DWYER, C.J.
¶ 1 The Growth Management Hearings Boards
¶ 2 Touchstone Corporation and Touchstone KPP Development, LLC (collectively Touchstone) own an 11.5 acre site in downtown Kirkland known as Kirkland Parkplace. In April 2007, Touchstone and two other landowners applied to the city of Kirkland (City) to amend the City's comprehensive plan and zoning code to allow taller building heights, among other changes. The City then sponsored a proposal to adopt an ordinance establishing the area containing the three properties as a planned action area.
¶ 3 The City conducted a review of the environmental impacts of the proposed amendments and enactments. In April 2008, the City issued a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) that evaluated only the proposed action and a "no action" scenario; it did not evaluate any alternative actions. In October 2008, the City issued the final EIS. The final EIS contained one additional alternative, which was merely a slightly modified version of the proposed action.
¶ 4 The City then enacted several ordinances implementing the landowners' and the City's proposals. The City amended its comprehensive plan through Ordinance No. 4170. The City amended its zoning code through Ordinance No. 4171. The City also enacted Ordinance No. 4173 and Ordinance No. 4174 in order to amend other portions of the comprehensive plan and the zoning code. In addition, the City enacted Ordinance No. 4172, which adopted design review guidelines, and Ordinance No. 4175, which created a planned action area.
¶ 5 Davidson Serles & Associates and TR Continental Plaza Corp. (collectively Davidson),
¶ 6 Among other rulings, the Board determined that the final EIS was inadequate for failure to consider alternatives. The Board found that, as a result, the City was not in compliance with SEPA and remanded for the City to come into compliance. However, the Board determined that none of the goals of the GMA would be undermined were the ordinances to remain in effect. As a result of this determination, the Board did not invalidate the ordinances.
¶ 7 Davidson appealed the Board's decision to the superior court. Davidson then timely sought direct appellate review pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act
¶ 8 We review a decision of the Board pursuant to the APA.
¶ 9 Davidson contends that the Board was required, as a matter of law, to invalidate the two challenged ordinances—Ordinances No. 4170 and No. 4171—because the EIS supporting those ordinances was found to be inadequate. We disagree.
¶ 10 An analysis of the Board's authority "to impose or fashion a remedy in any given case begins with the principle that administrative agencies are creatures of the Legislature, without inherent or common-law powers and, as such, may exercise only those powers conferred by statute, either expressly or by necessary implication." Skagit Surveyors & Eng'rs, LLC v. Friends of Skagit Cnty., 135 Wn.2d 542, 558, 958 P.2d 962 (1998) (citing Kaiser Aluminum & Chem. Corp. v. Dep't of Labor & Indus., 121 Wn.2d 776, 780, 854 P.2d 611 (1993); Human Rights Comm'n v. Cheney Sch. Dist. 30, 97 Wn.2d 118, 125, 641 P.2d 163 (1982)). "The power of an administrative tribunal to fashion a remedy is strictly limited by statute." Skagit Surveyors, 135 Wash.2d at 558, 958 P.2d 962. Accordingly, we must look to the GMA itself to determine the authority of the Board.
¶ 11 The Board has jurisdiction to hear and determine SEPA claims related to the adoption or amendment of a comprehensive plan or development regulation.
RCW 36.70A.280(1) (emphasis added). RCW 36.70A.300(1) indicates that the Board shall issue a final order "based exclusively on whether or not [a jurisdiction] is in compliance with the requirements of this chapter. . . or chapter 43.21C RCW." In its final order, the Board may find compliance "with the requirements of [the GMA] . . . or chapter 43.21C RCW" or may find that the jurisdiction is not in compliance "with the requirements of [the GMA] . . . or chapter 43.21C RCW" and remand the matter to the jurisdiction. RCW 36.70A.300(3). Thus, the legislature has empowered the Board to find noncompliance with SEPA and remand to
¶ 12 Even upon a Board's finding of noncompliance and order of remand, comprehensive plans and development regulations remain valid "[u]nless a board makes a determination of invalidity as provided in RCW 36.70A.302." RCW 36.70A.300(4).
RCW 36.70A.302(1).
¶ 13 However, contrary to Davidson's assertions, the legislature did not grant the Board the authority to invalidate comprehensive plans or development regulations simply because those enactments were based on an inadequate EIS. Rather, the Board is restricted by the plain terms of the GMA.
¶ 14 To find invalidity in this instance, the Board would have needed to determine that the continued validity of the SEPA-noncompliant ordinances would "substantially interfere with the fulfillment of the goals" of the GMA.
Davidson Serles v. City of Kirkland, No. 09-3-0007c (Cent. Puget Sound Growth Mgmt. Hr'gs Bd. Final Decision and Order Oct. 5, 2009).
¶ 15 Notwithstanding the Board's limited statutory authority, Davidson contends that the Board was required to render the ordinances invalid in order to fulfill its duties under SEPA. Quasi-judicial bodies such as the Growth Management Hearings Boards are categorically exempt from SEPA's threshold determination and EIS requirements. WAC 197-11-800(11). Davidson contends, however, that the Boards are still bound by SEPA's other requirements— namely, SEPA's pronouncements that state agencies shall interpret and administer the laws of the State of Washington in accordance with SEPA's policies, RCW 43.21C.030(1), and shall
RCW 43.21C.020(2).
¶ 16 SEPA overlays and supplements all other state laws. Donwood, Inc. v. Spokane
¶ 17 Davidson also contends that the Board was required to invalidate the ordinances upon its findings of noncompliance with SEPA because several judicial decisions set aside actions that were made in violation of SEPA's requirements. Appellant's Br. at 25-27 (citing Weyerhaeuser v. Pierce Cnty., 124 Wn.2d 26, 47, 873 P.2d 498 (1994); Noel v. Cole, 98 Wn.2d 375, 655 P.2d 245 (1982); Barrie v. Kitsap Cnty., 93 Wn.2d 843, 861, 613 P.2d 1148 (1980); Lassila v. City of Wenatchee, 89 Wn.2d 804, 816-17, 576 P.2d 54 (1978); Eastlake Cmty. Council v. Roanoke Assocs., Inc., 82 Wn.2d 475, 487, 513 P.2d 36 (1973)). As discussed above, the Boards are creatures of the legislature, without inherent or common-law powers. Skagit Surveyors, 135 Wash.2d at 558, 958 P.2d 962. As such, the Boards may exercise only those powers conferred upon them by statute, and their power to fashion a remedy is strictly limited by the GMA. Skagit Surveyors, 135 Wash.2d at 558, 958 P.2d 962. The remedy that the judiciary has fashioned when presented with a violation of SEPA's requirement cannot alter the Boards' statutory authority. The Boards take their power from and are constrained by applicable statutes as enacted by the legislature.
¶ 18 Affirmed.
We concur: APPELWICK and GROSSE, JJ.
In order for an appellant to seek direct review by the Court of Appeals of the final decision of a Board, the appellant must first timely file a petition for review with the superior court and then must timely file an application for direct review with the superior court. RCW 34.05.518(6)(a). The application must request that the Board file a certificate of appealability. RCW 34.05.518(6)(a). Where the Board issues a certificate of appealability, the appellant must then file a notice for discretionary review in the superior court. RCW 34.05.518(6)(d). In deciding whether to accept direct review, the appellate court shall consider the same criteria that the Board must consider. RCW 34.05.518(5).
RCW 34.05.570(3).
Skagit Surveyors, 135 Wash.2d at 561-62, 958 P.2d 962 (alteration in original) (quoting FINAL REPORT at 52).
Davidson Serles v. City of Kirkland, No. 09-3-0007c (Cent. Puget Sound Growth Mgmt. Hr'gs Bd. Order on Motions June 11, 2009).
"A case is moot if a court can no longer provide effective relief." Orwick v. City of Seattle, 103 Wn.2d 249, 253, 692 P.2d 793 (1984).
State ex rel. Weiks v. Town of Tumwater, 66 Wn.2d 33, 36-37, 400 P.2d 789 (1965) (emphasis omitted) (quoting 6 McQUILLIN, MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS § 21.05, p. 183 (3rd ed.)).
Were we to grant Davidson's requested relief, the initial ordinances would be invalid. Because the City's new ordinance merely reaffirms the initial ordinances, the new ordinance would also be invalid. See Weiks, 66 Wash.2d at 36-37, 400 P.2d 789. Thus, this appeal is not moot.
The City and Touchstone also moved for us to take judicial notice of the City's draft SEIS, which was issued in order to comply with the Board's order on remand. It is unnecessary for us to take judicial notice of the SEIS in order to resolve the issues presented in this appeal. Accordingly, we deny the motion.