The bill seeks to enhance the land use permitting processes for local governments in Washington State by amending various sections of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW). It allows cities, towns, or counties to adopt ordinances for land divisions using binding site plans, specifically for the sale or lease of commercially or industrially zoned properties, which now includes areas permitting multifamily residential uses. The bill mandates that binding site plans be filed with the county auditor and establishes that any sale or lease not conforming to these plans will be deemed a violation of existing law. Additionally, it exempts certain land divisions, such as those for cemeteries and personal wireless services, from standard regulations, while emphasizing the need for local governments to set processing timeframes for project permit applications.

Moreover, the bill introduces specific deadlines for local government decisions on project permit applications, differentiating between those requiring public notice and those that do not. It stipulates that permits without public notice must be decided within 65 days, while those requiring public notice and a hearing must be decided within 170 days. Local governments are permitted to adjust these timeframes based on permit types and must refund a portion of the permit fee if deadlines are not met. The legislation also requires annual performance reports on permit processing times to be submitted to the Department of Commerce, ensuring accountability and transparency in the implementation of these changes.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 58.17.035, 58.17.040, 64.90.025, 36.70B.080
Substitute Bill: 58.17.035, 58.17.040, 64.90.025, 36.70B.080
Engrossed Substitute: 58.17.035, 58.17.040, 64.90.025, 36.70B.080