S-4565.1  _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 6703

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

 

By Senators Fraser, Swecker, Fairley and Winsley

 

Read first time 01/24/96.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

 

Providing for historic preservation.



    AN ACT Relating to historic preservation; amending RCW 27.34.220; and reenacting and amending RCW 43.82.010.

 

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

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 27.34.220 and 1987 c 505 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

    The director or the director's designee is authorized:

    (1) To promulgate and maintain a state register of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American or Washington state history, architecture, archaeology, and culture, and to prepare comprehensive state-wide historic surveys and plans and research and evaluation of surveyed resources for the preparation of nominations to the state and national registers of historic places, in accordance with criteria approved by the advisory council established under RCW 27.34.250.  The nominations shall comply with any standards and regulations promulgated by the United States secretary of the interior for the preservation, acquisition, and development of such properties.

    (2) To establish a program of matching grants-in-aid to public agencies, public or private organizations, or individuals for projects having as their purpose the preservation for public benefit of properties that are significant in American or Washington state history, architecture, archaeology, and culture.

    (3) To promote historic preservation efforts throughout the state, including private efforts and those of city, county, and state agencies.

    (4) To enhance the effectiveness of the state preservation program through the initiation of legislation, the use of varied funding sources, the creation of special purpose programs, and contact with state, county, and city officials, civic groups, and professionals.

    (5) To spend funds, subject to legislative appropriation and the availability of funds, where necessary to assist the Indian tribes of Washington state in removing prehistoric human remains for scientific examination and reburial, if the human remains have been unearthed inadvertently or through vandalism and if no other public agency is legally responsible for their preservation.

    (6) To establish a stewardship center to promote the identification and protection of cultural resources among state and local agencies.  The activities of the center shall include:

    (a) The organization of a training program for state and local agency employees to facilitate the recognition and care of cultural resources;

    (b) The development of a method of information sharing among state agencies and participating local agencies to encourage greater awareness of cultural resource undertakings;

    (c) The preparation of a volunteer program to protect and monitor state and local government-owned cultural resources from vandalism;

    (d) The preparation, adoption, and dissemination of standards and guidelines that encourage the protection of cultural resources by state and local agencies;

    (e) The voluntary review of agency proposals for the rehabilitation and reuse of state-owned properties to ensure consistency with the standards and guidelines adopted under (d) of this subsection; and

    (f) Other activities that promote the stewardship of significant cultural resources owned or administered by state and local agencies for the benefit of present and future generations.

    (7) To consult with the governor and the legislature on issues relating to the conservation of the man-made environment and their impact on the well-being of the state and its citizens.

    (((7))) (8) To charge fees for professional and clerical services provided by the office.

    (((8))) (9) To adopt such rules, in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW, as are necessary to carry out RCW 27.34.200 through 27.34.280.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 43.82.010 and 1994 c 264 s 28 and 1994 c 219 s 7 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

    (1) The director of general administration, on behalf of the agency involved, shall purchase, lease, lease purchase, rent, or otherwise acquire all real estate, improved or unimproved, as may be required by elected state officials, institutions, departments, commissions, boards, and other state agencies, or federal agencies where joint state and federal activities are undertaken and may grant easements and transfer, exchange, sell, lease, or sublease all or part of any surplus real estate for those state agencies which do not otherwise have the specific authority to dispose of real estate.  This section does not transfer financial liability for the acquired property to the department of general administration.

    (2) Except for real estate occupied by federal agencies, the director shall determine the location, size, and design of any real estate or improvements thereon acquired or held pursuant to subsection (1) of this section.  Facilities acquired or held pursuant to this chapter, and any improvements thereon, shall conform to standards adopted by the director and approved by the office of financial management governing facility efficiency unless a specific exemption from such standards is provided by the director of general administration.  The director of general administration shall report to the office of financial management annually on any exemptions granted pursuant to this subsection.

    (3) The director of general administration may fix the terms and conditions of each lease entered into under this chapter, except that no lease shall extend greater than twenty years in duration.  The director of general administration may enter into a long-term lease greater than five years in duration upon a determination by the director of the office of financial management that the long-term lease provides a more favorable rate than would otherwise be available, it appears to a substantial certainty that the facility is necessary for use by the state for the full length of the lease term, and the facility meets the standards adopted pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.  The director of general administration may enter into a long-term lease greater than ten years in duration if an analysis shows that the life-cycle cost of leasing the facility is less than the life-cycle cost of purchasing or constructing a facility in lieu of leasing the facility.

    (4) It is the policy of the state to encourage the collocation and consolidation of state services into single or adjacent facilities, whenever appropriate, to improve public service delivery, minimize duplication of facilities, increase efficiency of operations, and promote sound growth management planning.

    (5) The director of general administration shall provide coordinated long-range planning services to identify and evaluate opportunities for collocating and consolidating state facilities.  Upon the renewal of any lease, the inception of a new lease, or the purchase of a facility, the director of general administration shall determine whether an opportunity exists for collocating the agency or agencies in a single facility with other agencies located in the same geographic area.  If a collocation opportunity exists, the director of general administration shall consult with the affected state agencies and the office of financial management to evaluate the impact collocation would have on the cost and delivery of agency programs, including whether program delivery would be enhanced due to the centralization of services.  The director of general administration, in consultation with the office of financial management, shall develop procedures for implementing collocation and consolidation of state facilities.

    (6) The director of general administration is authorized to purchase, lease, rent, or  otherwise acquire improved or unimproved real estate as owner or lessee and to lease or sublet all or a part of such real estate to state or federal agencies.  The director of general administration shall charge each using agency its proportionate rental which shall include an amount sufficient to pay all costs, including, but not limited to, those for utilities, janitorial and accounting services, and sufficient to provide for contingencies; which shall not exceed five percent of the average annual rental, to meet unforeseen expenses incident to management of the real estate.

    (7) If the director of general administration determines that it is necessary or advisable to undertake any work, construction, alteration, repair, or improvement on any real estate acquired pursuant to subsection (1) or (6) of this section, the director shall cause plans and specifications thereof and an estimate of the cost of such work to be made and filed in his or her office and the state agency benefiting thereby is hereby authorized to pay for such work out of any available funds:  PROVIDED, That the cost of executing such work shall not exceed the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars.  Work, construction, alteration, repair, or improvement in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars, other than that done by the owner of the property if other than the state, shall be performed in accordance with the public works law of this state.

    (8) In order to obtain maximum utilization of space, the director of general administration shall make space utilization studies, and shall establish standards for use of space by state agencies.  Such studies shall include the identification of opportunities for collocation and consolidation of state agency office and support facilities.

    (9) The director of general administration may construct new buildings on, or improve existing facilities, and furnish and equip, all real estate under his or her management.  Prior to the construction of new buildings or major improvements to existing facilities or acquisition of facilities using a lease purchase contract, the director of general administration shall conduct an evaluation of the facility design and budget using life-cycle cost analysis, value-engineering, and other techniques to maximize the long-term effectiveness and efficiency of the facility or improvement.

    (10) All conveyances and contracts to purchase, lease, rent, transfer, exchange, or sell real estate and to grant and accept easements shall be approved as to form by the attorney general, signed by the director of general administration or the director's designee, and recorded with the county auditor of the county in which the property is located.

    (11) The director of general administration may delegate any or all of the functions specified in this section to any agency upon such terms and conditions as the director deems advisable.

    (12) This section does not apply to the acquisition of real estate by:

    (a) The state college and universities for research or experimental purposes;

    (b) The state liquor control board for liquor stores and warehouses; and

    (c) The department of natural resources, the department of fish and wildlife, the department of transportation, and the state parks and recreation commission for purposes other than the leasing of offices, warehouses, and real estate for similar purposes.

    (13) Notwithstanding any provision in this chapter to the contrary, the department of general administration may negotiate ground leases for public lands on which property is to be acquired under a financing contract pursuant to chapter 39.94 RCW under terms approved by the state finance committee.

    (14) The director shall develop procedures through an interagency agreement with the state historic preservation officer as established in RCW 27.34.210 for ensuring that designated historic buildings and properties are recognized and considered when facilities are evaluated for purchase, lease, lease purchase, rent, or other acquisition as provided in subsection (1) of this section.  The method must be consistent with the legislative declaration of public policy in RCW 27.34.200 regarding the perpetuation and use of significant historic structures and buildings.

 


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