WA HB1164

Cities and counties planning under the Growth Management Act must expand urban growth area boundaries to include parcels that share a common boundary with, or are across the road from, residential parcels with access to urban services, beginning with their next comprehensive plan update

Expansion is prohibited for critical areas and buffers, sole source aquifers on Puget Sound islands, impaired watersheds serving potable water reservoirs, designated urban separators, split residential lots, and lands designated for agricultural, forest, or mineral resource use

Parcels added to urban growth areas must be authorized for residential development at the same density as adjacent qualifying parcels and allowed to connect to available urban services

Urban governmental services may be extended to rural areas when necessary for residential development of parcels meeting the expansion criteria, creating an exception to the general prohibition on extending urban services to rural areas

Amends RCW 36.70A.110 and 36.70A.130 to incorporate the new mandatory expansion requirements into existing urban growth area designation and comprehensive plan review processes