Title: An act relating to reimbursement by property owners for street, road, and water or sewer projects.

Brief Description: Authorizing a contract extension for reimbursement by property owners for street, road, and water or sewer projects.

Sponsors: Representatives B. Sullivan, Ericks and Sells.

Brief History: Passed House: 2/13/06, 98-0.

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 2/22/06, 2/23/06 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kastama, Chair; Berkey, Vice Chair; Roach, Ranking Minority Member; Fairley, Haugen, Kline, McCaslin and Pridemore.

Staff: Genevieve Pisarski (786-7488)

Background: Cities, towns, and water-sewer districts are authorized to enter into contracts with developers and other property owners that create reimbursement procedures for the construction and/or funding of infrastructure improvements that exceed the scope or capacity necessary for a particular development or property, known as "latecomer agreements." These can cover street projects or water-sewer facilities and are limited to a period of 15 years.

Summary of Bill: Contracts by cities, towns, or water-sewer districts requiring pro rata reimbursement to a property owner for funding excess infrastructure capacity may allow for extensions beyond 15 years, but not longer than the duration of any moratorium, phasing ordinance, concurrency designation, or other action that delays applications for new development for 6 months or longer. These extensions must be of specified length and recorded. Obligated property owners must be notified. The contracting property owner must update contact information every 2 years. Failure to do so allows the contracting city, town, or district to collect the reimbursement.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: These reimbursement contracts encourage construction of needed infrastructure. The bill also makes some technical improvements to the existing law.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Jason Chambers, Barclays North, Inc.; Joe Daniels, Washington Association of Sewer-Water Districts.