BILL REQ. #:  H-4575.1 

Read first time 01/22/08.   Referred to Committee on Ecology & Parks.

     AN ACT Relating to the future of the seminary building at Saint Edward state park; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) There is created the Saint Edward seminary building future uses assessment committee. The purpose of the committee is solely to conduct an assessment of and make recommendations regarding the future uses of the seminary building at Saint Edward state park, consistent with the criteria and procedures provided in this section.
     (2) The committee is composed of the following members:
     (a) A representative of the state parks and recreation commission, selected by the director of parks and recreation;
     (b) A representative of the city of Kenmore, selected by the city;
     (c) A representative of King county, selected by the county;
     (d) A member having experience and expertise in major building rehabilitation and reuse projects, selected by the governor;
     (e) A member representing the state office of archaeology and historic preservation, selected by the governor;
     (f) The chair of the new Saint Edward citizen advisory committee, created following authorization by the state parks and recreation commission at its September 2007 meeting;
     (g) A member representing neighborhoods surrounding Saint Edward state park, selected by the governor;
     (h) Four legislators, two of whom shall be selected by the speaker of the house of representatives, one from each major caucus in the house of representatives, and two of whom shall be selected by the president of the senate, one from each major caucus in the senate; and
     (i) A representative of the governor, selected by the governor.
     (3) The governor's representative serves as chair of the committee. The governor may solicit and consider recommendations from interested citizens and organizations in making the selections.
     (4) The state parks and recreation commission shall provide staff to the committee to assist in carrying out the committee's responsibilities under this section. The parks and recreation commission shall also make available previous assessments, reports, and proposals regarding future uses of the seminary building, and cooperate with the committee in all respects in fulfilling the requirements of this section.
     (5) The chair shall convene the committee by July 1, 2008, and schedule meetings periodically as necessary to meet the deadlines established in this section. The committee may enter into contracts to assist in the preparation of the assessment required under this section.
     (6) The committee shall prepare an assessment of the Saint Edward seminary building that includes:
     (a) A summary of the current condition of the building and immediate grounds;
     (b) A summary of the previous proposals submitted to the state parks and recreation commission for future uses of the building, as well as proposals developed by the commission;
     (c) Identification of potential future uses for institutional, residential, commercial, or mixed uses, including an identification of projected capital and operating funds needed for the identified alternative uses;
     (d) Opportunities to bring private capital and expertise to the building uses through public and private partnerships or other arrangements;
     (e) An assessment of road, parking, utility, and other infrastructure improvements necessary to serve the seminary building and other public uses of the state parks, including identification of cost-sharing opportunities with Bastyr University for improvements that would serve both the state park and the university;
     (f) An assessment of how proposed uses of the seminary building may impact current park uses; and
     (g) An assessment of whether the seminary building and immediate grounds may be administered by another state agency or local government more suitable to operating large scale uses in buildings.
     (7) In conducting the assessment and developing recommendations, the committee should be guided by the following criteria:
     (a) The assessment should be limited to the seminary building and immediate grounds and facilities necessary for a successful reuse of the building;
     (b) The proposed uses of the building should be consistent with the management plan previously approved by the parks and recreation commission for the remaining areas of the state park, and to the extent practicable should be consistent with state parks use principles for the seminary building;
     (c) The proposed uses should preserve the historic features of the building while employing recognized adaptive reuse techniques for historic structures, whether preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, or reconstruction;
     (d) The proposed uses of the building must be compatible with public park uses of the state park and meet the requirements established when federal funds were provided for the acquisition of the park; and
     (e) The future uses of the building should be substantially self-supporting, and necessary improvements and rehabilitation should be integrated with the future uses in a manner that may attract substantial nonstate funding.
     (8) The assessment must be provided to the governor, the parks and recreation commission, and the fiscal and policy committees of the senate and house of representatives by November 1, 2008.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The sum of seventy-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, from the general fund to the state parks and recreation commission for the purposes of this act.