H-1229.1                  _______________________________________________

                                                      HOUSE BILL 1762

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives R. Johnson, Thomas, Valle, Wolfe, Rust, Roland, Pruitt, King and Jacobsen

Read first time 02/08/93.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources & Parks.

Directing the parks and recreation commission to study river access.

          AN ACT Relating to access to rivers for recreational purposes; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that river recreation opportunities are an outstanding part of Washington's outdoor recreation spectrum.  The legislature also finds that recreationists wanting to get to rivers are often trespassing on private lands or accessing the rivers from the edges of public roadways or street ends.  Overuse at the few existing public access facilities is resulting in overcrowding and abuse to the shoreline environment.  Increased growth pressure in Washington will likely lead to increased demand for river recreational opportunities.  The legislature finds that there is a need to identify river recreational needs and to begin planning for future safe and legal opportunities for river access.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The Washington state parks and recreation commission shall examine the current use of the state's rivers for recreational purposes, the existing amount of river access, and the need for additional or improved public river access sites and facilities.  Specifically, the commission shall:

          (1) Identify outstanding recreational river stretches and boating reaches state-wide;

          (2) Identify existing river access opportunities and produce a state-wide river recreation map.  The commission shall also identify lands currently in public ownership that could be developed for appropriate public access and use;

          (3) Assess areas of overuse and trespass, and identify areas of concern for private property owners owning property along or near rivers;

          (4) In areas where there is substantial community interest in cooperative planning, explore opportunities for river corridor recreational plans that consider public access, conservation of the river as a resource, and protection of private lands; and

          (5) Evaluate the concept, feasibility, and appropriateness of user or access fees for river recreationists.

          In conducting this study, the commission shall solicit input and recommendations from the interagency committee for outdoor recreation, the department of natural resources, interested county and city governments, and other agencies with recreational lands or programs.              The commission's study may be used as a basis for developing a state-wide strategy for river recreational opportunities.

          The commission shall report its findings and conclusions to the legislature by December 1, 1994.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1995, from the general fund to the Washington state parks and recreation commission for the purposes of conducting a study of the current use of the state's rivers for recreational purposes, the existing amount of river access, and the need for additional or improved public river access sites and facilities.

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