This is it...
This goal left all of the other goals in the dust as measured by the Certified Priority Criteria
Coming in at number one on our GMA priority Countdown is...
Public Facilities and Services
The Language
"Ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service levels below locally established minimum standards."
The Score
Priority Index: 231.1
The Reason
This goal clearly comes into play in all jurisdictions, and has a direct impact on every citizen.
Beyond that there was solid representation of imperative language ("ensure" and the very powerful "shall".)
But what placed this goal over the top was the language that asserted that this goal alone allows no room for any meaningful exceptions. Future facilities and services are to be made available without decreasing current service levels in absolutely all cases. This goal can't be compromised to achieve any other GMA goal, not even shoreline management. Nor can a municipality neglect this goal on the grounds of economic hardship. If a city or county can't afford to provide necessary facilities and services without decreasing existing services, then they can't afford to grow.
And it makes sense. The whole point of Growth Managment itself is to insure continuity of facilities and services during the course of growth. Without the facilities and services to support growth properly, it is difficult to imagine growth happening in any truly manageable way. And growth can't be supported at the expense of existing development.
And so the highest priority goal in the GMA, according to the Certified Priority Criteria established here on Latte Republic, is Public Facilities and Services
Here are all of the goals of the GMA listed in order of priority according to the Certified Priority Criteria...
1. Public Facilities and Services
2. Shoreline Management
3. Open Spaces and Recreation
4. Environmental Protection
5. Property Rights
6. Citizen Participation
7. Sprawl Reduction
8. Permit Processing
9. Regional Transportation
10. Affordable Housing
11. Economic Development
12. Urban Growth
13. Historic Lands and Buildings
14. Natural Resource Industries
Tomorrow, the Criteria...
[Disclaimer: This series is written for edu-tainment value, and should not be mistaken for an authoritative or official evaluation of the 14 goals of the Growth Management Act.]
Number one turns out to be a great conservative goal that would limit tax burdens for future generations. It has been my experience that Whatcom self-claimed conservatives have a hard time following or implementing this goal.
ReplyDeleteWhile supportive of this effort to priortize amongst the so called "goals" of the GMA (which the Legislature consciously chose not to prioritize) please keep in mind these variously important considerations were subordinated to the two truly mandated goals enunciated at the beginning of the Act: to protect resource lands and preserve the rural character of Washington's counties.
ReplyDeleteToo many partisans elevate their favorite "goal" (most notably property rights, but also such things as parks) above the Act's central and principal purpose.
None of these "goals" are important to pursue if, in doing so, we fail to protect our resource lands or lessen the effort to preserve rural character; where the natural dominates over the built environment.
I appreciate the excellent comments here, and I'm glad that they are taking this series of posts in the spirit in which they were intended.
ReplyDeleteThis was fun.