DDES Legislative News
The following information summarizes ordinances and motions that affect Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES) operations and that have been distributed for public review and comment or that are pending action by the Metropolitan King County Council.
The DDES Regulatory Tracking Matrix (PDF*), which lists pending ordinances and motions affecting DDES in a grid format, also is available.
For additional information, please contact the DDES Director's Office at 206-296-6704 unless otherwise noted.
Legislation for Public Review and Comment
The following proposed legislation has been distributed by DDES for public review and comment. Information concerning comments can be found with the materials accompanying the proposal.
SEPA and climate change regulations
The 2008 Executive Proposed Comprehensive Plan includes new text and policies addressing climate change. In the Environment Chapter (PDF, 281KB), Policy E-207 would allow King County to exercise substantive authority under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) to condition or deny proposals that would have a significant, adverse impact on the environment due to their greenhouse gas emissions.
The department, in consultation with a workgroup with representation from business, local governments, the state, and the public, is developing an ordinance to implement this proposed policy. The proposed ordinance will be transmitted to the King County Council by May 31, 2008. The King County Council will then consider the ordinance as it reviews the Executive Proposed King County Comprehensive Plan.
The proposed ordinance includes the following provisions. The entire ordinance also is available in PDF (53KB) or MS Word (69KB) format.
Sec. 1 makes a number of findings to explain the purpose for the ordinance and the rationale for the substantive provisions in the following sections.
Sec. 2 states that a proposal that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by at least fifteen percent below a "business as usual" development is deemed to not to have a significant adverse impact on the environment with respect to greenhouse gas emissions. The estimates of greenhouse gas emissions must be made using King County approved methods. The location of the proposed action will be considered as a mitigation or contributing factor after average emissions are estimated.
Sec. 3 sets forth a number of types of strategies that the proponent of an action may consider as methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These may include complying with specified building standards, using different construction materials, relying on renewable energy sources, building in urban areas at high densities, and protecting open space, agricultural, and forest land. Also included are the purchase of carbon offsets and transferable development rights from rural areas to urban areas.
Sec. 4 directs the department to adopt public rules to evaluate and quantify greenhouse gas emissions that result from different mitigation strategies and to develop a "green list" of measures that when implemented under specific conditions are deemed to meet the 15% reduction target.
Sec. 5 authorizes the department to provide incentives for projects that meet green building or low impact development standards.
Sec. 6 directs the department to report to the King County Council on implementation of the ordinance. The report is due by March 31, 2011.
The department is seeking public comment on the proposal before it is transmitted to the King County Council. Comments are due by Monday, May 19, 2008, 4:30 p.m. Send comments by e-mail to harry.reinert@kingcounty.gov or by mail to:
Harry Reinert
King County Department of Development and Environmental Services
900 Oakesdale Ave SW
Renton, WA 98057.
For more information on the proposed ordinance, please contact Harry Reinert at harry.reinert@kingcounty.gov or at 206-296-7132.
For more about DDES's approach to dealing with climate change through the SEPA process, see climate change and development regulations.
2008 King County Comprehensive Plan Update
The next significant revision to the King County Comprehensive Plan (KCCP), the guiding land use document for unincorporated King County, occurs in 2008.
Go to the 2008 Update to view the Executive recommended plan online and for more information about the proposed policy changes.
Legislation before the King County Council
DDES has no legislation pending before the King County Council at this time.
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To request information in alternate formats for people with disabilities, call 206-296-6600 or TTY 206-296-7217.