Modifies current law to require that all cities with a population of at least 10,000, in counties subject to the Growth Management Act, to adopt by March 31, 2013, an ordinance requiring all project permits, administrative appeals of project permit decisions, and environmental appeals that require an open record hearing to be decided by a hearing examiner. Such cities may require the applicant to reimburse the city for the cost of the hearing examiner and a decision may be delayed by the hearing examiner until such costs are pad. This act authorizes counties to apply a heightened standard of review on any appeals of a permit decision.   Official Text and Analysis.

Changes the date by which a qualifying city must adopt an ordinance for the use of a hearing examiner system from March 31, 2013, to April 30, 2013; removes a provision that caps hearing examiner fees, costs, or reimbursements required of appellants who are not applicants at $1,500; removes a provision that allows the $1,500 cap to be annually increased; removes a provision specifying that hearing examiner contracts must have terms of at least two years and may be subject to cancellation only for cause; specifies that the provisions authorizing a hearing examiner to delay issuance of decision beyond the required 10-day period apply to cities subject to the hearing examiner requirements proposed in the underlying bill; specifies that failure by an appellant to pay authorized hearing examiner fees, costs, or reimbursements proposed in the underlying bill must result in a default judgment against the appeal; and makes technical changes.