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 also 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 electric utility facilities, 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 governments to issue final decisions on project permits, differentiating between those requiring public notice and those that do not. For permits needing public notice and a hearing, a final decision must be made within 170 days of determining completeness. It allows jurisdictions to modify permit types and review periods, particularly for residential versus non-residential permits, and outlines conditions for extending review periods. Local governments with populations over 20,000 are required to track and report on project permit applications, including average processing times, and must prepare an annual performance report for the Department of Commerce. The bill also includes provisions to prevent local governments from denying residential housing permits if the decision timeline lapses without a required decision, ensuring timely implementation of these changes.

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