14
regulations to ensure the plan and regulations comply with the 15
requirements of this chapter according to the deadlines in 16
subsections (4) and (5) of this section. 17
(b)(i) A city or town located within a county planning under RCW 18
36.70A.040 may opt out of a full review and revisions of its 19
S-0379.1
SENATE BILL 5733
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Braun, Christian, Cortes, and Dozier
Read first time 02/12/25. Referred to Committee on Housing.
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comprehensive plan established in this section if the city or town 1
meets the following criteria: 2
(A) Has a population fewer than 500; 3
(B) Is not located within 10 miles of a city with a population 4
over 100,000; 5
(C) Experienced a population growth rate of fewer than 10 percent 6
in the preceding 10 years; and 7
(D) Has provided the department with notice of its intent to 8
participate in a partial review and revision of its comprehensive 9
plan. 10
(ii) The department shall review the population growth rate for a 11
city or town participating in the partial review and revision of its 12
comprehensive plan process at least three years before the periodic 13
update is due as outlined in subsection (4) of this section and 14
notify cities of their eligibility. 15
(iii) A city or town that opts out of a full review and revision 16
of its comprehensive plan must update its critical areas regulations 17
and its capital facilities element and its transportation element.18
(c) Except as otherwise provided, a county or city not planning 19
under RCW 36.70A.040 shall take action to review and, if needed, 20
revise its policies and development regulations regarding critical 21
areas and natural resource lands adopted according to this chapter to 22
ensure these policies and regulations comply with the requirements of 23
this chapter according to the deadlines in subsections (4) and (5) of 24
this section. Legislative action means the adoption of a resolution 25
or ordinance following notice and a public hearing indicating at a 26
minimum, a finding that a review and evaluation has occurred and 27
identifying the revisions made, or that a revision was not needed and 28
the reasons therefor. 29
(d) The review and evaluation required by this subsection shall 30
include, but is not limited to, consideration of critical area 31
ordinances and, if planning under RCW 36.70A.040, an analysis of the 32
population allocated to a city or county from the most recent 10-year 33
population forecast by the office of financial management.34
(e) Any amendment of or revision to a comprehensive land use plan 35
shall conform to this chapter. Any amendment of or revision to 36
development regulations shall be consistent with and implement the 37
comprehensive plan. 38
(2)(a) Each county and city shall establish and broadly 39
disseminate to the public a public participation program consistent 40
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with RCW 36.70A.035 and 36.70A.140 that identifies procedures and 1
schedules whereby updates, proposed amendments, or revisions of the 2
comprehensive plan are considered by the governing body of the county 3
or city no more frequently than once every year. "Updates" means to 4
review and revise, if needed, according to subsection (1) of this 5
section, and the deadlines in subsections (4) and (5) of this section 6
or in accordance with the provisions of subsection (6) of this 7
section. Amendments may be considered more frequently than once per 8
year under the following circumstances: 9
(i) The initial adoption of a subarea plan. Subarea plans adopted 10
under this subsection (2)(a)(i) must clarify, supplement, or 11
implement jurisdiction-wide comprehensive plan policies, and may only 12
be adopted if the cumulative impacts of the proposed plan are 13
addressed by appropriate environmental review under chapter 43.21C 14
RCW; 15
(ii) The development of an initial subarea plan for economic 16
development located outside of the 100 year floodplain in a county 17
that has completed a state-funded pilot project that is based on 18
watershed characterization and local habitat assessment;19
(iii) The adoption or amendment of a shoreline master program 20
under the procedures set forth in chapter 90.58 RCW;21
(iv) The amendment of the capital facilities element of a 22
comprehensive plan that occurs concurrently with the adoption or 23
amendment of a county or city budget; ((or))24
(v) The adoption of comprehensive plan amendments necessary to 25
enact a planned action under RCW 43.21C.440, provided that amendments 26
are considered in accordance with the public participation program 27
established by the county or city under this subsection (2)(a) and 28
all persons who have requested notice of a comprehensive plan update 29
are given notice of the amendments and an opportunity to comment; or30
(vi) The adoption of comprehensive plan amendments or development 31
regulations necessary for the permitting of housing projects.32
(b) Except as otherwise provided in (a) of this subsection, all 33
proposals shall be considered by the governing body concurrently so 34
the cumulative effect of the various proposals can be ascertained. 35
However, after appropriate public participation a county or city may 36
adopt amendments or revisions to its comprehensive plan that conform 37
with this chapter whenever an emergency exists or to resolve an 38
appeal of a comprehensive plan filed with the growth management 39
hearings board or with the court. 40
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(3)(a) Each county that designates urban growth areas under RCW 1
36.70A.110 shall review, according to the schedules established in 2
subsections (4) and (5) of this section, its designated urban growth 3
area or areas, patterns of development occurring within the urban 4
growth area or areas, and the densities permitted within both the 5
incorporated and unincorporated portions of each urban growth area. 6
In conjunction with this review by the county, each city located 7
within an urban growth area shall review the densities permitted 8
within its boundaries, and the extent to which the urban growth 9
occurring within the county has located within each city and the 10
unincorporated portions of the urban growth areas.11
(b) The county comprehensive plan designating urban growth areas, 12
and the densities permitted in the urban growth areas by the 13
comprehensive plans of the county and each city located within the 14
urban growth areas, shall be revised to accommodate the urban growth 15
projected to occur in the county for the succeeding 20-year period. 16
The review required by this subsection may be combined with the 17
review and evaluation required by RCW 36.70A.215. 18
(c) If, during the county's review under (a) of this subsection, 19
the county determines revision of the urban growth area is not 20
required to accommodate the urban growth projected to occur in the 21
county for the succeeding 20-year period, but does determine that 22
patterns of development have created pressure in areas that exceed 23
available, developable lands within the urban growth area, the urban 24
growth area or areas may be revised to accommodate identified 25
patterns of development and likely future development pressure for 26
the succeeding 20-year period if the following requirements are met:27
(i) The revised urban growth area may not result in an increase 28
in the total surface areas of the urban growth area or areas;29
(ii) The areas added to the urban growth area are not or have not 30
been designated as agricultural, forest, or mineral resource lands of 31
long-term commercial significance; 32
(iii) Less than 15 percent of the areas added to the urban growth 33
area are critical areas; 34
(iv) The areas added to the urban growth areas are suitable for 35
urban growth; 36
(v) The transportation element and capital facility plan element 37
have identified the transportation facilities, and public facilities 38
and services needed to serve the urban growth area and the funding to 39
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provide the transportation facilities and public facilities and 1
services; 2
(vi) The urban growth area is not larger than needed to 3
accommodate the growth planned for the succeeding 20-year planning 4
period and a reasonable land market supply factor; 5
(vii) The areas removed from the urban growth area do not include 6
urban growth or urban densities; and 7
(viii) The revised urban growth area is contiguous, does not 8
include holes or gaps, and will not increase pressures to urbanize 9
rural or natural resource lands. 10
(4) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (6) and (8) of 11
this section, counties and cities shall take action to review and, if 12
needed, revise their comprehensive plans and development regulations 13
to ensure the plan and regulations comply with the requirements of 14
this chapter as follows: 15
(a) On or before June 30, 2015, for King, Pierce, and Snohomish 16
counties and the cities within those counties; 17
(b) On or before June 30, 2016, for Clallam, Clark, Island, 18
Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, San Juan, Skagit, Thurston, and Whatcom 19
counties and the cities within those counties; 20
(c) On or before June 30, 2017, for Benton, Chelan, Cowlitz, 21
Douglas, Kittitas, Lewis, Skamania, Spokane, and Yakima counties and 22
the cities within those counties; and 23
(d) On or before June 30, 2018, for Adams, Asotin, Columbia, 24
Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Klickitat, Lincoln, 25
Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, and 26
Whitman counties and the cities within those counties.27
(5) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (6) and (8) of 28
this section, following the review of comprehensive plans and 29
development regulations required by subsection (4) of this section, 30
counties and cities shall take action to review and, if needed, 31
revise their comprehensive plans and development regulations to 32
ensure the plan and regulations comply with the requirements of this 33
chapter as follows: 34
(a) Except as provided in subsection (10) of this section, on or 35
before December 31, 2024, with the following review and, if needed, 36
revision on or before June 30, 2034, and then every 10 years 37
thereafter, for King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties and the 38
cities within those counties; 39
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(b) On or before December 31, 2025, with the following review 1
and, if needed, revision on or before June 30, 2035, and then every 2
10 years thereafter, for Clallam, Clark, Island, Jefferson, Lewis, 3
Mason, San Juan, Skagit, Thurston, and Whatcom counties and the 4
cities within those counties; 5
(c) On or before June 30, 2026, and every 10 years thereafter, 6
for Benton, Chelan, Cowlitz, Douglas, Franklin, Kittitas, Skamania, 7
Spokane, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties and the cities within those 8
counties; and 9
(d) On or before June 30, 2027, and every 10 years thereafter, 10
for Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, 11
Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Stevens, 12
Wahkiakum, and Whitman counties and the cities within those counties.13
(6)(a) Nothing in this section precludes a county or city from 14
conducting the review and evaluation required by this section before 15
the deadlines established in subsections (4) and (5) of this section. 16
Counties and cities may begin this process early and may be eligible 17
for grants from the department, subject to available funding, if they 18
elect to do so. 19
(b) A county that is subject to a deadline established in 20
subsection (5)(b) through (d) of this section and meets the following 21
criteria may comply with the requirements of this section at any time 22
within the 24 months following the deadline established in subsection 23
(5) of this section: The county has a population of less than 50,000 24
and has had its population increase by no more than 17 percent in the 25
10 years preceding the deadline established in subsection (5) of this 26
section as of that date. 27
(c) A city that is subject to a deadline established in 28
subsection (5)(b) through (d) of this section and meets the following 29
criteria may comply with the requirements of this section at any time 30
within the 24 months following the deadline established in subsection 31
(5) of this section: The city has a population of no more than 5,000 32
and has had its population increase by the greater of either no more 33
than 100 persons or no more than 17 percent in the 10 years preceding 34
the deadline established in subsection (5) of this section as of that 35
date. 36
(d) State agencies are encouraged to provide technical assistance 37
to the counties and cities in the review of critical area ordinances, 38
comprehensive plans, and development regulations. 39
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(7)(a) The requirements imposed on counties and cities under this 1
section shall be considered "requirements of this chapter" under the 2
terms of RCW 36.70A.040(1). Only those counties and cities that meet 3
the following criteria may receive grants, loans, pledges, or 4
financial guarantees under chapter 43.155 or 70A.135 RCW:5
(i) Complying with the deadlines in this section; or6
(ii) Demonstrating substantial progress towards compliance with 7
the schedules in this section for development regulations that 8
protect critical areas. 9
(b) A county or city that is fewer than 12 months out of 10
compliance with the schedules in this section for development 11
regulations that protect critical areas is making substantial 12
progress towards compliance. Only those counties and cities in 13
compliance with the schedules in this section may receive preference 14
for grants or loans subject to the provisions of RCW 43.17.250.15
(8)(a) Except as otherwise provided in (c) of this subsection, if 16
a participating watershed is achieving benchmarks and goals for the 17
protection of critical areas functions and values, the county is not 18
required to update development regulations to protect critical areas 19
as they specifically apply to agricultural activities in that 20
watershed. 21
(b) A county that has made the election under RCW 36.70A.710(1) 22
may only adopt or amend development regulations to protect critical 23
areas as they specifically apply to agricultural activities in a 24
participating watershed if: 25
(i) A work plan has been approved for that watershed in 26
accordance with RCW 36.70A.725; 27
(ii) The local watershed group for that watershed has requested 28
the county to adopt or amend development regulations as part of a 29
work plan developed under RCW 36.70A.720; 30
(iii) The adoption or amendment of the development regulations is 31
necessary to enable the county to respond to an order of the growth 32
management hearings board or court; 33
(iv) The adoption or amendment of development regulations is 34
necessary to address a threat to human health or safety; or35
(v) Three or more years have elapsed since the receipt of 36
funding. 37
(c) Beginning 10 years from the date of receipt of funding, a 38
county that has made the election under RCW 36.70A.710(1) must review 39
and, if necessary, revise development regulations to protect critical 40
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areas as they specifically apply to agricultural activities in a 1
participating watershed in accordance with the review and revision 2
requirements and timeline in subsection (5) of this section. This 3
subsection (8)(c) does not apply to a participating watershed that 4
has determined under RCW 36.70A.720(2)(c)(ii) that the watershed's 5
goals and benchmarks for protection have been met. 6
(9)(a) Counties subject to planning deadlines established in 7
subsection (5) of this section that are required or that choose to 8
plan under RCW 36.70A.040 and that meet either criteria of (a)(i) or 9
(ii) of this subsection, and cities with a population of more than 10
6,000 as of April 1, 2021, within those counties, must provide to the 11
department an implementation progress report detailing the progress 12
they have achieved in implementing their comprehensive plan five 13
years after the review and revision of their comprehensive plan. Once 14
a county meets the criteria in (a)(i) or (ii) of this subsection, the 15
implementation progress report requirements remain in effect 16
thereafter for that county and the cities therein with populations 17
greater than 6,000 as of April 1, 2021, even if the county later no 18
longer meets either or both criteria. A county is subject to the 19
implementation progress report requirement if it meets either of the 20
following criteria on or after April 1, 2021: 21
(i) The county has a population density of at least 100 people 22
per square mile and a population of at least 200,000; or23
(ii) The county has a population density of at least 75 people 24
per square mile and an annual growth rate of at least 1.75 percent as 25
determined by the office of financial management. 26
(b) The department shall adopt guidelines for indicators, 27
measures, milestones, and criteria for use by counties and cities in 28
the implementation progress report that must cover:29
(i) The implementation of previously adopted changes to the 30
housing element and any effect those changes have had on housing 31
affordability and availability within the jurisdiction;32
(ii) Permit processing timelines; and 33
(iii) Progress toward implementing any actions required to 34
achieve reductions to meet greenhouse gas and vehicle miles traveled 35
requirements as provided for in any element of the comprehensive plan 36
under RCW 36.70A.070. 37
(c) If a city or county required to provide an implementation 38
progress report under this subsection (9) has not implemented any 39
specifically identified regulations, zoning and land use changes, or 40
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taken other legislative or administrative action necessary to 1
implement any changes in the most recent periodic update in their 2
comprehensive plan by the due date for the implementation progress 3
report, the city or county must identify the need for such action in 4
the implementation progress report. Cities and counties must adopt a 5
work plan to implement any necessary regulations, zoning and land use 6
changes, or take other legislative or administrative action 7
identified in the implementation progress report and complete all 8
work necessary for implementation within two years of submission of 9
the implementation progress report. 10
(10) Any county or city that is required by RCW 36.70A.095 to 11
include in its comprehensive plan a climate change and resiliency 12
element and that is also required by subsection (5)(a) of this 13
section to review and, if necessary, revise its comprehensive plan on 14
or before December 31, 2024, must update its transportation element 15
and incorporate a climate change and resiliency element into its 16
comprehensive plan as part of the first implementation progress 17
report required by subsection (9) of this section if funds are 18
appropriated and distributed by December 31, 2027, as required under 19
RCW 36.70A.070(10). 20
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