S-0219.1
SENATE BILL 5315
State of Washington
65th Legislature
2017 Regular Session
By Senators King, Baumgartner, Hawkins, Hobbs, Fortunato, and Pearson
Read first time 01/19/17. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources & Parks.
AN ACT Relating to home site leases on lands managed by the department of natural resources; amending RCW 79.17.200; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that decades ago the department of natural resources allowed agricultural lease holders to build homes on state-owned trust land. The department of natural resources issued separate, home site leases, for the residential portion of the land. Many of these leases remain, estimated at about fifty in number. In some cases, the department of natural resources has determined that continued management of particular home sites is not in the best interest of the trust. The legislature intends to promote the efficient and effective management of trust lands by providing the board of natural resources with the authority to directly transfer home sites to lessees when doing so would be in the best interest of the trust.
Sec. 2.  RCW 79.17.200 and 1992 c 167 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) For the purposes of this section, "public agency" means any agency, political subdivision, or unit of local government of this state including, but not limited to, municipal corporations, quasi-municipal corporations, special purpose districts, and local service districts; any agency of the state government; any agency of the United States; and any Indian tribe recognized as such by the federal government.
(2) With the approval of the board of natural resources, the department of natural resources may directly transfer or dispose of real property, without public auction, in the following circumstances:
(a) Transfers in lieu of condemnations;
(b) Transfers to public agencies; ((and))
(c) Transfers to resolve trespass and property ownership disputes; and
(d) Transfers of real property to a lessee that has continuously leased the real property for purposes of a home site since prior to the effective date of this section.
(3) Real property to be transferred or disposed of under this section shall be transferred or disposed of only after appraisal and for at least fair market value, and only if such transaction is in the best interest of the state or affected trust.
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