Community

Chair: Bob Wardell AIA bobw@wardellarchitects.com

The Council is committed to the maintenance and enhancement of Washington State’s communities. This commitment includes the support of environmentally sound and socially responsible development and re-development of rural, suburban, and urban places in ways that make clear, positive contributions to the health, safety, welfare, and quality of life for citizens.

Design of State Funded Transportation Systems

The Council recommends that as transportation expenditures are considered, the Legislature enact mechanisms to require that all transportation projects incorporate designs that reinforce the aesthetic character and quality of local communities, specifically projects utilizing state funds such as bridges, railings, sound barriers, retaining walls, buildings, and similar elements of transportation systems and facilities include quality of design as part of the evaluation system for contracts to be awarded by state and local jurisdictions, to ensure a positive impact on our local communities.

Historic Preservation

The Council supports historic preservation and landmark designation, preservation of historic districts, incentives, codes and zoning regulations, architectural records, and education with the purpose of supporting preservation.

Housing

The Council supports a state commitment to policies that provide a steady and economically diverse flow of housing opportunities.

Transportation

The Council supports the funding of our transportation systems at responsible levels to provide for proper maintenance of our existing networks and to provide for new construction of networks that are not meeting current or projected demand.

Legislative Accomplishments

Historic Preservation

Passed a law to create the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (SB 5056)
Passed a law with new tax incentives to promote historic preservation (SB 5154)
Passed a law to designate the Washington Capitol Campus as “historic” (HB 1995)
Passed $5 million in the capital budget for historic county courthouse preservation and restoration (SB 6094)

Multi-Family Housing

Passed a bill through the House to expand tax incentives for multi-family housing to smaller cities with 5,000 population, down from 30,000 (HB 1742)
Monitored a new law to require the disclosure of information about mold in residential dwelling units (SB 5049)

2006

Affordable Housing

Passed a law to increase funding for affordable housing development (E2SHB 2418)
Passed a law to increase local government’s authority to use incentives and mandates that promote development of affordable housing (ESHB 2984)
Passed a bill through the House to expand tax incentives for multi-family housing to smaller cities with 5,000 residents, down from 30,000 (HB 1742)

Growth Management Act Reforms

Passed a bill out of committee to establish a task force to study GMA and recommend changes (SHB 2584)
Stopped a bill to eliminate the GMA Hearings Boards (HB 2708)

Infrastructure Development

Monitored a new law to allow establish a pilot project using tax increment financing for local infrastructure projects (E2SHB 2673)