The proposed bill seeks to modernize Washington State's land use and growth management framework to address the housing affordability crisis, particularly impacting rural and marginalized communities. It introduces new goals for comprehensive planning, including ensuring housing availability for all income segments, protecting property rights, and promoting environmental justice. The bill mandates that comprehensive plans include detailed housing elements that address existing and projected housing needs, mitigate displacement, and promote equitable development initiatives. Additionally, it repeals outdated provisions to streamline the planning process and enhance housing policy effectiveness, aiming for a more predictable and efficient framework for housing development.

To further support rural development while preserving community character, the bill allows innovative techniques such as clustering and density transfer, while establishing measures to control rural development and prevent low-density sprawl. It introduces a comprehensive transportation element that aligns with land use planning, requiring local jurisdictions to adopt ordinances that prevent development approval if it would degrade transportation service levels. The bill also emphasizes the importance of a resiliency subelement in comprehensive plans to enhance community resilience to climate change impacts, and it modifies definitions related to project permits, establishing clear timelines for local government actions. Notably, it mandates that all proposed residential developments meeting zoning criteria be approved as by-right developments, streamlining the permitting process and reducing bureaucratic hurdles.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 36.70A.020, 36.70A.070, 36.70A.130, 36.70B.020, 36.70B.030, 36.70A.040, 36.70B.110, 36.70B.140