JOINT STUDY ORDER ESTABLISHING THE TASK FORCE TO STUDY GROWTH MANAGEMENT
ORDERED, the House concurring, that the Task Force to Study Growth Management is established as follows.
1. Task force established. The Task Force to Study Growth Management, referred to in this order as the "task force," is established.
2. Appointments. The task force consists of 14 members appointed as follows:
A. One member from the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate. When making the appointment, the President of the Senate shall give preference to a member who serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources;
B. Two members from the House of Representatives, at least one of whom is a member a political party that does not hold a majority of seats in that body, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
C. Two members representing environmental interests, one of whom is appointed by the President of the Senate and one of whom is appointed by the Speaker of the House;
D. Three members representing municipal interests, 2 of whom are appointed by the President of the Senate and one of whom is appointed by the Speaker of the House;
E. Two members representing regional councils, one of whom is appointed by the President of the Senate and one of whom is appointed by the Speaker of the House;
F. One member representing a statewide planning association, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
G. One member representing real estate or development interests, appointed by the President of the Senate;
H. One member representing business interests, appointed by the Speaker of the House; and
I. One member representing farming, fishing and forestry industries, appointed by the Speaker of the House.
The Director of the State Planning Office or the director's designee, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection or the commissioner's designee, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or the commissioner's designee and the Commissioner of Conservation or the commissioner's designee serve as nonvoting members.
3. Chairs; appointments; convening of task force. The Senate member is the Senate chair and the first named House member is the House chair. All appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this order. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council upon making their appointments. The chairs of the task force shall call and convene the first meeting of the task force within 30 days of the date the last member is appointed. The task force may hold up to 6 meetings.
4. Duties. The duties of the task force are as follows.
A. The task force shall conduct a targeted review of the growth management laws with the goal of improving the laws to make them more responsive to the issues of sprawl. In its review, the task force shall evaluate whether the growth management program works well in very small municipalities and in municipalities experiencing greater or less growth. The task force shall also consider ways to clarify and improve the State's enabling legislation for impact fees in order to make impact fees useful as a tool to manage growth. The task force shall consider differentiated levels of impact fees based on the costs of infrastructure improvements in different areas and designed to provide an incentive for growth to occur within locally designated growth areas, the effect of impact fees on the affordability of homes, the effect of impact fees on land and real estate values and impact fees related to regional impacts of development such as the cost of regional school facilities. The task force shall develop recommendations to make the growth management laws more effective in controlling sprawl, including recommendations on funding, staffing and statutory changes. In developing its recommendations, the task force shall consider appropriate regional models for growth management.
B. The task force shall establish an advisory working group, including people outside of the task force, to review municipal subdivision law and its impact on local planning and growth management and to consider recommendations to streamline the local review process and to make the law a more effective tool in the planning process. The task force may establish additional advisory working groups as it considers appropriate.
5. Report. The task force shall complete its work by November 1, 2000 and submit its report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters. The task force may submit a bill implementing its recommendations for consideration by the First Regular Session of the 120th Legislature. If the task force requires an extension of time to make its report, it may apply to the Legislative Council, which may grant the extension.
6. Compensation. Members of the task force who are Legislators are entitled to receive the legislative per diem and reimbursement of necessary expenses for their attendance at authorized meetings of the task force. Public members not otherwise compensated by their employers or other entities whom they represent are entitled to receive reimbursement of necessary expenses for their attendance at authorized meetings of the task force.
7. Staff. Upon approval of the Legislative Council, the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis shall provide necessary staffing services to the task force.
8. Budget. The cochairs of the task force, with assistance from the task force staff, shall administer the task force's budget. Within 10 days after its first meeting, the task force shall present a work plan and proposed budget to the Legislative Council for approval. The task force may not incur expenses that would result in the task force exceeding its approved budget.
Passed by the Senate April 27, 2000 and the House of Representatives April 28, 2000.
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