Washington Administrative Code › Title 468 - Transportation, Department of (See Title 88) › Chapter 468-63 - Commute trip reduction program › Section 468-63-060 - Growth and transportation efficiency centers

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1)
Purpose and process.
(a)
Purpose and objective of the growth
			 and transportation efficiency center (GTEC) program.
The state's goal
			 for the GTEC program is to provide greater access to employment and residential
			 centers while increasing the proportion of people not driving alone during peak
			 periods on the state highway system. Counties, cities and towns may designate
			 existing or new activity centers as GTECs in order to establish a
			 transportation demand management (TDM) program in the designated area. The
			 purpose of the rules pertaining to GTECs is to provide a consistent framework
			 for local jurisdictions to exercise their authority to implement a GTEC via
			 comprehensive plans, development regulations, and transportation investments
			 that support population growth and economic development,
			 transportation-efficient land uses, and transportation demand management
			 strategies.
The state intends for GTECs to be developed in a collaborative
				planning process that builds upon the information in local and regional CTR
				plans as well as other existing plans and programs such as the local
				comprehensive plan, unified development codes, the transportation improvement
				program, economic development plans. The state intends for the development of
				the GTEC program plan to be informed by and coordinated with the development of
				local and regional CTR plans.
The state intends to focus state program resources provided for
				GTECs in those urban areas that can provide the greatest current or future
				benefits for highway system efficiency.
(b)
Jurisdictional coordination.
The state encourages jurisdictions to discuss interjurisdictional issues and
			 evaluate the possibility of creating a cross-boundary GTEC. While these rules
			 refer to the actions of a single city or county in designating a GTEC, nothing
			 in these sections shall prohibit jurisdictions from cooperating to designate
			 GTECs that cross jurisdictional boundaries. Jurisdictions designating a
			 cross-boundary GTEC shall adopt consistent ordinances and enter into a
			 cooperational partnership to implement the GTEC program.
(c)
Consistency for employers.
Major employers that are affected by the base CTR program, when located within
			 a designated GTEC, shall only be required to fulfill one set of requirements,
			 if the GTEC program and base CTR program requirements vary. Jurisdictions that
			 allow major employers to follow the requirements of the GTEC, rather than the
			 base CTR program, shall ensure that major employer worksites are measured in a
			 manner that allows accountability for the worksite and is consistent with the
			 measurement guidelines established by WSDOT and available on the agency's web
			 site.
(d)
Designation and
			 certification.
RCW  70.94.537(2)
			 requires WSDOT to establish methods for RTPOs to evaluate and certify that
			 designated GTECs meet the minimum requirements and are therefore eligible for
			 funding.
(i) Minimum land use and
			 transportation criteria.
			 RCW
			  70.94.537(2) requires WSDOT
			 to establish guidance criteria for GTECs. Minimum land use and transportation
			 criteria for GTECs shall be developed by the RTPO in collaboration with local
			 jurisdictions, transit agencies, major employers, and other affected parties as
			 part of the regional CTR plan. The regional CTR plan may include a map that
			 depicts which areas of the region meet the criteria.
The state's intent is to constrain funding resources to those
				areas that have the greatest potential to reduce single-occupant vehicle
				commute trips on the state highway system in the future. The state will use the
				RTPO certification of the GTEC's potential system benefits as part of its
				funding prioritization process.
(ii) Eligibility and designation process. To
			 be eligible for certification as a designated "growth and transportation
			 efficiency center," the jurisdiction must submit a GTEC certification
			 application to the applicable RTPO that:
(A)Describes how the GTEC meets the minimum
			 land use and transportation criteria established by the RTPO as part of the
			 regional CTR plan;
(B)Includes a
			 copy of the GTEC program plan and the required elements identified in this
			 rule;
(C) Identifies when and how
			 the GTEC program plan will be incorporated into future updates or amendments of
			 the applicable local comprehensive plan; and
(D) Includes letters of support for the GTEC
			 program plan from partners that are expected to contribute resources to the
			 plan or intend to work with the local jurisdiction to develop future strategies
			 and funding resources for the GTEC.
(iii) Schedule. For GTEC programs to be
			 eligible for state CTR program funds, the CTR board must receive GTEC
			 certification reports, or local jurisdiction requests for appeal, for new or
			 updated GTEC programs by October 1, 2007, and by April 1 every two years
			 thereafter.
These rules do not constrain the ability of local jurisdictions
				to designate a GTEC at any time, or for RTPOs to certify new or updated GTECs
				at any time.
GTEC program plans may be updated annually to reflect changing
				conditions and new information. However, substantial changes to the program
				plan, including reductions in targets, densities, and investments, may be made
				no more than once every biennium. RTPOs may require local jurisdictions to
				update GTEC program plans as part of the regional CTR plan update.
				Substantially modified GTEC program plans shall be resubmitted to the RTPO for
				recertification.
(iv)
			 Certification.
			 RCW
			  70.94.528(1)(b) requires
			 designated GTECs to be certified by the applicable RTPO to be eligible for
			 state funding. The RTPO shall evaluate the jurisdiction's GTEC certification
			 application to determine if the proposed GTEC meets the requirements outlined
			 in this rule. The RTPO shall, in partnership with the local jurisdiction and
			 WSDOT, evaluate how achievement of the GTEC goal would affect the performance
			 of the state highway system and the regional transportation system.
Within sixty days following receipt of the jurisdiction's
				application, the RTPO shall issue a certification report to the jurisdiction
				that either certifies or declines to certify the GTEC. The certification report
				shall state the rationale for the decision and describe in quantitative terms
				how the GTEC addresses state and regional highway deficiencies, and what
				benefits for the transportation system the GTEC is projected to provide. The
				RTPO shall provide a copy of the certification report and the GTEC program plan
				report to the CTR board.
(v)
			 Appeal. RCW
			  70.94.528(1)(b) allows
			 jurisdictions denied certification of a designated GTEC by an RTPO to appeal
			 the decision to the CTR board. If the RTPO declines to certify a GTEC when
			 requested by the local jurisdiction, the local jurisdiction may appeal the
			 decision to the CTR board within sixty days following receipt of the RTPO's
			 certification report. The CTR board will hear the appeal within sixty days of a
			 jurisdiction request.
If the CTR board concurs with the RTPO decision, the
				jurisdiction's GTEC will not be eligible for state funding. The local
				jurisdiction may then choose to implement the GTEC (while ineligible for state
				funding) or revise its application and request RTPO certification during the
				next biennial budget cycle. If the CTR board overrules the RTPO and certifies
				the GTEC, then the jurisdiction's GTEC will be eligible for state funding if it
				is designated within one hundred twenty days following receipt of the notice of
				the state GTEC funding allocation.
(vi) Adoption. The jurisdiction shall
			 "designate" the GTEC by adopting the GTEC program plan via official resolution
			 or ordinance within one hundred twenty days following receipt of the notice of
			 the state GTEC funding allocation. If the jurisdiction does not designate the
			 GTEC program plan within this deadline, then it will not be eligible for any
			 state or regional funding intended for GTEC programs for the current
			 biennium.
(vii) Funding. State
			 funding for GTECs shall be allocated by the CTR board, based on the board's
			 funding policy developed pursuant to
			 RCW
			  70.94.544.