S-0386.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5038

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senators Benton, Newhouse and Anderson

Read first time 01/13/97.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Limiting Columbia River Gorge commission authority to prohibit property development.

    AN ACT Relating to the Columbia River Gorge commission; and adding a new section to chapter 43.97 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 43.97 RCW to read as follows:

    (1)(a) If the commission has zoned an existing property or parcel in such a way that prohibits development of that property or parcel and the property or parcel is within an incorporated city's limits or was purchased before January 1, 1987, the commission shall:

    (i) Grant, by any process, a single building permit for that property or parcel; or

    (ii) Compensate the owner for the value of the property or parcel at its current, residential, fair market value as if the permit had been granted.

    (b) The assessor of the county to which the property in question belongs shall determine the compensatory amount.

    (2) If the commission does not grant a permit or compensation as required by subsection (1) of this section, then the legislature will not renew the commission's appropriation for the next biennium.

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