Introduced by Rep. Brian Blake (Aberdeen) (D) on February 13, 2007
To initiate actions to identify, consider, reduce, and resolve issues causing conflicts between Growth Management Act regulations and agricultural activities. Among other provisions, the bill would create a Joint Legislative Task Force on Development Regulations and Agricultural Lands to help identify and resolve these conflicts. The task force would be made up of one member from each of the four legislative caucuses and a non-voting liaison from the Office of Financial Management and the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development. The task force must submit a progress report to the Governor and the Legislature by January 1, 2008, and a final report by October 1, 2008. Official Text and Analysis.
Referred to the House Local Government & Housing Committee on February 13, 2007
Substitute offered to the House Local Government & Housing Committee on February 27, 2007
To remove all provisions of the underlying bill and replace them with a legislative intent section.
The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on March 13, 2007
Referred to the House Rules Committee on February 28, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Geoff Simpson, (D-Covington) (D) on March 13, 2007
To specify that until July 1, 2009, counties and
cities must defer amending or adopting critical area ordinances
and implementing regulations as they specifically apply to
agricultural activities.
Specifies that counties and cities that defer amending or
adopting critical area ordinances and implementing regulations
as provided must review and revise these critical area
ordinances and implementing regulations as they specifically
apply to agriculture activities to comply with the requirements
of the Growth Management Act (GMA) by July 1, 2010.
Specifies that, except as provided otherwise, nothing in
the act limits or otherwise modifies the authority of a county
or city to: comply with an order from a growth management
hearings board or a court; implement a settlement in compliance
with the requirements of the GMA; or attempt to settle issues
raised in litigation challenging critical area ordinances and
implementing regulations as they specifically apply to
agricultural activities.
Specifies that, subject to the availability of amounts for
this purpose, the William D. Ruckelshaus Center (Center) must
conduct an two-phased examination of the conflicts between
agricultural activities and critical area ordinances and
implementing regulations adopted under the GMA to protect
critical areas.
Establishes examination requirements that must be met by
the Center.
Requires the Center to issue reports meeting specified
criteria to the Governor and the Legislature on December 1,
2007, and September 1, 2008.
Specifies that the act is null and void if funding for the
examination required by the Center is not provided by June 30,
2007, in the omnibus appropriations act.
Specifies that the act applies retroactively to any
critical area ordinances and implementing regulations as they
specifically apply to agricultural activities that were amended
or adopted by a county or city on or after January 1, 2007.
Includes an emergency clause.
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on March 13, 2007
Referred to the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee on March 15, 2007
Amendment offered to the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee on March 26, 2007
To change the period during which
counties and cities must defer amending or adopting CAOs to start on May 1,
2007. The amendment eliminates the provision of the bill stating that nothing in the act limits
or otherwise modifies the authority of a county or city to comply with an order from a court or
hearings board, implement a settlement, or attempt to settle issues raised in litigation.
Language is added to the Ruckelshaus Center examination process requiring stakeholders to
examine ways to modify existing law to ensure that regulatory constraints on agricultural
activities are used as a last resort if desired outcomes are not achieved through voluntary
programs or approaches.
Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on March 27, 2007