Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Local Government Committee
SSB 5869
Brief Description: Concerning rural fire district stations.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs (originally sponsored by Senators Short, Lovelett, Dozier, Nobles, Shewmake, Torres, Wagoner and Warnick).
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill
  • Exempts tracts of land used for establishing a site for the construction and operation of a rural fire district station from state subdivision laws, if certain requirements are met.
Hearing Date: 2/20/24
Staff: Elizabeth Allison (786-7129).
Background:

State Subdivision Laws.
The state subdivision law governs the manner in which cities and counties administer the division of land into parcels for the purpose of sale, lease, or other transfers of ownership.  The subdivision law is intended to prevent overcrowding of land, reduce congestion on streets and highways, and provide adequate water, sewerage, and other infrastructure to property, among other objectives.

 

Short subdivisions are divisions of land into four or fewer lots for sale or lease.  Cities may increase the number of lots that can be regulated as short subdivisions up to nine.  Plats and short plats are maps or representations of subdivisions and short subdivisions that show the division of land into lots as well as streets, alleys, and easements.

 

Certain land divisions are exempt from subdivision laws, including:

  • burial plots;
  • division into lots above a certain size;
  • divisions made by testamentary provisions or the laws of descent;
  • boundary line adjustments;
  • divisions for industrial or commercial use when a binding site plan is approved;
  • divisions for leasing lots for mobile homes when a binding site plan is approved; and
  • divisions where a portion of the property is developed as a condominium, when certain requirements are met.

 

Local Fire Protection Services.
Counties, cities and towns, airport districts, certain port districts, and fire protection districts are authorized to provide local fire protection services, including fire prevention and suppression services and emergency medical services for the protection of life and property.
Summary of Bill:

A division of land into lots less than two acres and used for establishing a site for construction and operation of a rural fire district station is exempt from state subdivision laws.  The proposed lots must contain sufficient area and dimensions to meet minimum building site width and area requirements, and must have provisions for potable water supplies and sanitary waste.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.