In September, Commerce published Draft Racially Disparate Impacts (RDI) Guidance?(pdf) providing recommendations for how local governments can address new requirements for assessing racially disparate impacts, exclusion, displacement and displacement risk in housing planning. This includes guidance for drafting policies that begin to undo these impacts. After receiving comments during a 30-day comment period, Commerce is finalizing this guidance for local governments to implement in their upcoming periodic updates.

Final RDI Guidance live webinar:? Dec. 6, 3 ? 4:30 p.m.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

If you have any questions please contact Laura Hodgson.

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In 2004, several Washington state agencies including the departments of Commerce, Ecology, Fish & Wildlife, Health, Natural Resources, and Transportation; the Puget Sound Partnership and the Washington Conservation Commission agreed upon a set of principles for correspondence. These principles guide our communications on local comprehensive plans and development regulations.

In 2022, we reviewed and updated these principles, ensuring that our written comments with local governments provide a framework for state technical assistance and that discussions focus on substantive issues.

Principles regarding state agency interaction for the Growth Management Act and Shorelines Management Act:

• Early notification and involvement.
• Local and state agencies will both work for early engagement and responsiveness.
• Effective participation requires on-going involvement throughout the planning process.
• State agencies will share draft comments informally with local governments.
• State agencies are encouraged to provide assistance during the Shoreline Master Program.
• State agencies will ensure written correspondence on GMA issues reflects the official agency policy.
• State agencies will make every attempt to resolve conflicts prior to finalizing comments to local governments.
• State agencies acknowledge commenting on local government plans under the GMA is a technical assistance role and not a regulatory role.
• State agencies may provide guidance that urges local governments to exercise their discretion in ways that go beyond the minimum requirements of the law.
• State agencies will clearly distinguish in their correspondence between legal requirements, guidance reflecting best practice, matters of fact, matters of science cited, and matters of professional opinion.
• State agency and local government written correspondence, including comment letters and e-mails are, with some exceptions, public records.
• State agencies and local governments will review these principles as needed to ensure that they are meeting their intended purpose.

Learn more

Dave Andersen?, managing director of our own Growth Management Unit (pictured, l-r, with Local Government Division Assistant Director Mark Barkley), recently received an award of excellence from Gov. Jay Inslee. One of several employees honored for outstanding leadership, Dave was recognized for all of his hard work in bringing more funding to local governments in the last legislative session. It took a critical mass of community stakeholders including builders, realtors, environmental groups and housing advocates to accomplish, and Dave was instrumental in making it happen. Dave continues to lead the Growth Management Services unit as we approach the next cycle of periodic update grants.

We are excited to announce that Commerce senor planner Mary Reinbold, AICP, was unanimously elected to serve as president of the Planning Association of Washington (PAW) Board of Directors. Reinbold gives Commerce an important direct connection to planners across the state, and a continued connection to one of our state?s leading planning organizations. She has been a member of PAW for six years, donating her time and talent to the organization. Reinbold first discovered PAW as a student at Eastern Washington University while attending an event on sign code where PAW board members were on hand to greet and welcome planners. Since then, she has been an avid and tireless supporter for the organization. ?I am excited to continue the tradition of offering quality educational opportunities in a setting focused on welcoming and equity,? Reinbold said.

Please join staff from the Washington Department of Ecology to learn more about the National Flood Insurance program requirements for substantial improvement and substantial damage in one of two upcoming training webinars.

• Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, 12:30 - 4 p.m.
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• Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, 8:30 a.m. - noon
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Why attend?

It is important for floodplain managers to have the knowledge and resources needed to process numerous substantial damage determinations during the rebuilding process.?After major disasters, numerous buildings in a community may be "substantially damaged." A determination of substantial damage applies to a severely damaged home or other structure in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), regardless of the cause of damage.

Before improvements can be made to buildings in the SFHA, the local floodplain manager must determine if the building will be "substantially improved." This is a formal determination of whether the costs of repairs and improvements will equal or exceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the improvement. If the proposed repairs/improvements are determined to be a substantial improvement, the building must meet the same requirements in the community?s floodplain ordinance that apply for new construction.

The core purpose of the substantial improvement/substantial damage rule is to bring nonconforming buildings up to current floodplain safety standards. It is important for floodplain managers to understand the accepted methodologies to do this, such as flood proofing a non-residential structure, relocating the structure outside the floodplain, elevating the structure, etc.?

This course will discuss techniques for determining substantial improvement and substantial damage, regulatory requirements, managing substantial damage determinations in the post-disaster environment, and more.

IN-PERSON: "Customer Service at the Permit Counter"

Friday, Nov. 18
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: Burien City Hall

Learn about all aspects of customer service at both the in person and virtual permitting counter. Presenters will help you set the stage to welcome developers of all types. Attendees will work through frequent problem-solving scenarios and even learning about code writing from a customer service perspective.

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WEBINAR: "Caring for your Planning Commission"

Friday, Dec. 9, 2022
Noon? ? 1:00 p.m.
Location: Online

Learn the ins and outs of providing support to your Planning Commission. The tools at this webinar will help you build and maintain a strong and successful team of planning commission, planning staff, and council.

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Questions either session? Please reach out to [email protected].