Title: MRSC - Growth Management Act
Headings: Growth Management Act
Growth Management Act
Overview
GMA Goals
( RCW 36.70A.020)
Who is Required to Plan Under GMA?
Natural Resource Lands and Critical Areas
Comprehensive Plans
Mandatory Comp Plan Elements
( RCW 36.70A.070)
Optional Comp Plan Elements
Urban Growth Areas and Accommodating Future Growth
Growth Management Hearings Board
Recommended Resources

Content: The state’s Buildable Lands program has designated the counties of Clark, King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish, and Thurston, as being counties that have to collect data about their development trends and undertake “reasonable measures” to show how they will be able to accommodate the expected amount of future development. Part of a county’s long-range planning process involves identifying urban growth areas (UGAs), areas where “urban growth shall be encouraged and outside of which growth can occur only if it is not urban in nature” ( RCW 36.70A.110 ). Counties are responsible for designating, expanding, and reducing UGA boundaries, although they are required to consult with the cities in their determinations. Based on OFM population projections, UGAs and zoning densities within them should be set to permit urban growth that is projected to occur in the county or city over the next 20 years, although they can provide additional capacity to accommodate a “reasonable land market supply factor” ( RCW 36.70A.110 (2)). There are some limitations on UGAs, including limits in floodplain areas and in national historic reserves. Areas within the UGA but outside of city or town boundaries should be addressed by the adjacent city and the county through the county-wide planning policies process. Outside of the UGA, cities and town are limited in the actions they can take regarding those areas. For example, cities are highly limited in their ability to extend utilities and other governmental services outside the UGA. RCW 36.70A.110 (4) states: “In general, it is not appropriate that urban governmental services be extended to or expanded in rural areas except in those limited circumstances shown to be necessary to protect basic public health and safety and the environment and when such services are financially supportable at rural densities and do not permit urban development.”