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SUBJECTS › PLANNING › GMA Plan/Development Regulations Updates
Updated 12/06

GMA Plan/Development Regulations Updates

Contents

Introduction

The Growth Management Act requires that each city and county in Washington take action to periodically review and, if needed, revise its comprehensive plan and development regulations to ensure that they comply with the GMA - see RCW 36.70A.130.  In addition to comprehensive plan amendments that are adopted annually by many jurisdictions, communities must conduct a regular review of the comprehensive plan and development regulations every seven years.   All counties and cities, including those not fully planning under the GMA, are required to review and, if necessary, amend their policies and development regulations regarding critical areas and natural resource lands. Critical areas ordinances must incorporate requirements for use of best available science and give special consideration to anadromous fisheries - see information on Critical Areas and Best Available Science.

In 2002, the Legislature established a staggered schedule for the updates of city and county comprehensive plans and development regulations.  During the 2005 Regular Session, the legislature passed ESHB 2171, allowing cities and counties an additional year to update plans and development regulations, provided that the cities and counties are demonstrating substantial progress towards compliance with the schedules.   

In 2006, the legislature adopted Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6427, Chapter 285, Laws of 2006, regarding Growth Management Act times. This statute provides a time extension to small and slow-growing jurisdictions for updates to their comprehensive plans, development regulations and critical areas ordinances. It contains qualifying criteria and clarification that jurisdictions making progress on their updates will be eligible for state grants, loans, pledges and financial guarantees. This statute also clarifies that amendments to comprehensive plans necessary to enact planned actions may occur more frequently than annually, subject to certain requirements.

For the update schedule for all counties, see statutory deadlines for GMA-related actions.  The Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development has prepared information on plan updates, including resource documents for updates.

GMA Update Background Information

  • Summary of SSB 5841 - Extending GMA Plan/Development Regulation Update Deadlines, 2002
  • ESHB 2171 - providing for a one year deadline extension, 2005
  • ESSB 6427 - GMA timelines, 2006
  • Technical Bulletin 1.2 Adobe Acrobat Document GMA Updates: Level of Review and Revision for Counties and Cities "Fully Planning" under the Growth Management Act, Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development
  • Technical Bulletin 1.3 Adobe Acrobat Document GMA Updates: Population Data, Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development  
  • Technical Bulletin 1.4 GMA Updates: Optional Processes for Review and Revision of Comprehensive Plans and Development Regulations under the Growth Management Act, Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development  
  • GMA Update: Issues To Consider When Reviewing Comprehensive Plans and Development Regulations, Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development
  • GMA Update Resource Documents, Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development
  • Frequently Asked Questions Regarding GMA Updates, Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development
  • Good Example Documents for Plan Updates, Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development

Local Plan and Critical Area Update Programs

Cities

Counties

Ordinances Adopting Comprehensive Plan Updates

Comprehensive Plan Update Work Program & Process Examples

Specific Update Topics Related to Recent Legislation or Current Issues

  • Critical Areas - MRSC webpage that includes critical area ordinance update programs
  • Best Available Science - MRSC webpage - all counties and cities must include the best available science in developing critical areas policies and development regulations
  • Endangered Species - Salmon and Bull Trout - MRSC webpage
  • SEPA - MRSC webpage
  • Promotion of Physical Activity and Pedestrian & Bicycle Sub-Element - additions to land use and transportation elements, as required by ESSB 5186 
  • Siting of Secure Community Transition Facilities - RCW 36.70A.200 - MRSC webpage.  All counties and cities were required to amend policies and development regulations to establish a process by September 1, 2002
  • Manufactured Housing Location and Design - MRSC webpage - Consistent with legislation effective July 1, 2005, cities and counties must regulate manufactured homes built to federal manufactured housing construction standards no differently than they regulate other types of homes
  • New Mandatory Parks Element - A mandatory requirement for a park and recreation element was added to the required GMA comprehensive plan elements during the 2002 legislative session. The requirement may be found at RCW 36.70A.070(8) & (9).  Although new or amended elements are to be adopted concurrent with the scheduled update provided in RCW 36.70A.130, that requirement is postponed until adequate state funding is available. See the MRSC Parks and Recreation web page.
  • New Mandatory Economic Development Element - A mandatory requirement for an economic development element was added to the required GMA comprehensive plan elements during the 2002 legislative session. The requirement may be found at RCW 36.70A.070(7) & (9). Although new or amended elements are to be adopted concurrent with the scheduled update provided in RCW 36.70A.130, that requirement is postponed until adequate state funding is available. See the MRSC Planning for Economic Development web page.

Links to Other Related Web Sites