AN ACT Relating to the Washington coordinate system; amending RCW 58.20.010, 58.20.020, 58.20.030, 58.20.050, 58.20.060, 58.20.070, 58.20.080, and 58.20.090; adding new sections to chapter 58.20 RCW; and repealing RCW 58.20.010, 58.20.020, 58.20.030, 58.20.040, 58.20.050, 58.20.060, 58.20.070, 58.20.080, 58.20.090, and 58.20.900.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. Section 1, chapter 168, Laws of 1945 and RCW 58.20.010 are each amended to read as follows:

The system of plane coordinates which has been established by the United States coast and geodetic survey for defining and stating the positions or locations of points on the surface of the earth within the state of Washington is hereafter to be known and designated as the "Washington coordinate system of 1927".

For the purpose of the use of this system the state is divided into a "north zone" and a "south zone".

The area now included in the following counties shall constitute the north zone: Chelan, Clallam, Douglas, Ferry, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Whatcom, and that part of Grant lying north of parallel 47° 30' north latitude.

The area now included in the following counties shall constitute the south zone: Adams, Asotin, Benton, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin, Garfield, that part of Grant lying south of parallel 47° 30' north latitude, Grays Harbor, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skamania, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whitman and Yakima.

Sec. 2. Section 2, chapter 168, Laws of 1945 and RCW 58.20.020 are each amended to read as follows:

As established for use in the north zone, the Washington coordinate system of 1927 shall be named, and in any land description in which it is used it shall be designated, the "Washington coordinate system of 1927, north zone".

As established for use in the south zone, the Washington coordinate system of 1927 shall be named, and in any land description in which it is used it shall be designated, the "Washington coordinate system of 1927, south zone".

Sec. 3. Section 3, chapter 168, Laws of 1945 and RCW 58.20.030 are each amended to read as follows:

The plane coordinates of a point on the earth's surface, to be used in expressing the position or location of such point in the appropriate zone of this system, shall consist of two distances, expressed in feet and decimals of a foot. One of these distances, to be known as the "x-coordinate", shall give the position in an east-and-west direction; the other, to be known as the "y-coordinate", shall give the position in a north-and-south direction. These coordinates shall be made to depend upon and conform to the coordinates, on the Washington coordinate system of 1927, of the triangulation and traverse stations of the United States coast and geodetic survey within the state of Washington, as those coordinates have been determined by the said survey.

Sec. 4. Section 5, chapter 168, Laws of 1945 and RCW 58.20.050 are each amended to read as follows:

For purposes of more precisely defining the Washington coordinate system of 1927, the following definition by the United States coast and geodetic survey is adopted:

The Washington coordinate system of 1927, north zone, is a Lambert conformal projection of the Clarke spheroid of 1866, having standard parallels at north latitudes 47° 30' and 48° 44', along which parallels the scale shall be exact. The origin of coordinates is at the intersection of the meridian 120° 50' west of Greenwich and the ((~~meridian~~)) parallel 47° 00' north latitude. This origin is given the coordinates: x = 2,000,000 feet and y = 0 feet.

The Washington coordinate system of 1927, south zone, is a Lambert conformal projection of the Clarke spheroid of 1866, having standard parallels at north latitudes 45° 50' and 47° 20', along which parallels the scale shall be exact. The origin of coordinates is at the intersection of the meridian 120° 30' west of Greenwich and the parallel 45° 20' north latitude. This origin is given the coordinates: x = 2,000,000 feet and y = 0 feet.

The position of the Washington coordinate system of 1927 shall be as marked on the ground by triangulation or traverse stations established in conformity with the standards adopted by the United States coast and geodetic survey for first-order and second-order work, whose geodetic positions have been rigidly adjusted on the North American datum of 1927, and whose coordinates have been computed on the system herein defined. Any such station may be used to establish a survey connection with the Washington coordinate system of 1927.

Sec. 5. Section 6, chapter 168, Laws of 1945 and RCW 58.20.060 are each amended to read as follows:

No coordinates based on the Washington coordinate system of 1927, purporting to define the position of a point on a land boundary, shall be presented to be recorded in any public land records or deed records unless such point is within one-half mile of a triangulation or traverse station established in conformity with the standards prescribed in RCW 58.20.050: PROVIDED, That said one-half mile limitation may be modified by a duly authorized state agency to meet local conditions.

Sec. 6. Section 7, chapter 168, Laws of 1945 and RCW 58.20.070 are each amended to read as follows:

The use of the term "Washington coordinate system of 1927" on any map, report of survey, or other document, shall be limited to coordinates based on the Washington coordinate system of 1927 as defined in this chapter.

Sec. 7. Section 8, chapter 168, Laws of 1945 and RCW 58.20.080 are each amended to read as follows:

Whenever coordinates based on the Washington coordinate system of 1927 are used to describe any tract of land which in the same document is also described by reference to any subdivision, line or corner of the United States public land surveys, the description by coordinates shall be construed as supplemental to the basic description of such subdivision, line, or corner contained in the official plats and field notes filed of record, and in the event of any conflict the description by reference to the subdivision, line, or corner of the United States public land surveys shall prevail over the description by coordinates.

Sec. 8. Section 9, chapter 168, Laws of 1945 and RCW 58.20.090 are each amended to read as follows:

Nothing contained in this chapter shall require any purchaser or mortgagee to rely on a description, any part of which depends exclusively upon the Washington coordinate system of 1927.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout sections 9 through 21 of this act:

(1) "Committee" means the interagency federal geodetic control committee or its successor;

(2) "GRS 80" means the geodetic reference system of 1980 as adopted in 1979 by the international union of geodesy and geophysics defined on an equipotential ellipsoid;

(3) "National geodetic survey" means the national ocean service's national geodetic survey of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration, United States department of commerce, or its successor;

(4) "Washington coordinate system of 1927" means the system of plane coordinates in effect under this chapter until July 1, 1990, which is based on the North American datum of 1927 as determined by the national geodetic survey of the United States department of commerce;

(5) "Washington coordinate system of 1983" means the system of plane coordinates under this chapter based on the North American Datum of 1983 as determined by the national geodetic survey of the United States department of commerce.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. Until July 1, 1990, the Washington coordinate system of 1927, or its successor, the Washington coordinate system of 1983, may be used in Washington for expressing positions or locations of points on the surface of the earth. On and after that date, the Washington coordinate system of 1983 shall be the designated coordinate system in Washington. The Washington coordinate system of 1927 may be used only for purposes of reference after June 30, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. The system of plane coordinates which has been established by the national geodetic survey for defining and stating the positions or locations of points on the surface of the earth within the state of Washington is designated as the "Washington coordinate system of 1983."

For the purposes of this system the state is divided into a "north zone" and a "south zone."

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. As established for use in the north zone, the Washington coordinate system of 1983 shall be named, and in any land description in which it is used it shall be designated, the "Washington coordinate system of 1983, north zone."

As established for use in the south zone, the Washington coordinate system of 1983 shall be named, and in any land description in which it is used it shall be designated, the "Washington coordinate system of 1983, south zone."

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. "N" and "E" shall be used in labeling coordinates of a point on the earth's surface and in expressing the position or location of such point relative to the origin of the appropriate zone of this system, expressed in meters and decimals of a meter. These coordinates shall be made to depend upon and conform to the coordinates, on the Washington coordinate system of 1983, of the horizontal control stations of the national geodetic survey within the state of Washington, as those coordinates have been determined, accepted, or adjusted by the survey.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. When any tract of land to be defined by a single description extends from one into the other of the coordinate zones under section 11 of this act, the positions of all points on its boundaries may be referred to either of the zones, the zone which is used being specifically named in the description.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 15. For purposes of more precisely defining the Washington coordinate system of 1983, the following definition by the national geodetic survey is adopted:

The Washington coordinate system of 1983, north zone, is a Lambert conformal conic projection of the GRS 80 spheroid, having standard parallels at north latitudes 47° 30' and 48° 44', along which parallels the scale shall be exact. The origin of coordinates is at the intersection of the meridian 120° 50' west of Greenwich and the parallel 47° 00' north latitude. This origin is given the coordinates: E = 500,000 meters and N = 0 meters.

The Washington coordinate system of 1983, south zone, is a Lambert conformal conic projection of the GRS 80 spheroid, having standard parallels at north latitudes 45° 50' and 47° 20', along which parallels the scale shall be exact. The origin of coordinates is at the intersection of the meridian 120° 30' west of Greenwich and the parallel 45° 20' north latitude. This origin is given the coordinates: E = 500,000 meters and N = 0 meters.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 16. Coordinates based on the Washington coordinate system of 1983, purporting to define the position of a point on a land boundary, may be presented to be recorded in any public land records or deed records if the survey method used for the determination of these coordinates is established in conformity with standards and specifications prescribed by the interagency federal geodetic control committee, or its successor. These surveys shall be connected to monumented control stations that are adjusted to and published in the national network of geodetic control by the national geodetic survey and such connected horizontal control stations shall be described in the land or deed record. Standards and specifications of the committee in force on the date of the survey shall apply. In all instances where reference has been made to such coordinates in land surveys or deeds, the scale and sea level factors shall be stated for the survey lines used in computing ground distances and areas.

The position of the Washington coordinate system of 1983 shall be marked on the ground by horizontal geodetic control stations which have been established in conformity with the survey standards adopted by the committee and whose geodetic positions have been rigorously adjusted on the North American datum of 1983, and whose coordinates have been computed and published on the system defined in sections 9 through 21 of this act. Any such control station may be used to establish a survey connection with the Washington coordinate system of 1983.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 17. Any conversion of coordinates between the meter and the United States survey foot shall be based upon the length of the meter being equal to exactly 39.37 inches.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 18. The use of the term "Washington coordinate system of 1983" on any map, report of survey, or other document, shall be limited to coordinates based on the Washington coordinate system of 1983 as defined in this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 19. Whenever coordinates based on the Washington coordinate system of 1983 are used to describe any tract of land which in the same document is also described by reference to any subdivision, line or corner of the United States public land surveys, the description by coordinates shall be construed as supplemental to the basic description of such subdivision, line, or corner contained in the official plats and field notes filed of record, and in the event of any conflict the description by reference to the subdivision, line, or corner of the United States public land surveys shall prevail over the description by coordinates.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 20. Nothing contained in this chapter shall require any purchaser or mortgagee to rely on a description, any part of which depends exclusively upon the Washington coordinate system of 1927 or 1983.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 21. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 22. The following acts or parts of acts now or hereafter amended are each repealed effective July 1, 1990:

(1) Section 1, chapter 168, Laws of 1945, section 1 of this act and RCW 58.20.010;

(2) Section 2, chapter 168, Laws of 1945, section 2 of this act and RCW 58.20.020;

(3) Section 3, chapter 168, Laws of 1945, section 3 of this act and RCW 58.20.030;

(4) Section 4, chapter 168, Laws of 1945 and RCW 58.20.040;

(5) Section 5, chapter 168, Laws of 1945, section 4 of this act and RCW 58.20.050;

(6) Section 6, chapter 168, Laws of 1945, section 5 of this act and RCW 58.20.060;

(7) Section 7, chapter 168, Laws of 1945, section 6 of this act and RCW 58.20.070;

(8) Section 8, chapter 168, Laws of 1945, section 7 of this act and RCW 58.20.080;

(9) Section 9, chapter 168, Laws of 1945, section 8 of this act and RCW 58.20.090; and

(10) Section 10, chapter 168, Laws of 1945 and RCW 58.20.900.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 23. Sections 9 through 21 of this act are each added to chapter 58.20 RCW.