HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2937

BYRepresentatives H. Sommers, Phillips, Appelwick, Locke, Nelson, Anderson, Jacobsen, Valle, Crane, Leonard and O'Brien

Providing a definition of "public market."

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (12)

      Signed by Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Ferguson, Ranking Republican Member; Horn, Kirby, Nealey, Nelson, Nutley, Phillips, Raiter, Rayburn and Zellinsky.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (1)

      Signed by Representative Wolfe.

House Staff:Bill Lynch (786-7092)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 13, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Every city and town is authorized to condemn land and property for public use after paying the property owner just compensation.  Although cities and towns are specifically authorized to condemn public markets, public markets are not defined in statute.

First class cities are authorized to establish and regulate markets.  Any city or town may also construct, acquire, and operate public markets. There is no statutory definition of what constitutes a public market.

It is suggested that the authority of cities to regulate public markets would be strengthened if public markets were defined in statute.

SUMMARY:

A public market is defined to include all real and personal property located in a district or area designated by a city as a public market and traditionally devoted to providing farmers, crafts vendors, and other merchants with retail space to market their wares to the public.  The property located in the district may also be used for other public purposes, including the provision of human services and low or moderate-income housing.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Donald Stout, City of Seattle.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    A statutory definition of a public market will help clarify the authority of cities to condemn and operate public markets.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.