(1) In addition to the major industrial development allowed under RCW 36.70A.365 and 36.70A.367, a county planning under RCW 36.70A.040 that meets the criteria in subsection (2) of this section may establish, in consultation with cities consistent with RCW 36.70A.210, a process for designating a master planned location for major industrial activity outside urban growth areas on lands formerly used or designated for surface coal mining and supporting uses. Once a master planned location is designated, it shall be considered an urban growth area retained for purposes of promoting major industrial activity.

(2) This section applies to a county that, at the time the process is established in subsection (1) of this section, had a surface coal mining operation in excess of three thousand acres that ceased operation after July 1, 2006, and that is located within fifteen miles of the Interstate 5 corridor.

(3) Designation of a master planned location for major industrial activities is an amendment to the comprehensive plan adopted under RCW 36.70A.070, except that RCW 36.70A.130(2) does not apply so that designation of master planned locations may be considered at any time. The process established under subsection (1) of this section for designating a master planned location for one or more major industrial activities must include, but is not limited to, the following comprehensive plan policy criteria:

(a) The master planned location must be located on lands: Formerly used or designated for surface coal mining and supporting uses; that consist of an aggregation of land of one thousand or more acres, which is not required to be contiguous; and that are suitable for manufacturing, industrial, or commercial businesses;

(b) New infrastructure is provided for; and

(c) Environmental review of a proposed designation of a master planned location must be at the programmatic level, as long as the environmental review of a proposed designation that is being reviewed concurrent with a proposed major industrial activity is at the project level.

(4) Approval of a specific major industrial activity proposed for a master planned location designated under this section is through a local master plan process and does not require further comprehensive plan amendment. The process for reviewing and approving a specific major industrial activity proposed for a master planned location designated under this section must include the following criteria in adopted development regulations:

(a) The site consists of one hundred or more acres of land formerly used or designated for surface coal mining and supporting uses that has been or will be reclaimed as land suitable for industrial development;

(b) Urban growth will not occur in adjacent nonurban areas;

(c) Environmental review of a specific proposed major industrial activity must be conducted as required in chapter 43.21C RCW. Environmental review may be processed as a planned action, as long as it meets the requirements of *RCW 43.21C.031; and

(d) Commercial development within a master planned location must be directly related to manufacturing or industrial uses. Commercial uses shall not exceed ten percent of the total gross floor area of buildings or facilities in the development.

(5) Final approval of the designation of a master planned location designated under subsection (3) of this section is subject to appeal under this chapter. Approval of a specific major industrial activity under subsection (4) of this section is subject to appeal under chapter 36.70C RCW.

(6) RCW 36.70A.365 and 36.70A.367 do not apply to the designation of master planned locations or the review and approval of specific major industrial activities under this section.

*Reviser’s note: The requirements for a planned action were moved by 2012 1st sp.s. c 1 from RCW 43.21C.031 to RCW 43.21C.440.