This is the final report of the Land Use Study Commission. The Land Use Study Commission is the fourth significant effort in Washington in the last ten years to examine issues concerning governance, growth, and the environment.¹ Each of these previous efforts resulted in changes to the land use and environmental system in Washington and improvements in the ways that we deal with the issues involved. The Land Use Study Commission believes that its recommendations further those prior efforts and will maintain and enhance the quality of life in Washington, protect and enhance the environment, improve the way we govern ourselves, and lead to better use of scarce public and private resources.

In each of its prior reports, the Commission focussed on incremental changes to Washington's laws to address particular issues with the implementation of the Growth Management Act and related statutes. In this final report, the Commission has examined more sweeping changes to Washington law that would be implemented through the adoption of a consolidated land use code. Such sweeping changes will take time and cost money. There must be a public consensus that a consolidated land use code is necessary and beneficial. This consensus does not currently exist. The Commission believes this consensus can be achieved over time. By taking this opportunity to explore the benefits and problems with the consolidated land use code and to suggest how it could be implemented, the Commission will make progress towards the goal of a consolidated land use code. Implementing a consolidated land use code, however, will require sufficient funding and dedicated personnel beyond the resources of a volunteer commission.

The Commission held two public hearings to take comment on its Final Report. One common theme of that comment was that implementation of a consolidated land use code needs to be done with deliberation. Local governments, the public, and the business community are still dealing with changes made to the land use and environmental system over the last several years. In addition, the expected listing of additional salmon stocks under the federal Endangered Species Act calls for careful review of changes to existing laws that may have an impact on the ability of the state to respond to those listings.