SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5117

                As Passed Senate, March 3, 1999

 

Title:  An act relating to parking.

 

Brief Description:  Allowing the parking commission to have more than five members.

 

Sponsors:  Senator Bauer.

 

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  1/27/99, 1/28/99 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/3/99, 48-0.

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

 

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Haugen, Horn, Kline and McCaslin.

 

Staff:  Sharon Swanson (786-7445)

 

Background:  Any first or second class city may, by ordinance, create a parking commission to establish, acquire and operate off-street parking facilities.  Commission members are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council.  Members do not receive compensation beyond reimbursement for necessary expenses.  With an exception for off-street parking facilities situated on real property leased or rented to a city and not used for park and civic center parking, cities may operate off-street parking facilities with city forces.

 

Summary of Bill:  Parking commissions of first or second class cities must consist of at least five members.  No resolution is adopted by the parking commission without a majority vote. Parking fees for facilities under the control of the commission are equal to or greater than the prevailing rates for commercial operators in the same vicinity.  Cities may operate off-street parking facilities with city forces without exception to location.

 

Appropriation:  None.

 

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

 

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

 

Testimony For:  Major redevelopment is occurring; more charging flexibility than commer­cial operators is needed to help with debt load; and more commissioners are required because parking has become a very large part of growing infrastructure.  The city would like to use city forces to manage parking facilities rather than contract out.  This legislation grants greater flexibility and additional options to cities.

 

Testimony Against:  None.

 

Testified:  Mark Brown, Gerald Baugh, City of Vancouver, WA (pro).