SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6175

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

    Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation, January 20, 2000

Title:  An act relating to disposal of real property.

Brief Description:  Allowing the parks and recreation commission to dispose of certain real property without an auction.

Sponsors:  Senators Jacobsen and Oke; by request of Parks and Recreation Commission.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation:  1/13/2000, 1/20/2000 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS & RECREATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6175 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; T. Sheldon, Vice Chair; Hargrove, Morton, Oke, Rossi, Snyder, Spanel and Stevens.

Staff:  David Johnson (786-7754)

Background:  Two methods are currently authorized to resolve trespass, boundary, and other property ownership disputes related to state park land.  The disputed land may be traded for land of equal value or sold at public auction.  The difficulty and uncertainty attendant with these methods has resulted in a number of unresolved property disputes.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  In order to resolve ownership and boundary disputes, the Parks and Recreation Commission is authorized to sell up to ten acres of contiguous real property without a public auction.  An appraisal is required and the sale must be for fair market value.  The commission must unanimously approve a sale.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute limits the amount of property that can be sold in this manner to ten contiguous acres.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This will allow parks to deal with these sort of property disputes in a more expedient and neighborly manner.  Other agencies have this ability.  The current limited processes are so cumbersome that some disputes aren=t being resolved.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Rex Derr, State Parks; Jim King, Coalition for Parks and Recreation; Bill Clarke, WA Realtors.