2019 Regular Session

BySenators King and Honeyford

AN ACT Relating to the reconveyance of state forestlands to counties for the purpose of creating county-owned community forests; and amending RCW 79.22.300, 79.22.310, and 79.22.320.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 79.22.300 and 2004 c 199 s 216 are each amended to read as follows:

Whenever the board of county commissioners of any county shall determine that state forestlands, that were acquired from such county by the state pursuant to RCW 79.22.040 and that are under the administration of the department, are needed by the county for public park use in accordance with the county and the state outdoor recreation plans, or for a county-owned community forest in accordance with a management plan certified by the board of county commissioners, the board of county commissioners may file an application with the board for the transfer of such state forestlands.

Upon the filing of an application by the board of county commissioners, the department shall cause notice of the impending transfer to be given in the manner provided by RCW 42.30.060. If the department determines that the proposed use is in accordance with the state outdoor recreation plan, or in accordance with the management principles under RCW 79.155.030(2) (a), (b), and (c), it shall reconvey said state forestlands to the requesting county to have and to hold for so long as the state forestlands are developed, maintained, and used for the proposed public park or community forest purpose. This reconveyance may contain conditions to allow the department to coordinate the management of any adjacent public lands with the proposed park or community forest activity to encourage maximum multiple use management and may reserve rights-of-way needed to manage other public lands in the area. The application shall be denied if the department finds that the proposed use is not in accord with the state outdoor recreation plan if the application is for a public park, or RCW 79.155.030(2) (a), (b), and (c) if the application is for a community forest. If the land is not, or ceases to be, used for public park or community forest purposes the land shall be conveyed back to the department upon request of the department.

Sec. 2. RCW 79.22.310 and 2003 c 334 s 214 are each amended to read as follows:

The timber resources on any ((such)) state forestland transferred to the counties under RCW 79.22.300 for park purposes shall be managed by the department to the extent that this is consistent with park purposes and meets with the approval of the board of county commissioners. The timber resources on state forestland transferred to a county under RCW 79.22.300 for community forest purposes must be managed by the county. Whenever the department does manage the timber resources of such lands, it will do so in accordance with the general statutes relative to the management of all other state forestlands.

Sec. 3. RCW 79.22.320 and 2003 c 334 s 215 are each amended to read as follows:

Under provisions mutually agreeable to the board of county commissioners and the board, lands approved for transfer to a county for public park or community forest purposes under the provisions of RCW 79.22.300 ((shall))must be transferred to the county by deed.