H-1392.1  _______________________________________________

 

                          HOUSE BILL 2024

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Rockefeller, Dunn, Jackley, Lantz, Linville, Mielke and McDermott

 

Read first time 02/13/2001.  Referred to Committee on Local Government & Housing.

Allowing floating homes on aquatic lands in urban growth areas.


    AN ACT Relating to floating residences above aquatic lands; amending RCW 79.90.465; and adding a new section to chapter 36.70A RCW.

 

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

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 36.70A RCW to read as follows:

    Development regulations of a county or city controlling land uses within urban growth areas designated under RCW 36.70A.110 may allow floating homes, floating aquatic residences, and permanent residency aboard moored boats above any portion of aquatic lands in the urban growth area, including on isolated docks or piers, if, at a minimum, provisions for the following are made for each floating home, aquatic residence, and boat onboard which permanent residency is allowed:  (1) Effluent removal and treatment; (2) a fire safety plan; (3) potable water supply; (4) a verifiable address; (5) nearby solid waste collection; (6) nearby motor vehicle parking space; and (7) life safety systems.

    The county's or city's local shoreline master program must be amended to be in concert with these development regulations.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 79.90.465 and 1984 c 221 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    The definitions in this section apply throughout chapters 79.90 through 79.96 RCW.

    (1) "Water-dependent use" means a use which cannot logically exist in any location but on the water.  Examples include, but are not limited to, water-borne commerce; terminal and transfer facilities; ferry terminals; watercraft sales in conjunction with other water-dependent uses; watercraft construction, repair, and maintenance; moorage and launching facilities; aquaculture; log booming; ((and)) public fishing piers and parks; and floating residences allowed under section 1 of this act.

    (2) "Water-oriented use" means a use which historically has been dependent on a waterfront location, but with existing technology could be located away from the waterfront.  Examples include, but are not limited to, wood products manufacturing, watercraft sales, fish processing, petroleum refining, sand and gravel processing, and log storage((, and house boats)).  Other examples also include floating residences not located in an area designated under section 1 of this act.  For the purposes of determining rent under this chapter, water-oriented uses shall be classified as water-dependent uses if the activity either is conducted on state-owned aquatic lands leased on October 1, 1984, or was actually conducted on the state-owned aquatic lands for at least three years before October 1, 1984.  If, after October 1, 1984, the activity is changed to a use other than a water-dependent use, the activity shall be classified as a nonwater-dependent use.  If continuation of the existing use requires leasing additional state-owned aquatic lands and is permitted under the shoreline management act of 1971, chapter 90.58 RCW, the department may allow reasonable expansion of the water-oriented use.

    (3) "Nonwater-dependent use" means a use which can operate in a location other than on the waterfront.  Examples include, but are not limited to, hotels, condominiums, apartments, restaurants, retail stores, and warehouses not part of a marine terminal or transfer facility.

    (4) "Log storage" means the water storage of logs in rafts or otherwise prepared for shipment in water-borne commerce, but does not include the temporary holding of logs to be taken directly into a vessel or processing facility.

    (5) "Log booming" means placing logs into and taking them out of the water, assembling and disassembling log rafts before or after their movement in water-borne commerce, related handling and sorting activities taking place in the water, and the temporary holding of logs to be taken directly into a processing facility.  "Log booming" does not include the temporary holding of logs to be taken directly into a vessel.

    (6) "Department" means the department of natural resources.

    (7) "Port district" means a port district created under Title 53 RCW.

    (8) The "real rate of return" means the average for the most recent ten calendar years of the average rate of return on conventional real property mortgages as reported by the federal home loan bank board or any successor agency, minus the average inflation rate for the most recent ten calendar years.

    (9) The "inflation rate" for a given year is the percentage rate of change in the previous calendar year's all commodity producer price index of the bureau of labor statistics of the United States department of commerce.  If the index ceases to be published, the department shall designate by rule a comparable substitute index.

    (10) "Public utility lines" means pipes, conduits, and similar facilities for distribution of water, electricity, natural gas, telephone, other electronic communication, and sewers, including sewer outfall lines.

    (11) "Terminal" means a point of interchange between land and water carriers, such as a pier, wharf, or group of such, equipped with facilities for care and handling of cargo and/or passengers.

    (12) "State-owned aquatic lands" means those aquatic lands and waterways administered by the department of natural resources or managed under RCW 79.90.475 by a port district.  "State-owned aquatic lands" does not include aquatic lands owned in fee by, or withdrawn for the use of, state agencies other than the department of natural resources.

 


                            --- END ---