Kitsap Alliance of Property Owners v. Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board

255 P.3d 696, 160 Wash. App. 250
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJanuary 4, 2011
DocketNo. 38017-0-II
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 255 P.3d 696 (Kitsap Alliance of Property Owners v. Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kitsap Alliance of Property Owners v. Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board, 255 P.3d 696, 160 Wash. App. 250 (Wash. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

¶1 In the initial consideration of this appeal, this court concluded that it was required to follow the result of an inconclusive opinion of the Washington Supreme Court and directed that Kitsap County plan for critical areas1 under the Shorelines Management Act of 1971 (SMA)2 rather than the Growth Management Act (GMA).3 The Washington Legislature promptly enacted amendments [256]*256clarifying that the GMA was to regulate critical areas until such time as SMA plans were updated and also directed that the amendments be applied retroactively.

Korsmo, J.

[256]*256¶2 The Washington Supreme Court granted Kitsap County’s petition for review of the original ruling and remanded the case to this court for consideration in light of the new legislation. We conclude that the amendments are retroactive and apply to this case. We reverse our previous decision and uphold Kitsap County’s critical area ordinance (CAO).

PROCEDURAL HISTORY4

¶3 This case has its beginning in Kitsap County’s efforts to update the CAO component of its GMA-required comprehensive plan. The nonprofit Kitsap Alliance of Property Owners (KAPO) and two property owners challenged a 35-foot marine shorelines buffer contained in the updated CAO. They argued before the Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board (Board) that the buffer was excessive. Respondent Hood Canal Environmental Council (Hood Canal) and other parties argued that the buffers were inadequate. The Board rejected KAPO’s challenge and sent the case back to the county with directions to increase the buffer zone. Kitsap County amended the CAO by increasing the buffer zone to 50 feet in urban shoreline areas and 100 feet in rural and semirural areas. The Board approved the amended CAO.

¶4 KAPO challenged the two Board rulings in the Kitsap County Superior Court. That body upheld the Board decisions. KAPO then appealed to this court.

¶5 This court reversed. Kitsap Alliance of Prop. Owners v. Cent. Puget Sound Growth Mgmt. Hearings Bd., 152 Wn. App. 190, 217 P.3d 365 (2009) (KAPO I). The pivotal issue in [257]*257the case concerned whether the GMA or the SMA applied to the CAO. Specifically, the question was whether the GMA regulated critical areas in shoreland regions subject to both acts or whether the SMA regulated these areas. Id. at 193-195. A 2003 amendment to both acts that had attempted to clarify when each act would apply to lands within the purview of both created this issue. Id. The Washington Supreme Court had previously faced the same issue in Futurewise v. Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board, 164 Wn.2d 242, 189 P.3d 161 (2008).

f6 The Futurewise court issued two opinions that represented the views of four justices each. The lead opinion of Justice James Johnson concluded that critical area planning could be conducted only under the SMA. Id. at 245-247. Justice Madsen concurred only in the result. Id. at 248. Justice Chambers’ dissenting opinion argued that GMA standards applied until such time as the local SMA master plan was updated. Id. at 248-251.

17 This court concluded in KAPO I that it was bound by the outcome of Futurewise since it presented the same issue and there was no rationale that had obtained support from a majority of the court. 152 Wn. App. at 197-198. Accordingly, we reversed the trial court and directed that Kitsap County plan for critical areas under the SMA. Id. at 198. We also noted the difficulties this created for local governments and urged the legislature to clarify its intent. Id.

18 The legislature promptly responded in its next session and enacted Laws of 2010, chapter 107. That legislation took effect immediately upon signature by the Governor on March 18, 2010. Id. § 6. The legislation also stated that it was retroactive to July 27, 2003. Id. § 5.

19 Soon thereafter the Washington Supreme Court granted Kitsap County’s petition for review and remanded the case with directions that this court consider the effect of the new legislation. Order, Kitsap Alliance of Prop. Owners v. Cent. Puget Sound Growth Mgmt. Hearings Bd., No. 83883-6 (Wash. Apr. 28, 2010); 168 Wn.2d 1031 (2010). We ordered [258]*258briefing concerning the new legislation and subsequently heard argument.

ANALYSIS

¶10 Kitsap County and Hood Canal ask that the legislation be given full retroactive effect. KAPO contends that doing so would infringe on the separation of powers and create problems with vested development rights. It also urges that we not give retroactive effect to the statute because ex post facto punishments are prohibited by our constitution and because the legislation is inconsistent with existing CAOs.

fll Chapter 107 substantively amends a GMA provision that referenced the SMA in the context of shoreline regulations. After removing some of the former language, the new version of the statute provides in part, that

development regulations adopted under this chapter [apply] to protect critical areas within shorelines of the state until the department of ecology approves one of the following: A comprehensive master program update, ... a segment of a master program relating to critical areas, ... or a new or amended master program.

Laws op 2010, ch. 107, § 2 (amending RCW 36.70A.480).

f 12 In essence, this provision rejects the lead Futurewise opinion in favor of the dissenting opinion’s view of the interaction of the two acts. Although the legislative intent section does not address any court cases by name, it notes that the 2003 amendments

(1) . . . have been the subject of differing, and occasionally contrary, legal interpretations. This act is intended to affirm and clarify the legislature’s intent relating to the provisions of chapter 321, Laws of 2003.

(2) The legislature affirms that development regulations adopted under the growth management act to protect critical areas apply within shorelines of the state as provided in section 2 of this act.

[259]*259(3) The legislature affirms that the adoption or update of critical area regulations under the growth management act is not automatically an update to the shoreline master program.

(4) The legislature intends for this act to be remedial and curative in nature, and to apply retroactively to July 27, 2003.

Id. § 1.

¶13 Typically, new legislation, including amendments to existing law, is given prospective application unless there is clear intent to apply the law retroactively. Howell v. Spokane & Inland Empire Blood Bank, 114 Wn.2d 42, 47, 785 P.2d 815 (1990). Remedial and procedural statutes are often retroactive. In re Pers. Restraint of Mota, 114 Wn.2d 465, 471, 788 P.2d 538 (1990). A legislative decision to apply a law retroactively will be honored unless there is a constitutional impediment to doing so. Wash. State Farm Bureau Fed’n v. Gregoire,

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Kitsap Alliance v. Cent. Puget Sound Growth
255 P.3d 696 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2011)

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Bluebook (online)
255 P.3d 696, 160 Wash. App. 250, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kitsap-alliance-of-property-owners-v-central-puget-sound-growth-management-washctapp-2011.