To allow cities and counties to create management and incentive programs for volunteers to protect the environment. The bill also allocates $1 million to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development to implement this act.   Official Text and Analysis.

To clarify that the number of pilot planning programs authorized under the bill is reduced from ten to five, and the appropriation is reduced from $1,000,000 to $500,000. The substitute clarifies that cities and counties may provide exceptions or individual waivers to critical area requirements within a subarea, and be given broad deference and discretion, if the plan as a whole includes best available science for the subarea under consideration and provides at least the equivalent protection of critical area function and value. Conservation districts are added as organizations authorized to be a lead management entity and participate in the planning partnership. In ranking the applications for funding a plan under the legislation, CTED can give preference to applications with the greatest potential to use proven monitoring and adaptive management methods to measure the effectiveness of incentives and programs adopted under the planning process. Development policies, rules, and conditions included in the plan may not prohibit uses legally existing on any parcel prior to plan adoption except for those uses restricted or limited through voluntary agreements by landowners included in the plan as permanent or long term commitments. Plans adopted under the legislation must promote voluntary, nonregulatory solutions as a planning priority, rather than the first priority, where they would be effective in substantially meeting the goals and requirements of the GMA.