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t+rt�:�r�tl <br />Background <br />The Growth Management Art governs <br />development and land use for local governments <br />Washingtons Growth Management Act (GMA) is a series of statutes dating back to <br />1990. This body of law balances the states environmental goals with development <br />and industrial needs in individual communities. For example, it directs local <br />governments to incorporate protections for wetlands and public water supplies into <br />their land use regulations, which could touch on issues such as drainage, flooding <br />and stormwater runoff. Governments must keep such goals in mind as they plan for <br />expected future growth, including adequate housing, capital facilities and utilities. <br />The GMAs key requirement is that fast-growing counties and the cities within them <br />must develop comprehensive plans and regulations to guide growth and limit urban <br />sprawl. These comprehensive plans must address timely and fair permit processing, <br />to ensure developers and builders can reliably predict how much time they should <br />allot for obtaining permits when embarking on a construction project. <br />Currently, 18 counties must follow the GMXs requirements. In addition, 10 <br />counties have opted to meet GMA standards even though they are not required to <br />do so. These 28 counties comprised roughly 95 percent of the states population in <br />2020. The map in Exhibit I (on the following page) illustrates the 28 counties. <br />Growth Management Act Background 6 <br />