SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 6216

As Passed Senate, February 11, 2004

Title: An act relating to defining timber land to include certain incidental uses.

Brief Description: Defining timber land to include certain incidental uses.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water (originally sponsored by Senators Rasmussen, Swecker, Doumit and Hargrove).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Natural Resources, Energy & Water: 1/21/04, 1/28/04 [DPS].

Passed Senate: 2/11/04, 49-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, ENERGY & WATER

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6216 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Morton, Chair; Hewitt, Vice Chair; Doumit, Fraser, Honeyford, Oke and Regala.

Staff: Vic Moon (786-7469)

Background: The statutes relating to timber tax allow incidental compatible uses on timber land as long as the incidental use is related to the growing and harvest of timber. There is no similar provision in the tax exemption for open space land and this causes a confusing situation for both the public and for the timber landowners.

Incidental uses must be directly related to timber production and would not include residences or other types of commercial buildings.

Summary of Bill: The open space land definition of "timber land" is modified to include land used for incidental uses that are compatible with the growing and harvesting of timber, but no more than 10 percent of the land may be used for the incidental purpose. There is no effect on land use or zoning.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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

Testimony For: The open space law does not provide for incidental uses on forest land and this causes a problem for the county assessors who administer the open space tax exemption. It also causes confusion for forest landowners since they must comply with both the open space law and the forest tax law.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Patricia Costello, Thurston County Assessor (pro); Michelle Hagen, Washington Assn. of County Officials (pro).