BILL REQ. #:  S-0832.2 

Read first time 02/01/2007.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to providing property tax relief to owners of property used to conserve wildlife habitat; and amending RCW 84.34.020 and 84.34.030.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 84.34.020 and 2005 c 57 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     As used in this chapter, unless a different meaning is required by the context:
     (1) "Open space land" means (a) any land area so designated by an official comprehensive land use plan adopted by any city or county and zoned accordingly, or (b) any land area, the preservation of which in its present use would (i) conserve and enhance natural or scenic resources, or (ii) protect streams or water supply, or (iii) promote conservation of soils, wetlands, beaches ((or)), tidal marshes, or wildlife habitats, or (iv) enhance the value to the public of abutting or neighboring parks, forests, wildlife preserves, nature reservations or sanctuaries or other open space, or (v) enhance recreation opportunities, or (vi) preserve historic sites, or (vii) preserve visual quality along highway, road, and street corridors or scenic vistas, or (viii) retain in its natural state tracts of land not less than one acre situated in an urban area and open to public use on such conditions as may be reasonably required by the legislative body granting the open space classification, or (c) any land meeting the definition of farm and agricultural conservation land under subsection (8) of this section. As a condition of granting open space classification, the legislative body may not require public access on land classified under (b)(iii) of this subsection for the purpose of promoting conservation of wetlands or wildlife habitats.
     (2) "Farm and agricultural land" means:
     (a) Any parcel of land that is twenty or more acres or multiple parcels of land that are contiguous and total twenty or more acres:
     (i) Devoted primarily to the production of livestock or agricultural commodities for commercial purposes;
     (ii) Enrolled in the federal conservation reserve program or its successor administered by the United States department of agriculture; or
     (iii) Other similar commercial activities as may be established by rule;
     (b)(i) Any parcel of land that is five acres or more but less than twenty acres devoted primarily to agricultural uses, which has produced a gross income from agricultural uses equivalent to, as of January 1, 1993:
     (A) One hundred dollars or more per acre per year for three of the five calendar years preceding the date of application for classification under this chapter for all parcels of land that are classified under this subsection or all parcels of land for which an application for classification under this subsection is made with the granting authority prior to January 1, 1993; and
     (B) On or after January 1, 1993, two hundred dollars or more per acre per year for three of the five calendar years preceding the date of application for classification under this chapter;
     (ii) For the purposes of (b)(i) of this subsection, "gross income from agricultural uses" includes, but is not limited to, the wholesale value of agricultural products donated to nonprofit food banks or feeding programs;
     (c) Any parcel of land of less than five acres devoted primarily to agricultural uses which has produced a gross income as of January 1, 1993, of:
     (i) One thousand dollars or more per year for three of the five calendar years preceding the date of application for classification under this chapter for all parcels of land that are classified under this subsection or all parcels of land for which an application for classification under this subsection is made with the granting authority prior to January 1, 1993; and
     (ii) On or after January 1, 1993, fifteen hundred dollars or more per year for three of the five calendar years preceding the date of application for classification under this chapter.
Parcels of land described in (b)(i)(A) and (c)(i) of this subsection shall, upon any transfer of the property excluding a transfer to a surviving spouse, be subject to the limits of (b)(i)(B) and (c)(ii) of this subsection;
     (d) Any lands including incidental uses as are compatible with agricultural purposes, including wetlands preservation, provided such incidental use does not exceed twenty percent of the classified land and the land on which appurtenances necessary to the production, preparation, or sale of the agricultural products exist in conjunction with the lands producing such products. Agricultural lands shall also include any parcel of land of one to five acres, which is not contiguous, but which otherwise constitutes an integral part of farming operations being conducted on land qualifying under this section as "farm and agricultural lands"; or
     (e) The land on which housing for employees and the principal place of residence of the farm operator or owner of land classified pursuant to (a) of this subsection is sited if: The housing or residence is on or contiguous to the classified parcel; and the use of the housing or the residence is integral to the use of the classified land for agricultural purposes.
     (3) "Timber land" means any parcel of land that is five or more acres or multiple parcels of land that are contiguous and total five or more acres which is or are devoted primarily to the growth and harvest of timber for commercial purposes. Timber land means the land only and does not include a residential homesite. The term includes land used for incidental uses that are compatible with the growing and harvesting of timber but no more than ten percent of the land may be used for such incidental uses. It also includes the land on which appurtenances necessary for the production, preparation, or sale of the timber products exist in conjunction with land producing these products.
     (4) "Current" or "currently" means as of the date on which property is to be listed and valued by the assessor.
     (5) "Owner" means the party or parties having the fee interest in land, except that where land is subject to real estate contract "owner" shall mean the contract vendee.
     (6) "Contiguous" means land adjoining and touching other property held by the same ownership. Land divided by a public road, but otherwise an integral part of a farming operation, shall be considered contiguous.
     (7) "Granting authority" means the appropriate agency or official who acts on an application for classification of land pursuant to this chapter.
     (8) "Farm and agricultural conservation land" means either:
     (a) Land that was previously classified under subsection (2) of this section, that no longer meets the criteria of subsection (2) of this section, and that is reclassified under subsection (1) of this section; or
     (b) Land that is traditional farmland that is not classified under chapter 84.33 or 84.34 RCW, that has not been irrevocably devoted to a use inconsistent with agricultural uses, and that has a high potential for returning to commercial agriculture.

Sec. 2   RCW 84.34.030 and 1989 c 378 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
     An owner of agricultural land desiring current use classification under subsection (2) of RCW 84.34.020 shall make application to the county assessor upon forms prepared by the state department of revenue and supplied by the county assessor. An owner of open space or timber land desiring current use classification under subsections (1) and (3) of RCW 84.34.020 shall make application to the county legislative authority upon forms prepared by the state department of revenue and supplied by the county assessor. The application shall be accompanied by a reasonable processing fee if such processing fee is established by the city or county legislative authority. ((Said)) The county legislative authority may not impose a processing fee when the owner of farm and agricultural land classified under RCW 84.34.020(2) applies for reclassification under RCW 84.34.020(1)(b)(iii). The application shall require only such information reasonably necessary to properly classify an area of land under this chapter with a notarized verification of the truth thereof and shall include a statement that the applicant is aware of the potential tax liability involved when such land ceases to be designated as open space, farm and agricultural or timber land. Applications must be made during the calendar year preceding that in which such classification is to begin. The assessor shall make necessary information, including copies of this chapter and applicable regulations, readily available to interested parties, and shall render reasonable assistance to such parties upon request.