_______________________________________________
SENATE
BILL 5767
_______________________________________________
Passed
Legislature - 1995 Regular Session
State of Washington 54th
Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By
Read first time 02/06/95.
Referred to Committee on Government Operations.
Authorizing
consolidation of municipal irrigation assessment districts.
AN ACT
Relating to municipal irrigation assessment districts; and amending RCW
35.92.220 and 35.92.230.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
35.92.220 and 1965 c 130 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
A city or town, situated within or served by, an irrigation project, or
projects, owned or operated by the United States government, a water users'
association, associations, corporation, or corporations or another city or town
or towns, where the legislative authority deems it feasible to furnish water
for irrigation and domestic purposes, or either, and where the water used for
irrigation and domestic purposes or either, is appurtenant or may become
appurtenant to the land located within such city or town, may purchase, lease,
or otherwise acquire water or water rights for the purpose of furnishing the
city or town and the inhabitants thereof with a supply of water for irrigation
and domestic purposes, or either; purchase, construct, or otherwise
acquire systems and means of distribution and delivery of water within and
without the limits of the city or town, or for the delivery of water where the
owner of land within the city or town owns a water right appurtenant to his or
her land, with full power to maintain, repair, reconstruct, regulate, and
control the same, and if private property is necessary for such purposes, the
city or town may condemn and purchase or purchase and acquire property, enter
into any contract, and order any and all work to be done ((which shall be))
that is necessary to carry out such purposes, and it may do so either by
the entire city or town or by assessment districts, consisting of the whole or
any portion thereof, as the legislative authority of the city or town may
determine.
(2)
The legislative authority of any city or town may by ordinance authorize the
consolidation of separate irrigation assessment districts, previously
established pursuant to this section, for the purposes of construction or
rehabilitation of improvements, or of ongoing administration, service, repair,
and reconstruction of irrigation systems. The separate irrigation assessment
districts to be consolidated need not be adjoining, vicinal, or neighboring.
If the legislative authority orders the creation of such consolidated
irrigation assessment districts, the money received and on hand from
assessments levied within the original districts shall be deposited in a
consolidated fund to be used by the municipality for future expenses within the
consolidated district.
Sec.
2. RCW
35.92.230 and 1965 c 130 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
For
the purpose of paying for a water right purchased by the city or town from the
United States government where the purchase price has not been fully paid;
paying annual maintenance or annual rental charge to the United States
government or any corporation or individual furnishing the water for irrigation
and domestic purposes, or either; paying assessments made by any water users'
association; paying the cost of constructing or acquiring any system or means
of distribution or delivery of water for ((said)) such purposes;
and for the upkeep, repair, reconstruction, operation, and maintenance thereof;
accumulating reasonable operating fund reserves to pay for system upkeep,
repair, operation, and maintenance, in such amount as is determined by the city
or town legislative authority; accumulating reasonable capital fund reserves in
an amount not to exceed the total estimated cost of system construction,
reconstruction, or refurbishment, over such period of time as is determined by
the city or town legislative authority; and for any expense incidental to
((said)) such purposes, the city or town may levy and collect
special assessments against the property within any district created pursuant
to RCW 35.92.220 ((as now or hereafter amended)), to pay the whole or
any part of any such costs and expenses.
