HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1887

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                  Natural Resources & Parks

Title:  An act relating to open space land.

Brief Description:  Redefining open space land.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Fraser, Belcher, Beck, Valle, Brumsickle, Rust, Ogden, Pruitt, Jacobsen, Sprenkle, Rasmussen, Prentice, Moyer, Forner, Padden, Paris, Phillips, Miller, May, Winsley, Tate, D. Sommers and Silver.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Natural Resources & Parks, February 27, 1991, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Belcher, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Beck, Ranking Minority Member; Brumsickle, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dellwo; Fraser; Hargrove; Morton; Riley; Sheldon; and Wynne.

Staff:  Marilee Scarbrough (786-7196).

Background:  The Legislature passed the Open Space Act in 1970.  The act established a policy to maintain, preserve, conserve and otherwise continue in existence adequate open space lands for their agricultural value, as well as scenic beauty.  Assessment practices are designed to permit and encourage the continued existence of open spaces.

Growth in urban areas is rapidly eliminating many of the traditional scenic corridors between developments and highways.  Greenbelts which traditionally bordered highways, street corridors are also rapidly disappearing.

Summary of Bill:  The definition of open space is expanded to include any land area for which preservation will preserve visual quality along highways, roads, and street corridors or scenic vistas.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 21, 1991.

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

Testimony For:  Aesthetic lands should be preserved.  The State needs to maintain scenic vistas along highways.  A major attraction for the state of Washington is the visual buffers along the highways.  The State needs to provide an incentive for property owners to maintain scenic corridors.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Ralph Munro, Secretary of State (in favor); Mary Murphy, League of Women Voters (in favor); and Dave McCandry, Washington Historical Society (in favor).