Opinion ID: 2455395
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: water

Text: ¶ 90 Finally, I come to the issue of water. I agree wholly with the majority and the board that the county's subdivision regulations violate the GMA. Majority at 1207. The preservation of both surface water and groundwater resources is of critical concern to our state, the nation, and the world. Water that collects in the mountains of Kittitas County is for the beneficial use of not only Kittitas County but those counties that share its aquifers and surface waters. The right to use water does not depend on where the rain or snow first fell, but rather on our statutory and common law system of riparian and groundwater rights, which turn on appropriation and beneficial use under the law. See generally Title 90 RCW; Lummi Indian Nation v. State, 170 Wash.2d 247, 252, 241 P.3d 1220 (2010) (quoting 1 WELLS A. HUTCHINS, WATER RIGHTS LAWS IN THE NINETEEN WESTERN STATES 440 (1971)). The GMA explicitly requires counties to grapple with the quality and availability of water when making their plans. RCW 36.70A.020(10), .070(1), (5)(c)(iv). We have tried over the decades to protect the public right to water without being so overbearing that any time someone digs a hole down to the water table they have to get a permit. See generally RCW 90.44.050; Campbell & Gwinn, 146 Wash.2d 1, 43 P.3d 4. Developers, not unreasonably, have noticed that small projects do not always bear the regulatory burdens of big ones and have attempted, at least on paper, to structure their projects accordingly. See RCW 90.44.050 (exempting certain wells that take no more than 5,000 gallons a day of ground water); Campbell & Gwinn, 146 Wash.2d at 4, 43 P.3d 4 (upholding the Department of Ecology's decision to treat group multiple wells in a single development together for permitting purposes). The State, not unreasonably, has used a meaningful, rather than technical, approach when evaluating whether a development is really one big project imposing one big burden on the water supply or a series of small projects drawing small amounts. Id., at 5-6, 43 P.3d 4. We have upheld this reasonable approach. Id. at 21, 43 P.3d 4. Given this history, I agree with the majority and the board that the Kittitas County Code, by design or by accident, makes it far too easy to evade meaningful review of the impact of large projects on the existing water rights of other users under chapter 90.44 RCW. ¶ 91 With these observations, I respectfully concur in part and dissent in part. J.M. JOHNSON, J. (concurring in part and dissenting in part). ¶ 92 The legislature enacted the Growth Management Act (GMA), chapter 36.70A RCW, to allow citizens, through local governments, to cooperate and coordinate with respect to land use planning. [1] If courts permit unelected hearings boards to dictate planning requirements to elected local governments rather than provide truly deferential oversight, however, litigation rather than cooperation results. Consequently, local governments are unable to implement decisions based on their citizens' local needs and circumstances. ¶ 93 I agree with the majority that the Eastern Washington Growth Management Hearings Board (Board) improperly found that Kittitas County's airport zone is noncompliant with the GMA. However, I cannot agree with its remaining conclusions or its decision to remand to the Board. The Board did not give Kittitas County (County) the deference required under the GMA and our case law, leading it to the incorrect holding that the County's comprehensive plan (Plan) and development regulations are clearly erroneous. RCW 36.70A.320(3). The majority's decision to remand to the same Board will serve to further protract and delay while not allowing the appropriate local government to govern. ¶ 94 I would find that the County's Plan and most of the challenged development regulations comply with the GMA. Accordingly, I would reverse most of the Board's holdings and direct the Board to remand to the County to allow its legislative body to make any necessary adjustments to its Plan and development regulations. I therefore concur in part and dissent in part.