H-3209.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2312

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By Representatives Forner, Hargrove, Horn, Vance, Silver, Broback, Hochstatter, Carlson, Kremen, Van Luven, May, Rasmussen, Ferguson and P. Johnson

Read first time 01/14/92.  Referred to Committee on Revenue.Directing the county assessor to reduce property tax commensurate with a reduction in highest and best use.

     AN ACT Relating to reassessment of real property; and adding a new section to chapter 84.40 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 84.40 RCW to read as follows:

     (1) The county assessor in computing assessed valuation shall take into consideration any reduction in property values or highest and best use that are the result of a direct government action.  Government action includes but is not limited to rezone of the property, wetland designations, eagle buffer zones, airport flight zones, and riparian habitat zones.

     (2) If notified by a real property owner or by a state, county, or city authority of a change in permitted use of a parcel of real property, the county assessor shall review the impact of the change in permitted use on the highest and best use of the real property and shall relist, revalue, reassess, and retax the property accordingly.

     (3) The county assessor may not pursuant to this section increase the valuation and assessment of real property.