WAC 365-195-400   Natural resource lands.  (1) Requirements. Prior to the development of comprehensive plans, cities and counties planning under the act ought to have designated natural resource lands of long-term commercial significance and adopted development regulations to assure their conservation. Such lands include agricultural lands, forest lands, and mineral resource lands. The previous designations and development regulations shall be reviewed in connection with the comprehensive plan adoption process and where necessary be altered to ensure consistency. Forest land and agricultural land located within urban growth areas shall not be designated as forest land or agricultural land of long-term commercial significance unless the city or county has enacted a program authorizing transfer or purchase of development rights.

     (2) Recommendations for meeting requirements. Much of the analysis which is the basis for the comprehensive plan will come later than the initial identification and regulation of natural resource lands. The result may be plan features which conflict with previous natural resource land provisions.

     (a) The department has issued guidelines for the classification of natural resource lands which are contained in chapter 365-190 WAC.

     (b) Generally natural resource lands should be located beyond the boundaries of urban growth areas. In most cases, the designated purposes of such lands are incompatible with urban densities.

     (c) The review of existing designations should, in most cases, be limited to the question of consistency with the comprehensive plan, rather than a revisiting the entire prior designation and regulation process. However, to the extent that new information is available or errors have been discovered, the review process should take this information into account.

     (d) Review for consistency in this context should include whether the planned use of lands adjacent to agricultural, forest, or mineral resource lands will interfere with the continued use in an accustomed manner and in accordance with the best management practices of the designated lands for the production of food, agricultural products, or timber or for the extraction of minerals.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 36.70A.190 (4)(b). 92-23-065, § 365-195-400, filed 11/17/92, effective 12/18/92.]