BILL ANALYSIS

HB 2769

TITLE OF THE BILL: Revising provisions for lake management districts.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF BILL

CEliminates 10-year duration for a lake management district once created.

C  Adds cleaning and maintaining dikes, levees, and flumes to list of improvement and

maintenance activities for which rates, charges and special assessments may be imposed.

SPONSORS:  Representatives Hurst and Stensen.

HEARING DATE:  Wednesday, February 2, 2000.

EFFECTIVE  DATE:  Ninety days after adjourment of session in which bill is passed.

FISCAL NOTE:   Requested February 2, 2000.

ANALYSIS PREPARED BY:  Scott MacColl (786-7106).

BACKGROUND:

Counties are authorized to create Lake Management Districts to finance the improvement and maintenance of lakes within or partially within the county boundaries for a maximum of ten years.  The district may include all or a portion of a lake and the adjacent land areas, and a lake may be in more that one district.  More than one lake, or portions of lakes, including adjacent land areas may be included in a single district.

Special assessments or rates or charges may be imposed on property to finance lake improvement and maintenance activities, including:

CControl or removal of aquatic plants and vegetation;

CWater quality;

CControl of water levels;

CStorm water diversions and treatment;

CAgricultural waste control;

CStudying lake water quality problems and solutions;

CCleaning and maintaining ditches and streams entering or leaving the lake; and

CRelated administrative, engineering, legal, and operational costs, including the costs of creating the district.

These rates may be imposed annually on all lands within the district for the duration of the district without a related  issuance of lake management district bonds or revenue bonds.  Special assessments may be imposed in the same manner as local improvement districts, with each land owner having the choice of paying everything at once, or installments with districts bonds being issued to obtain moneys not derived by the initial full payment of the special assessments, with installments covering all costs relating to issuing, selling, and redeeming the district bonds.

SUMMARY:

The ten year time limit for the duration of lake management districts is removed. 

Lake improvement and maintenance activities that are financed through the use of the special assessments, rates, or charges that may be imposed on property within the district are expanded to also include the cleaning and maintenance of dikes, levees and flumes.