Permit-streamlining bill draws support from builders and concern from cities, engineers over scope and liability

Committee staff told lawmakers that Senate Bill 5729 would require local governments that plan under the Growth Management Act to consider a project permit application submitted with plans, computations or specifications prepared, stamped and signed by a Washington-licensed architect or professional engineer and meeting minimum professional-liability insurance as "complete" for the purposes of the statutorily required completeness determination.

The staff briefing said the bill would not permit automatic approval of permits that do not comply with development regulations but would limit the ability of jurisdictions to withhold a completeness determination on the basis that additional information is needed; the bill also includes a provision that, after a set number of additional reviews, certain applications would be automatically approved unless the jurisdiction demonstrates a clear violation of substantive or procedural requirements. The bill would require certain licensed professionals to…