allot.[4]
On January 12, 1993, Whatcom County (County) filed a declaratory judgment action in the Whatcom County Superior Court asking the court to declare that the critical areas ordinance was not subject to local referendum.[5] On May 14, 1993, the Whatcom County Superior Court, the Honorable Michael F. Moynihan, granted summary judgment in favor of Respondent Brisbane and dismissed the complaint.[6] The trial court held the critical areas ordinance is subject to local referendum.[7] Whatcom County appealed to the Court of Appeals, Division One. On July 16, 1993, Respondent Brisbane moved to transfer the appeal to this court. The County did not oppose the motion. We granted it on April 6, 1994.

QUESTION PRESENTED
The sole question presented is whether a critical areas ordinance adopted by the Whatcom County Council pursuant to the Growth Management Act is subject to amendment by referendum under the home rule charter of the County.

DISCUSSION

Growth Management Act
The Growth Management Act, RCW 36.70A, was enacted in 1990 to prevent "uncoordinated and unplanned growth" and to encourage "comprehensive land use planning" among the "citizens, communities, local governments, and the private sector ...."[8] Two years later, in 1992, WAC 365-195 was *348 promulgated which, when read in conjunction with the Growth Management Act, similarly operates to "accomplish[] the planning and development regulation requirements of the act."[9]
Under former RCW 36.70A.040(1) any county with "a population of fifty thousand or more and has had its population increase by more than ten percent in the previous ten years ... shall adopt comprehensive land use plans and development regulations".[10] The statute further provides that "[a]ny county ... required to adopt a comprehensive land use plan under subsection (1) ... shall adopt the plan on or before September 1, 1993."[11]
Whatcom County adopted the Temporary Critical Areas Ordinance[12] on June 23, 1992 to "carry out the goals of the Whatcom County Comprehensive Land Use Plan"