HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 2823 CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON
RESOLUTION NO. 2823
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, OPPOSING
INITIATIVE 547 .
WHEREAS, the City of Renton, Washington, wants to promote
orderly and environmentally sensitive growth; and
WHEREAS, the 1990 legislature enacted the state' s first
comprehensive Growth Management Act (ESHB 2929 ) to guide and
integrate local land use, transportation, capital facilities,
economic development, and planning and growth; and
WHEREAS, ESHB 2929 recognizes the diversity of growth
management challenges facing Washington' s large, urban, small and
rural cities and counties, and establishes distinct planning
requirements for all cities and counties that vary depending upon
population and growth rates; and
WHEREAS, ESHB 2929 maintains local control and encourages
local jurisdictions to coordinate their planning efforts; and
WHEREAS, this legislation constitutes a major step in an
evolving state growth management strategy, and the governor' s
Growth Strategies Commission has recently published recommendations
to further strengthen the legislation and more effectively manage
growth; and
WHEREAS, the governor and the leadership of both houses of the
legislature have pledged to enact the Growth Strategies
Commission' s recommendations;
WHEREAS, Initiative 547 would repeal ESHB 2929; and
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RESOLUTION NO. 2823
WHEREAS, Initiative 547 would have two growth panels; one for
Eastern Washington and one for Western Washington, and these growth
panels would have to approve local comprehensive plans before they
would be valid, thereby taking away local control of the
comprehensive planning process; and
WHEREAS, Initiative 547 would ostensibly require the city,
within thirty ( 30 ) days of its enactment, to modify its
comprehensive plan to make it consistent with the general goals and
specific subgoals of Initiative 547 , which time frame is impossible
for the city to meet; and
WHEREAS, Initiative 547 would substantially modify and expand
the accepted definition of wetlands and require preservation of
those wetlands at a time when local governments have spent
considerable time and money adopting new rules and regulations
controlling the destruction and development of wetlands; and
WHEREAS, Initiative 547 will encourage environmental
litigation and shift a substantial portion of the burden for
financing that litigation onto local governments; and
WHEREAS, Initiative 547 contains no substitutes for the
provisions of ESHB 2929 authorizing regional transportation
planning organizations; and
WHEREAS, Initiative 547 would repeal the real estate excise
taxing authority which underlies the Open Space Bond Proposition
(Proposition 21 ) , thus negating possible approval of that measure;
and
WHEREAS, Initiative 547 would substantially define the land
use and growth policy goals for all of the state' s jurisdiction,
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RESOLUTION NO. 2823
thereby removing the city' s ability to select its own comprehensive
planning goals; and
WHEREAS, Initiative 547 would force the city to make planning
and budget decisions based on policy goals which are self-
contradictory.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RENTON,
WASHINGTON, DO RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS :
SECTION I . The above recitals are found to be true and
correct in all respects .
SECTION II . The City Council of the City of Renton,
Washington, supports retention of ESHB 2929 and enactment of the
recommendations of the governor' s Growth Strategies Commission.
SECTION III. The City of Renton strongly endorses the thrust
of the Growth Management Act of 1990 as an essential and
responsible series of planning and interlocal coordination measures
that as implemented, will help direct community, regional, and
statewide efforts to enhance Washington' s quality of life,
environmental protection, and economic vitality.
SECTION IV. The City of Renton opposes Initiative 547
because it will further delay implementation of growth management
policies and regulations in King County and the City of Renton by
altering timelines and local activities now underway to implement
ESHB 2929 and threatens to invalidate other environmental
protection, transportation, and growth management tools granted to
cities during the 1990 legislative session.
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RESOLUTION NO. 2823
SECTION V. The City Council of the City of Renton,
Washington, opposes Initiative 547 and urges the voters to vote
against Initiative 547 .
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 22nd day of October , 1990 .
Marilyn . 'Petersen, City Clerk
APPROVED BY THE MAYOR this 22nd day of October , 1990 .
L � �1 1,1 k 6 k
Earl Clymer, ay
Approved s to form:
Lawrence J. War n, City Attorney
RES . 113 : 10/22/90 :as .
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