HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESSB 5439

As Amended by the House

BYSenate Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Owen, Metcalf, Patterson and Stratton)

Designating department of natural resources as agency for surveys and maps and creating surveys and maps account in the general fund.

House Committe on Natural Resources

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (19)

      Signed by Representatives Sutherland, Chair; K. Wilson, Vice Chair; Amondson, Ballard, Basich, Beck, Belcher, Bumgarner, Cole, Fuhrman, Hargrove, Haugen, R. King, Meyers, Sayan, Schmidt, C. Smith, Spanel and S. Wilson.

House Staff:Bill Koss (786-7129)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 16, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The state, through Engineering Services Division of the Department of Natural Resources, records all survey points in order to provide a centralized source of information.  The Surveys and Maps Program does this along with setting procedures and standards for accuracy, and sells maps and survey information.  Funding for the Surveys and Maps program comes from the proceeds of survey record sales and from filing fees received by counties for recording surveys, plats, etc.  These revenues are placed in the Surveys and Maps Account which also includes fees from general photo and map sales under the department's Photo and Map Program.  Revenue from survey records sales and the county collected fee of $15 per record do not fully support the Surveys and Maps Program, and additional support is needed to maintain the current level of the Program.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Natural Resources, rather than the Division of Engineering Services of the department, is designated as the agency responsible for the Surveys and Maps Program.  The department shall supervise the distribution and sale of maps, map data, photographs, and publications which the department may have.  The existing survey point recording fee of $15, which is collected by each county, is eliminated and the fee will be set by the Board of Natural Resources.  The provision that 10 percent of any fee collected is credited to the county is eliminated, allowing 100 percent to go to the Surveys and Maps Account.  Proceeds can be used for all survey and map programs.

The Department of Natural Resources administers approximately 900 acres of land adjacent to Northern State Hospital.  The department may negotiate an exchange or sale of this property to Skagit County.  The sale shall be for the purpose of establishing a regional destination tourist attraction.  In the sale or exchange, the department must receive fair market value for the property.

Proceeds from the sale shall be deposited in the Park Land Trust Revolving Fund and used to purchase replacement property.

Fiscal Note:      Requested March 20, 1987.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Cleve Pinnix, Department of Natural Resources; Dan Holman, Land Surveyors Association, Duane Biggar, Douglas County Public Works Department.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The Surveys and Maps Program cannot meet its legislatively mandated responsibilities with existing funding.  The public relies on the data compiled by the program.  If the information is not available, survey costs increase, sometimes significantly.  Costs charged for recording the necessary information will increase from $15 to approximately $21 per transaction.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.