By Duncan M. Greene on Posted in Development,Growth Management Act,Land Use,MunicipalThere are two different types of rezoning decisions: area-wide rezones and site-specific rezones. Traditionally, both types of rezones were considered to be purely legislative decisions and, like all legislative decisions, were given a high degree of deference by the courts. Since the passage of the Land Use Petition Act (LUPA) in 1995, however, site-specific rezones … Continue Reading
By Katie F. Cote, AICP on Posted in Land Use,MunicipalAccording to a recent Crosscut article Seattle is “the Wild West” for outdoor signage, where bigger, brighter, bolder, and brazenly illegal signs are polluting the streetscape. The article focuses on the proliferation of wall-covering vinyl signs and how the City has allowed these signs through a loophole in the sign ordinance. The article concludes that the … Continue Reading
By Brent Carson on Posted in Development,Environmental,Land Use,Water LawThe Skagit Environmental Bank, a privately owned, 400-acre wetland mitigation bank near Mount Vernon, gained certification from the Washington Department of Ecology. The owner, Clear Valley Environmental Farm LLC, will re-establish and rehabilitate wetlands, enhance upland areas and permanently protect the property through a conservation easement. The bank will improve water quality, recharge groundwater , … Continue Reading
By Susan A. Shyne on Posted in Real EstateThe Washington State Legislature recently passed HB 1026, which changes provisions relating to adverse possession claims. Effective July 1, 2012, the prevailing party in an adverse possession claim may be required to reimburse the holder of title on record, or a subsequent purchaser, for part or all of any real property taxes and assessments that the … Continue Reading
