Title
AN ORDINANCE regarding regional planning; and amending Ordinance 12075, Section 3, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.025 and Ordinance 11955, Section 5, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.055.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. Under the Washington state Growth Management Act, long-range planning is mandated at the multicounty, county and local levels.
B. Counties are the level of government responsible for leading growth management planning and for ensuring close coordination with cities and towns.
C. After the successful annexation of most urban unincorporated areas to cities, the county's focus is transitioning to regional and rural planning.
D. The county's planning function has become decentralized over the years, making it challenging to coordinate the county's involvement in the increasing number of regional forums.
E. Regional and local planning benefits from a coordinated approach across executive branch agencies and from good communication between the executive's office and the council.
F. While the remaining urban unincorporated areas will continue to need services and planning prior to annexation, the long-term focus of the department of permitting and environmental review is unincorporated areas.
G. A newly created regional planning section within the office of performance, strategy and budget will focus on coordinating and integrating long range planning and will work across King County government to advance regional initiatives that support resilient, diverse and sustainable communities.
H. In accordance with the King County Charter, the King County council is the policy determining body of the county. All long-range planning must be consistent with the adopted policy of the county.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 12075, Section 3, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.025 are hereby amended to read as follows:
A. The county executive shall manage and be fiscally accountable for the office of perf...

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