(1) Within seven days after receipt of service of the petition filed pursuant to RCW 43.21L.050, the project applicant shall file with the board and serve on all parties an affidavit certifying all applications for permits that the project applicant has filed with participating permit agencies for the qualifying project, provided, however, that no permit may be included that has been issued and appealed to an administrative hearings board or to court prior to the date of service of the petition filed with the board under this chapter. The board shall request verification from the participating agencies of the permit applications certified in the project applicant's affidavit and of the expected date for final decision on the permit applications. Filing of the affidavit shall toll the schedule for hearing by the board until twenty-one days after issuance of the final permit decision on the last permit required for the qualifying project that has been certified in the project applicant's affidavit and verified by a participating agency as applied for, unless the petition filed and served by the petitioner relates to the final permit decision.

     (2) Within seven days after the expiration of the appeal period for the final permit decision on the last permit required for the qualifying project, the petitioner shall note an initial hearing on jurisdictional and other preliminary matters, and, if applicable, on other pretrial matters. This initial hearing shall be set no sooner than thirty-five days and not later than fifty days after the expiration of the appeal period for the final permit decision on the last permit required for the qualifying project.

     (3) If petitions for review of more than one permit issued by participating permit agencies for a qualifying project are filed with the board, the board shall contemporaneously process all such petitions in accordance with the case schedule requirements set forth in chapter 393, Laws of 2003.

     (4) The parties shall note all motions on jurisdictional and procedural issues for resolution at the initial hearing, except that a motion to allow discovery may be brought sooner.

     (5) The defenses of lack of standing, untimely filing or service of the petition, lack of good faith or improper purpose in filing, and failure to join persons needed for just adjudication are waived if not raised by timely motion noted to be heard at the initial hearing, unless the board allows discovery on such issues.

     (6) The petitioner shall move the board for an order at the initial hearing that sets the date on which the permit decision record or records of the applicable permit agency or agencies, if any, must be submitted, sets a briefing schedule, sets a discovery schedule if discovery is to be allowed, and schedules a hearing or hearings on the merits.

     (7) The parties may waive the initial hearing by scheduling with the board a date for the hearing or hearings on the merits and filing a stipulated order that resolves the jurisdictional and procedural issues raised by the petition, including the issues identified in subsections (5) and (6) of this section.

     (8) A party need not file an answer to a petition for review filed pursuant to RCW 43.21L.050.

[2003 c 393 § 9.]