BILL REQ. #:  H-0737.1 

Read first time 01/12/2007.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to gathering information about Saint Edward state park; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that Saint Edward state park is an important, unique, and endangered feature of the state parks system. Saint Edward state park features over three hundred acres of land and three thousand feet of freshwater shoreline along Lake Washington. Most notably, Saint Edward state park is home to the Saint Edward seminary building, which was constructed in 1931 and served as a seminary until 1977. The historic seminary building was operated by the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Seattle until its transfer to the Washington state parks and recreation commission in the 1970s. The seminary building at Saint Edward state park has been listed on the Washington heritage register by the department of archeology and historic preservation.
     (2) The legislature further finds that the seminary building at Saint Edward state park is a unique feature of the park that should be treasured and maintained by the parks and recreation commission long into the future. However, the current status of the seminary building is unsatisfactory. The seminary's current state of disrepair blocks free public access to the historic building and brings into doubt the future of the building's stability.
     (3) The legislature further finds that the state parks and recreation commission should give the Saint Edward seminary building a top priority in terms of attention and funding. The state parks and recreation commission has been entrusted with a building of great historical significance and owes to Washington's future citizens the duty of maintaining and restoring the structure for their enjoyment and enrichment.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The state parks and recreation commission shall conduct or commission a full engineering and architectural evaluation of the seminary building at Saint Edward state park. The evaluation must, at a minimum:
     (a) Identify the repairs necessary immediately to stop or slow the further deterioration of the seminary building;
     (b) Identify the extent of the repairs necessary to maintain the basic level of public safety expected in a building open to the public; and
     (c) Identify which additional repairs or restoration would be necessary for the seminary building to be used for various purposes beyond mere recreational occupancy.
     (2) The evaluation conducted under this section must also identify the estimated costs associated with all repairs or restoration.
     (3) The evaluation required by this section must be completed and reported to the appropriate committees of the legislature by January 1, 2008.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act expires July 31, 2008.