Despite laws meant to protect open space and limit sprawl development, developers in Washington have found a legal way to get major housing projects approved in Washington.
In the first of a two-part series, Crosscut and InvestigateWest delve into how a tiny provision in the state's laws have enabled developments that undercut efforts to manage growth.
"The Growth Management Act - passed in 1990 to rein in runaway development that chokes roads, spurs water pollution and carpets the countryside in concrete - is only one of a number of environmental and land-use laws to be undercut by a feature of Washington law that gives developers unusually favorable treatment compared to most other states.
Known as "vesting" and dating back more than half a century, the legal provision means that if a developer learns a new law is coming that would restrict building, he or she can draw up preliminary plans for a subdivision, file the paperwork with the county - and avoid the new, more restrictive rules. Even if construction doesn't start for years."
FULL STORY: Odd provision in state law severely undercuts growth management
Comprehensive Update to Washington State's Growth Management Act Expected in 2021
Effective planning processes offer immense financial savings, and there's never been a more pressing need for both. The state of Washington is setting out to prove the planning dividend.
A Departing Blow to Clean Air on Pruitt's Final Day
Friday may have been disgraced EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's last day in office of the agency in charge of protecting the nation's environment, but he still managed to roll back a regulation to create lasting air pollution far greater than VW did.
Defending Washington's Growth Management Act
Washington state's 1990 Growth Management Act (GMA) is facing a renewed round of attacks from Republican legislators in the state. A post on The Urbanist says the latest bills designed to weaken the GMA go further than other recent examples.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
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Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
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