HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS
HB 2312
Title:An act relating to the disposal of state parks and recreation commission land near Washougal, Washington.
Brief Description:Selling land to the port of Camas Washougal.
Sponsors: Representative Dunn.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL
RESOURCES
Meeting Date:January 12, 2000
Bill Analysis Prepared by:Josh Weiss, Counsel (786-7129)
Background:The Port of Camas Washougal (port) originally sold a 45 acre parcel of land to the Parks and Recreation Commission (commission) in 1991 for $911,800. As agreed between the commission and the port, the port then purchased an additional 20 acres from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which the port was to swap for 25 acres of the 45 acre commission parcel. This would have given the commission 40 contiguous waterfront acres to develop into a state park.
The commission no longer intends to develop any of the property as a state park and is interested in disposing of the 45 acres. The port is interested in reacquiring the property as an addition to the nearby industrial park.
The commission has had the parcel appraised, based upon a highest and best use (industrial) valuation. The appraisal resulted in a valuation of $2,025,000. The port disputes the need for parks to appraise the land at its highest and best use value, and would like to purchase the land for the original sale price plus inflation over the last eight years.
Generally, the commission is governed by RCW 79A.05.170 and RCW 79A.05.175 when disposing of surplus property. However, in this circumstance the disposal is not governed by those provisions because the land was originally purchased through a grant from the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (IAC). The purchase was funded through the Washington Wildlife Recreation Program (WWRP), which provides funds for the acquisition and development of recreation and conservation lands. Lands purchased through the WWRP are subject to IAC regulations, as promulgated in the Washington Administrative Code.