The Washington State Growth Management Act (Chapter 36.70A RCW) requires the city to establish a process for siting essential public facilities. Essential public facilities are those public facilities that are inherently difficult to site. The purpose of this chapter is to implement the Growth Management Act and the Monroe comprehensive plan by establishing a formal process for identifying, siting, and regulating essential public facilities in the city of Monroe and minimizing their adverse impacts as necessary to support orderly growth and delivery of public services. The city’s goal in promulgating the regulations under this chapter is to ensure the timely, efficient, and appropriate siting of essential public facilities while simultaneously acknowledging and mitigating the significant community impacts often created by such facilities.

Comprehensive plans and development regulations cannot preclude the siting of essential public facilities within jurisdictional boundaries. Nothing in this chapter should be construed as an attempt by the city of Monroe to preclude the siting of such facilities within the city when the essential public facility is consistent with the Washington State Growth Management Act and other state statutes and regulations. (Ord. 005/2019 § 10 (Exh. B))