Passed by the House April 21, 2009 Yeas 98   FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 17, 2009 Yeas 46   BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SECOND SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1484 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. BARBARA BAKER ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
Approved May 6, 2009, 1:49 p.m., with
the exception of Section 1 which is
vetoed. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | May 8, 2009 Secretary of State State of Washington |
State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2009 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 03/03/09.
AN ACT Relating to habitat open space; amending RCW 76.09.040, 84.33.140, 84.34.108, 84.33.145, 76.09.020, 79.22.060, 79.64.110, and 43.30.385; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
*Sec. 1 RCW 76.09.040 and 2000 c 11 s 3 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Where necessary to accomplish the purposes and policies stated
in RCW 76.09.010, and to implement the provisions of this chapter, the
board shall adopt forest practices rules pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW
and in accordance with the procedures enumerated in this section that:
(a) Establish minimum standards for forest practices;
(b) Provide procedures for the voluntary development of resource
management plans which may be adopted as an alternative to the minimum
standards in (a) of this subsection if the plan is consistent with the
purposes and policies stated in RCW 76.09.010 and the plan meets or
exceeds the objectives of the minimum standards;
(c) Set forth necessary administrative provisions;
(d) Establish procedures for the collection and administration of
forest practice fees as set forth by this chapter; and
(e) Allow for the development of watershed analyses.
Forest practices rules pertaining to water quality protection shall
be adopted by the board after reaching agreement with the director of
the department of ecology or the director's designee on the board with
respect thereto. All other forest practices rules shall be adopted by
the board.
Forest practices rules shall be administered and enforced by either
the department or the local governmental entity as provided in this
chapter. Such rules shall be adopted and administered so as to give
consideration to all purposes and policies set forth in RCW 76.09.010.
(2) The board shall prepare proposed forest practices rules. In
addition to any forest practices rules relating to water quality
protection proposed by the board, the department of ecology may submit
to the board proposed forest practices rules relating to water quality
protection.
Prior to initiating the rule-making process, the proposed rules
shall be submitted for review and comments to the department of fish
and wildlife and to the counties of the state. After receipt of the
proposed forest practices rules, the department of fish and wildlife
and the counties of the state shall have thirty days in which to review
and submit comments to the board, and to the department of ecology with
respect to its proposed rules relating to water quality protection.
After the expiration of such thirty day period the board and the
department of ecology shall jointly hold one or more hearings on the
proposed rules pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW. At such hearing(s) any
county may propose specific forest practices rules relating to problems
existing within such county. The board may adopt and the department of
ecology may approve such proposals if they find the proposals are
consistent with the purposes and policies of this chapter.
(3) The board shall establish by rule a program for the acquisition
of riparian open space ((program that includes acquisition of a fee
interest in, or at the landowner's option, a conservation easement on))
and critical habitat for threatened or endangered species as designated
by the board. Acquisition must be a conservation easement. Lands
eligible for acquisition are forest lands within unconfined
((avulsing)) channel migration zones or forest lands containing
critical habitat for threatened or endangered species as designated by
the board. Once acquired, these lands may be held and managed by the
department, transferred to another state agency, transferred to an
appropriate local government agency, or transferred to a private
nonprofit nature conservancy corporation, as defined in RCW 64.04.130,
in fee or transfer of management obligation. The board shall adopt
rules governing the acquisition by the state or donation to the state
of such interest in lands including the right of refusal if the lands
are subject to unacceptable liabilities. The rules shall include
definitions of qualifying lands, priorities for acquisition, and
provide for the opportunity to transfer such lands with limited
warranties and with a description of boundaries that does not require
full surveys where the cost of securing the surveys would be
unreasonable in relation to the value of the lands conveyed. The rules
shall provide for the management of the lands for ecological protection
or fisheries enhancement. ((Because there are few, if any, comparable
sales of forest land within unconfined avulsing channel migration
zones, separate from the other lands or assets, these lands are likely
to be extraordinarily difficult to appraise and the cost of a
conventional appraisal often would be unreasonable in relation to the
value of the land involved. Therefore, for the purposes of voluntary
sales under this section, the legislature declares that these lands are
presumed to have a value equal to: (a) The acreage in the sale
multiplied by the average value of commercial forest land in the region
under the land value tables used for property tax purposes under RCW
84.33.120; plus (b) the cruised volume of any timber located within the
channel migration multiplied by the appropriate quality code stumpage
value for timber of the same species shown on the appropriate table
used for timber harvest excise tax purposes under RCW 84.33.091. For
purposes of this section, there shall be an eastside region and a
westside region as defined in the forests and fish report as defined in
RCW 76.09.020.)) For the purposes of conservation easements entered
into under this section, the following apply: (a) For conveyances of
a conservation easement in which the landowner conveys an interest in
the trees only, the compensation must include the timber value
component, as determined by the cruised volume of any timber located
within the channel migration zone or critical habitat for threatened or
endangered species as designated by the board, multiplied by the
appropriate quality code stumpage value for timber of the same species
shown on the appropriate table used for timber harvest excise tax
purposes under RCW 84.33.091; (b) for conveyances of a conservation
easement in which the landowner conveys interests in both land and
trees, the compensation must include the timber value component in (a)
of this subsection plus such portion of the land value component as
determined just and equitable by the department. The land value
component must be the acreage of qualifying channel migration zone or
critical habitat for threatened or endangered species as determined by
the board, to be conveyed, multiplied by the average per acre value of
all commercial forest land in western Washington or the average for
eastern Washington, whichever average is applicable to the qualifying
lands. The department must determine the western and eastern
Washington averages based on the land value tables established by RCW
84.33.140 and revised annually by the department of revenue.
(4) Subject to appropriations sufficient to cover the cost of such
an acquisition program and the related costs of administering the
program, the department ((is directed to purchase a fee interest or, at
the owner's option,)) must establish a conservation easement in land
that an owner tenders for purchase; provided that such lands have been
taxed as forest lands and are located within an unconfined ((avulsing))
channel migration zone or contain critical habitat for threatened or
endangered species as designated by the board. Lands acquired under
this section shall become riparian or habitat open space. These
acquisitions shall not be deemed to trigger the compensating tax of
chapters 84.33 and 84.34 RCW.
(5) Instead of offering to sell interests in qualifying lands,
owners may elect to donate the interests to the state.
(6) Any acquired interest in qualifying lands by the state under
this section shall be managed as riparian open space or critical
habitat.
*Sec. 1 was vetoed. See message at end of chapter.
Sec. 2 RCW 84.33.140 and 2007 c 54 s 24 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) When land has been designated as forest land under RCW
84.33.130, a notation of the designation shall be made each year upon
the assessment and tax rolls. A copy of the notice of approval
together with the legal description or assessor's parcel numbers for
the land shall, at the expense of the applicant, be filed by the
assessor in the same manner as deeds are recorded.
(2) In preparing the assessment roll as of January 1, 2002, for
taxes payable in 2003 and each January 1st thereafter, the assessor
shall list each parcel of designated forest land at a value with
respect to the grade and class provided in this subsection and adjusted
as provided in subsection (3) of this section. The assessor shall
compute the assessed value of the land using the same assessment ratio
applied generally in computing the assessed value of other property in
the county. Values for the several grades of bare forest land shall be
as follows:
LAND GRADE | OPERABILITY CLASS | VALUES PER ACRE |
1 | $234 | |
1 | 2 | 229 |
3 | 217 | |
4 | 157 | |
1 | 198 | |
2 | 2 | 190 |
3 | 183 | |
4 | 132 | |
1 | 154 | |
3 | 2 | 149 |
3 | 148 | |
4 | 113 | |
1 | 117 | |
4 | 2 | 114 |
3 | 113 | |
4 | 86 | |
1 | 85 | |
5 | 2 | 78 |
3 | 77 | |
4 | 52 | |
1 | 43 | |
6 | 2 | 39 |
3 | 39 | |
4 | 37 | |
1 | 21 | |
7 | 2 | 21 |
3 | 20 | |
4 | 20 | |
8 | 1 |
Sec. 3 RCW 84.34.108 and 2007 c 54 s 25 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) When land has once been classified under this chapter, a
notation of the classification shall be made each year upon the
assessment and tax rolls and the land shall be valued pursuant to RCW
84.34.060 or 84.34.065 until removal of all or a portion of the
classification by the assessor upon occurrence of any of the following:
(a) Receipt of notice from the owner to remove all or a portion of
the classification;
(b) Sale or transfer to an ownership, except a transfer that
resulted from a default in loan payments made to or secured by a
governmental agency that intends to or is required by law or regulation
to resell the property for the same use as before, making all or a
portion of the land exempt from ad valorem taxation;
(c) Sale or transfer of all or a portion of the land to a new
owner, unless the new owner has signed a notice of classification
continuance, except transfer to an owner who is an heir or devisee of
a deceased owner shall not, by itself, result in removal of
classification. The notice of continuance shall be on a form prepared
by the department. If the notice of continuance is not signed by the
new owner and attached to the real estate excise tax affidavit, all
additional taxes calculated pursuant to subsection (4) of this section
shall become due and payable by the seller or transferor at time of
sale. The auditor shall not accept an instrument of conveyance
regarding classified land for filing or recording unless the new owner
has signed the notice of continuance or the additional tax has been
paid, as evidenced by the real estate excise tax stamp affixed thereto
by the treasurer. The seller, transferor, or new owner may appeal the
new assessed valuation calculated under subsection (4) of this section
to the county board of equalization in accordance with the provisions
of RCW 84.40.038. Jurisdiction is hereby conferred on the county board
of equalization to hear these appeals;
(d) Determination by the assessor, after giving the owner written
notice and an opportunity to be heard, that all or a portion of the
land no longer meets the criteria for classification under this
chapter. The criteria for classification pursuant to this chapter
continue to apply after classification has been granted.
The granting authority, upon request of an assessor, shall provide
reasonable assistance to the assessor in making a determination whether
the land continues to meet the qualifications of RCW 84.34.020 (1) or
(3). The assistance shall be provided within thirty days of receipt of
the request.
(2) Land may not be removed from classification because of:
(a) The creation, sale, or transfer of forestry riparian easements
under RCW 76.13.120; or
(b) The creation, sale, or transfer of a fee interest or a
conservation easement for the riparian open space program under RCW
76.09.040.
(3) Within thirty days after such removal of all or a portion of
the land from current use classification, the assessor shall notify the
owner in writing, setting forth the reasons for the removal. The
seller, transferor, or owner may appeal the removal to the county board
of equalization in accordance with the provisions of RCW 84.40.038.
(4) Unless the removal is reversed on appeal, the assessor shall
revalue the affected land with reference to its true and fair value on
January 1st of the year of removal from classification. Both the
assessed valuation before and after the removal of classification shall
be listed and taxes shall be allocated according to that part of the
year to which each assessed valuation applies. Except as provided in
subsection (6) of this section, an additional tax, applicable interest,
and penalty shall be imposed which shall be due and payable to the
treasurer thirty days after the owner is notified of the amount of the
additional tax. As soon as possible, the assessor shall compute the
amount of additional tax, applicable interest, and penalty and the
treasurer shall mail notice to the owner of the amount thereof and the
date on which payment is due. The amount of the additional tax,
applicable interest, and penalty shall be determined as follows:
(a) The amount of additional tax shall be equal to the difference
between the property tax paid as "open space land," "farm and
agricultural land," or "timber land" and the amount of property tax
otherwise due and payable for the seven years last past had the land
not been so classified;
(b) The amount of applicable interest shall be equal to the
interest upon the amounts of the additional tax paid at the same
statutory rate charged on delinquent property taxes from the dates on
which the additional tax could have been paid without penalty if the
land had been assessed at a value without regard to this chapter;
(c) The amount of the penalty shall be as provided in RCW
84.34.080. The penalty shall not be imposed if the removal satisfies
the conditions of RCW 84.34.070.
(5) Additional tax, applicable interest, and penalty, shall become
a lien on the land which shall attach at the time the land is removed
from classification under this chapter and shall have priority to and
shall be fully paid and satisfied before any recognizance, mortgage,
judgment, debt, obligation or responsibility to or with which the land
may become charged or liable. This lien may be foreclosed upon
expiration of the same period after delinquency and in the same manner
provided by law for foreclosure of liens for delinquent real property
taxes as provided in RCW 84.64.050. Any additional tax unpaid on its
due date shall thereupon become delinquent. From the date of
delinquency until paid, interest shall be charged at the same rate
applied by law to delinquent ad valorem property taxes.
(6) The additional tax, applicable interest, and penalty specified
in subsection (4) of this section shall not be imposed if the removal
of classification pursuant to subsection (1) of this section resulted
solely from:
(a) Transfer to a government entity in exchange for other land
located within the state of Washington;
(b)(i) A taking through the exercise of the power of eminent
domain, or (ii) sale or transfer to an entity having the power of
eminent domain in anticipation of the exercise of such power, said
entity having manifested its intent in writing or by other official
action;
(c) A natural disaster such as a flood, windstorm, earthquake, or
other such calamity rather than by virtue of the act of the landowner
changing the use of the property;
(d) Official action by an agency of the state of Washington or by
the county or city within which the land is located which disallows the
present use of the land;
(e) Transfer of land to a church when the land would qualify for
exemption pursuant to RCW 84.36.020;
(f) Acquisition of property interests by state agencies or agencies
or organizations qualified under RCW 84.34.210 and 64.04.130 for the
purposes enumerated in those sections. At such time as these property
interests are not used for the purposes enumerated in RCW 84.34.210 and
64.04.130 the additional tax specified in subsection (4) of this
section shall be imposed;
(g) Removal of land classified as farm and agricultural land under
RCW 84.34.020(2)(e);
(h) Removal of land from classification after enactment of a
statutory exemption that qualifies the land for exemption and receipt
of notice from the owner to remove the land from classification;
(i) The creation, sale, or transfer of forestry riparian easements
under RCW 76.13.120;
(j) The creation, sale, or transfer of a ((fee interest or a))
conservation easement ((for the riparian open space program)) of
private forest lands within unconfined channel migration zones or
containing critical habitat for threatened or endangered species under
RCW 76.09.040; or
(k) The sale or transfer of land within two years after the death
of the owner of at least a fifty percent interest in the land if the
land has been assessed and valued as classified forest land, designated
as forest land under chapter 84.33 RCW, or classified under this
chapter continuously since 1993. The date of death shown on a death
certificate is the date used for the purposes of this subsection
(6)(k).
Sec. 4 RCW 84.33.145 and 2001 c 249 s 4 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) If no later than thirty days after removal of designation the
owner applies for classification under RCW 84.34.020 (1), (2), or (3),
then the designated forest land shall not be considered removed from
designation for purposes of the compensating tax under RCW 84.33.140
until the application for current use classification under chapter
84.34 RCW is denied or the property is removed from classification
under RCW 84.34.108. Upon removal of classification under RCW
84.34.108, the amount of compensating tax due under this chapter shall
be equal to:
(a) The difference, if any, between the amount of tax last levied
on the land as designated forest land and an amount equal to the new
assessed valuation of the land when removed from classification under
RCW 84.34.108 multiplied by the dollar rate of the last levy extended
against the land, multiplied by
(b) A number equal to:
(i) The number of years the land was designated under this chapter,
if the total number of years the land was designated under this chapter
and classified under chapter 84.34 RCW is less than ten; or
(ii) Ten minus the number of years the land was classified under
chapter 84.34 RCW, if the total number of years the land was designated
under this chapter and classified under chapter 84.34 RCW is at least
ten.
(2) Nothing in this section authorizes the continued designation
under this chapter or defers or reduces the compensating tax imposed
upon forest land not transferred to classification under subsection (1)
of this section which does not meet the definition of forest land under
RCW 84.33.035. Nothing in this section affects the additional tax
imposed under RCW 84.34.108.
(3) In a county with a population of more than ((one million)) six
hundred thousand inhabitants, no amount of compensating tax is due
under this section if the removal from classification under RCW
84.34.108 results from a transfer of property described in RCW
84.34.108(6).
Sec. 5 RCW 76.09.020 and 2003 c 311 s 3 are each amended to read
as follows:
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter
unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Adaptive management" means reliance on scientific methods to
test the results of actions taken so that the management and related
policy can be changed promptly and appropriately.
(2) "Appeals board" means the forest practices appeals board
created by RCW 76.09.210.
(3) "Aquatic resources" includes water quality, salmon, other
species of the vertebrate classes Cephalaspidomorphi and Osteichthyes
identified in the forests and fish report, the Columbia torrent
salamander (Rhyacotriton kezeri), the Cascade torrent salamander
(Rhyacotriton cascadae), the Olympic torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton
olympian), the Dunn's salamander (Plethodon dunni), the Van Dyke's
salamander (Plethodon vandyke), the tailed frog (Ascaphus truei), and
their respective habitats.
(4) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of public lands.
(5) "Contiguous" means land adjoining or touching by common corner
or otherwise. Land having common ownership divided by a road or other
right-of-way shall be considered contiguous.
(6) "Conversion to a use other than commercial timber operation"
means a bona fide conversion to an active use which is incompatible
with timber growing and as may be defined by forest practices rules.
(7) "Department" means the department of natural resources.
(8) "Fish passage barrier" means any artificial instream structure
that impedes the free passage of fish.
(9) "Forest land" means all land which is capable of supporting a
merchantable stand of timber and is not being actively used for a use
which is incompatible with timber growing. Forest land does not
include agricultural land that is or was enrolled in the conservation
reserve enhancement program by contract if such agricultural land was
historically used for agricultural purposes and the landowner intends
to continue to use the land for agricultural purposes in the future.
As it applies to the operation of the road maintenance and abandonment
plan element of the forest practices rules on small forest landowners,
the term "forest land" excludes:
(a) Residential home sites, which may include up to five acres; and
(b) Cropfields, orchards, vineyards, pastures, feedlots, fish pens,
and the land on which appurtenances necessary to the production,
preparation, or sale of crops, fruit, dairy products, fish, and
livestock exist.
(10) "Forest landowner" means any person in actual control of
forest land, whether such control is based either on legal or equitable
title, or on any other interest entitling the holder to sell or
otherwise dispose of any or all of the timber on such land in any
manner. However, any lessee or other person in possession of forest
land without legal or equitable title to such land shall be excluded
from the definition of "forest landowner" unless such lessee or other
person has the right to sell or otherwise dispose of any or all of the
timber located on such forest land.
(11) "Forest practice" means any activity conducted on or directly
pertaining to forest land and relating to growing, harvesting, or
processing timber, including but not limited to:
(a) Road and trail construction;
(b) Harvesting, final and intermediate;
(c) Precommercial thinning;
(d) Reforestation;
(e) Fertilization;
(f) Prevention and suppression of diseases and insects;
(g) Salvage of trees; and
(h) Brush control.
"Forest practice" shall not include preparatory work such as tree
marking, surveying and road flagging, and removal or harvesting of
incidental vegetation from forest lands such as berries, ferns,
greenery, mistletoe, herbs, mushrooms, and other products which cannot
normally be expected to result in damage to forest soils, timber, or
public resources.
(12) "Forest practices rules" means any rules adopted pursuant to
RCW 76.09.040.
(13) "Forest road," as it applies to the operation of the road
maintenance and abandonment plan element of the forest practices rules
on small forest landowners, means a road or road segment that crosses
land that meets the definition of forest land, but excludes residential
access roads.
(14) "Forest trees" does not include hardwood trees cultivated by
agricultural methods in growing cycles shorter than fifteen years if
the trees were planted on land that was not in forest use immediately
before the trees were planted and before the land was prepared for
planting the trees. "Forest trees" includes Christmas trees, but does
not include Christmas trees that are cultivated by agricultural
methods, as that term is defined in RCW 84.33.035.
(15) "Forests and fish report" means the forests and fish report to
the board dated April 29, 1999.
(16) "Application" means the application required pursuant to RCW
76.09.050.
(17) "Operator" means any person engaging in forest practices
except an employee with wages as his or her sole compensation.
(18) "Person" means any individual, partnership, private, public,
or municipal corporation, county, the department or other state or
local governmental entity, or association of individuals of whatever
nature.
(19) "Public resources" means water, fish and wildlife, and in
addition shall mean capital improvements of the state or its political
subdivisions.
(20) "Small forest landowner" has the same meaning as defined in
RCW 76.09.450.
(21) "Timber" means forest trees, standing or down, of a commercial
species, including Christmas trees. However, "timber" does not include
Christmas trees that are cultivated by agricultural methods, as that
term is defined in RCW 84.33.035.
(22) "Timber owner" means any person having all or any part of the
legal interest in timber. Where such timber is subject to a contract
of sale, "timber owner" shall mean the contract purchaser.
(23) "Board" means the forest practices board created in RCW
76.09.030.
(24) "Unconfined ((avulsing)) channel migration zone" means the
area within which the active channel of an unconfined ((avulsing))
stream is prone to move and where the movement would result in a
potential near-term loss of riparian forest adjacent to the stream.
Sizeable islands with productive timber may exist within the zone.
(25) "Unconfined ((avulsing)) stream" means generally fifth order
or larger waters that experience abrupt shifts in channel location,
creating a complex floodplain characterized by extensive gravel bars,
disturbance species of vegetation of variable age, numerous side
channels, wall-based channels, oxbow lakes, and wetland complexes.
Many of these streams have dikes and levees that may temporarily or
permanently restrict channel movement.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 (1) The legislature finds that the revenue
generated from state forest lands is a vital component of the operating
budget in many rural counties. The dependence on a natural resource-based economy is especially underscored in counties with lower
population levels and large holdings of public land. The high cost of
compliance with the federal endangered species act on state forest
lands within these smaller counties is disproportionately burdensome
when compared to their total county budgets.
(2) The intent of this act is to provide sustainable revenue to
smaller counties that are heavily dependent on state forest land
revenues while promoting long-term protection, conservation, and
recovery of marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls. This act
provides the necessary tools for the state to maintain long-term
working forests by replacing state forest lands with endangered
species-based harvest encumbrances with productive, working forest
lands.
Sec. 7 RCW 79.22.060 and 2003 c 334 s 221 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) With the approval of the board, the department may directly
transfer or dispose of state forest lands without public auction, if
((such)) the lands:
(a) Consist of ten contiguous acres or less((, or));
(b) Have a value of twenty-five thousand dollars or less; or
(c) Are located in a county with a population of twenty-five
thousand or less and are encumbered with timber harvest deferrals,
associated with wildlife species listed under the federal endangered
species act, greater than thirty years in length. ((Such))
(2) Disposal under this section may only occur in the following
circumstances:
(a) Transfers in lieu of condemnation; ((and))
(b) Transfers to resolve trespass and property ownership disputes;
or
(c) In counties with a population of twenty-five thousand or less,
transfers to public agencies.
(((2))) (3) Real property to be transferred or disposed of under
this section shall be transferred or disposed of only after appraisal
and for at least fair market value, and only if ((such)) the
transaction is in the best interest of the state or affected trust.
Valuable materials attached to lands transferred to public agencies
under subsection (2)(c) of this section must be appraised at the fair
market value without consideration of management or regulatory
encumbrances associated with wildlife species listed under the federal
endangered species act.
(((3))) (4) The proceeds from real property transferred or disposed
of under this section shall be deposited into the park land trust
revolving fund and be solely used to buy replacement land within the
same county as the property transferred or disposed. In counties with
a population of twenty-five thousand or less, the portion of the
proceeds associated with valuable materials on the transferred land
must be distributed as provided in RCW 79.64.110.
Sec. 8 RCW 79.64.110 and 2007 c 503 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
Any moneys derived from the lease of state forest lands or from the
sale of valuable materials, oils, gases, coal, minerals, or fossils
from those lands, or the appraised value of these resources when
transferred to a public agency under RCW 79.22.060, must be distributed
as follows:
(1) State forest lands acquired through RCW 79.22.040 or by
exchange for lands acquired through RCW 79.22.040:
(a) The expense incurred by the state for administration,
reforestation, and protection, not to exceed twenty-five percent, which
rate of percentage shall be determined by the board, must be returned
to the forest development account in the state general fund.
(b) Any balance remaining must be paid to the county in which the
land is located to be paid, distributed, and prorated, except as
otherwise provided in this section, to the various funds in the same
manner as general taxes are paid and distributed during the year of
payment.
(c) Any balance remaining, paid to a county with a population of
less than sixteen thousand, must first be applied to the reduction of
any indebtedness existing in the current expense fund of the county
during the year of payment.
(d) With regard to moneys remaining under this subsection (1),
within seven working days of receipt of these moneys, the department
shall certify to the state treasurer the amounts to be distributed to
the counties. The state treasurer shall distribute funds to the
counties four times per month, with no more than ten days between each
payment date.
(2) State forest lands acquired through RCW 79.22.010 or by
exchange for lands acquired through RCW 79.22.010, except as provided
in RCW 79.64.120:
(a) Fifty percent shall be placed in the forest development
account.
(b) Fifty percent shall be prorated and distributed to the state
general fund, to be dedicated for the benefit of the public schools,
and the county in which the land is located according to the relative
proportions of tax levies of all taxing districts in the county. The
portion to be distributed to the state general fund shall be based on
the regular school levy rate under RCW 84.52.065 and the levy rate for
any maintenance and operation special school levies. With regard to
the portion to be distributed to the counties, the department shall
certify to the state treasurer the amounts to be distributed within
seven working days of receipt of the money. The state treasurer shall
distribute funds to the counties four times per month, with no more
than ten days between each payment date. The money distributed to the
county must be paid, distributed, and prorated to the various other
funds in the same manner as general taxes are paid and distributed
during the year of payment.
(3) A school district may transfer amounts deposited in its debt
service fund pursuant to this section into its capital projects fund as
authorized in RCW 28A.320.330.
Sec. 9 RCW 43.30.385 and 2004 c 103 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The park land trust revolving fund is to be utilized by the
department for the purpose of acquiring real property, including all
reasonable costs associated with these acquisitions, as a replacement
for the property transferred to the state parks and recreation
commission, as directed by the legislature in order to maintain the
land base of the affected trusts or under RCW 79.22.060 and to receive
voluntary contributions for the purpose of operating and maintaining
public use and recreation facilities, including trails, managed by the
department. Proceeds from transfers of real property to the state
parks and recreation commission or other proceeds identified from
transfers of real property as directed by the legislature shall be
deposited in this fund. Disbursement from the park land trust
revolving fund to acquire replacement property and for operating and
maintaining public use and recreation facilities shall be on the
authorization of the department. The proceeds from real property
transferred or disposed under RCW 79.22.060 must be solely used to
purchase replacement forest land, that must be actively managed as a
working forest, within the same county as the property transferred or
disposed. In order to maintain an effective expenditure and revenue
control, the park land trust revolving fund is subject in all respects
to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required to permit
expenditures and payment of obligations from the fund.
(2) The department is authorized to solicit and receive voluntary
contributions for the purpose of operating and maintaining public use
and recreation facilities, including trails, managed by the department.
The department may seek voluntary contributions from individuals and
organizations for this purpose. Voluntary contributions will be
deposited into the park land trust revolving fund and used solely for
the purpose of public use and recreation facilities operations and
maintenance. Voluntary contributions are not considered a fee for use
of these facilities.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10 (1) By October 31, 2010, the department of
natural resources shall prepare a report to the appropriate committees
of the legislature detailing the procedure and timeline, and estimating
the costs, of full implementation of the intent of this act.
(2) The report required by this section must include a recommended
process to transfer state forest lands encumbered by long-term
endangered species-based harvest deferrals, associated with wildlife
species listed under the federal endangered species act, through the
trust land transfer program into a natural resource conservation area
status. This element of the report must assume the following:
(a) Encumbered property would be transferred at a specified
biennial rate designed to provide sustainable revenue to the impacted
counties;
(b) The value of the land and timber would be bifurcated, with the
timber value being distributed to the county as timber revenue, and the
land value being utilized to purchase replacement working forest land
within the affected county and placed in the appropriate trust
designation; and
(c) The land and timber value of the parcels identified for
transfer will be appraised at full market value, without consideration
of the devaluing effect of harvest encumbrances associated with
wildlife species listed under the federal endangered species act.
(3) This section expires June 30, 2011.