SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 1523

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

State & Local Government, March 19, 2001

Title:  An act relating to reconciling conflicting provisions in laws pertaining to cities and towns.

Brief Description:  Reconciling conflicting provisions in laws pertaining to cities and towns.

Sponsors:  By Representatives Mielke, Mulliken, Dunshee and Edmonds.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  3/15/01, 3/19/01 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Gardner, Hale, Haugen, Horn, Kline, T. Sheldon and Swecker.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786‑7410)

Background:  Code cities of 2,500 or more residents that create a planning agency are required to create a board of adjustment.  Code cities of less than 2,500 residents may create a board of adjustment at their option.

A code city board of adjustment hears appeals from decisions or determinations made by a code city enforcement official, applications for variances, applications for conditional use permits, and any other administrative determinations as delegated by its authorizing ordinance.

The action of the board of adjustment is final, unless an appeal is filed by the applicant in superior court within 10 days.

The city indebtedness limit without a vote of the people is 1.5 percent of the value of taxable property in the district, and with such vote the total indebtedness is not to exceed 2.5 percent the value of taxable property.

The code city indebtedness limit without a vote of the people is 0.75 percent of the value of taxable property in the district, and with such vote the total indebtedness is not to exceed 2.5 percent of the value of taxable property.

In 1994 the Legislature passed SSB 6069 (C 277 s 1) which raised the debt limit without a vote from 0.75 percent to 1.5  percent of the value of taxable property for counties, cities and towns, however the statute pertaining to code cities was not amended at that time.

Summary of Bill:  The time window for an appeal of a code city board of adjustment action has been increased to 21 days.

The code city debt limit without voter approval is altered from 0.75 percent to 1.5 percent, to be consistent with all cities and counties.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill is very important because debt capacity for code cities is uncertain.  This uncertainty is disadvantageous in the bond market for code cities= bonds.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Ron Rosenbloom, AWC (pro).