Locke’s signature pleases Realtors

Herald staff

The Washington Association of Realtors is hailing Gov. Gary Locke’s decision to sign a bill that modifies the Growth Management Act by telling counties they must plan for economic growth as well as land use.

"Now economic growth won’t be an afterthought," said Mike Flynn, the association’s vice president of government affairs. He said the bill was a top priority for the association during the recently concluded session.

Locke signed the bill into law last week.

The bill was sponsored by Everett Democrat Rep. Aaron Reardon, who headed his party’s efforts in the House of Representatives to pass legislation that would implement the recommendations of Locke’s Washington Competitiveness Council.

The council recommended making economic planning part of the growth management planning process. A related Washington Research Council report had complained that many communities simply fail to plan for economic growth because there was no law requiring them to do it.

The law also requires growth management plans to be updated to include forecasts for the amount of land needed for parks, and for forecasts of how much housing will be needed to handle the projected growth.

The goal is to make it easier for people to live, work and play in one community, Reardon said in a prepared statement released by the Realtors association.