Gop Hopes To Revive Bill Making Minor Changes In Gma

Despairing of their chances to make major changes in the state Growth Management Act this year, Republican legislative leaders now hope to revive a bill calling for minor alterations.

The proposal, HB 1869 in the House and SB 5758 in the Senate, was defeated earlier in both houses by Republicans who wanted greater changes to the law.

Passed in 1990, the GMA calls for local governments to plan for growth by deciding where development will be allowed and where it won’t. Spokane County is just now implementing the law, which calls for far stricter land-use regulations than the county had before.

The legislation would implement changes recommended by the Land Use Study Commission, including a clearer definition of rural lands. Republicans had pushed several bills weakening or even abolishing GMA.

Senate Majority Leader Dan McDonald, R-Yarrow Point, said he has discussed reviving the Study Commission bill with Gov. Gary Locke and Speaker of the House Clyde Ballard, R-Wenatchee.

Marty Brown, Locke’s legislative liaison, says there is probably no other alternative. The deadline for all bills to be out of their committees is Friday, and Locke has said he will only sign legislation that is consistent with the Study Commission recommendations.

Brown said it may not be possible to simply suspend the rules to revive a defeated bill. Lawmakers could also amend another GMA bill to resemble the original Study Commission legislation that Locke originally introduced as an executive request.

The most likely candidate would be HB 2244, which is sponsored by House Government Reform and Land Use Committee chairman Bill Reams. In present form, the bill arguably calls for the most radical changes of any of the GMA bills still alive, such as removing the power of regional hearings boards to declare local land-use plans invalid.

“Those who wanted more changes pushed for more than they could get,” said Steve Wells, assistant director of the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

McDonald, who also sought greater changes to the GMA, said it is important some movement is made on the issue this year.

“We all want to see some progress on this issue as long as it’s a step forward and not a step backward,” he said.

But some Republicans say implementing minor changes now could risk making greater changes in the future.

“I feel we should push the envelope a little bit,” said Reams, a Bellevue Republican. “You are always in danger of people taking a big sigh of relief and say the job is done.”

Reams said he wouldn’t support the bill a second time around, even though greater changes aren’t likely to gain Locke’s approval.

Sen. Bob McCaslin agreed. The Spokane Valley Republican opposes the GMA outright.

“The world has survived since 1990,” McCaslin said. “I’m sure we can go another 12 months.”

, DataTimes