HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1955

                       As Passed House

                      January 28, 1994

Title:  An act relating to hearings related to improvement districts.

Brief Description:  Concerning hearings related to improvement districts.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Dunshee, H. Myers and Edmondson).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, March 1, 1993, DPS;

Passed House, March 12, 1993, 98-0;

  Passed House, January 28, 1994, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives H. Myers, Chair; Bray, Vice Chair; Edmondson, Ranking Minority Member; Reams, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dunshee; R. Fisher; Horn; Rayburn; Romero; Springer; Van Luven; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  Cities and towns may create local improvement districts (LID's) and impose special assessments within a LID to finance various improvements.

The use of special assessments in a LID to finance improvements involves various steps and two hearings.  One hearing is at the beginning of the process on the issue of whether the LID should be created.  The other hearing is at the end of the process on the assessment roll where the council acts as a board of adjustment and hears protests by property owners over the special assessments that are proposed to be imposed on property within the LID.

Any city with a population of 15,000 or more may designate a committee of the council, or a hearings officer, to take testimony at the first hearing and make a recommendation to the full council on the creation of the proposed LID.  The full council need not hold a hearing before creating the LID.

Any city with a population of 15,000 or more may designate a committee of the council, or a hearings officer, to take testimony at the second hearing and make recommendations to the full council on the final assessment roll.  The full council is not required to hold a hearing on the final assessment roll, but must hear appeals from property owners over their final assessments, and approve the final assessment roll, reject the final assessment or modify and approve the final assessment roll.

Counties are not granted similar authority to use a committee or hearings examiner when creating road improvement districts (RID's) but by reference may for creating LID's for water or sewer improvements.

Summary of Bill:  The population requirements are removed and any city or town may designate a committee of the full council or a hearings officer to hold hearings on both the proposed creation of the LID and on the proposed assessment roll, and make recommendations to the full council for its action.

A county may designate a committee or a hearings officer to hold hearings on both the proposed creation of a RID and proposed assessment roll, and make recommendations to the full county legislative authority.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This will cut costs.  This is permissive language.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  (Pro with amendments): Ron Main, King County; and Mike Todd, Association of Hearing Examiners.