State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2014 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/04/14.
AN ACT Relating to recreational trails; amending RCW 79.10.120 and 79.10.130; adding new sections to chapter 79.10 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that the citizens of
the state will benefit from a coordinated effort to plan recreational
trails on land managed by the department of natural resources that are
accessible by the greatest number of people and are constructed to
standards that are consistent statewide. The legislature recognizes
that demand for outdoor recreational opportunities continues to expand
while the places to enjoy outdoor recreation has diminished due to
changes in private landownership and reduced access to federal lands
that resulted from a reduction in federal forest road networks. As a
result, the public has greater expectations of state-owned land for
recreational use. Therefore, greater emphasis on policies that secure
recreational access are needed, for public health and safety, as well
as for maintaining protections for the state-owned land that are
subject to the recreation so that the interests of current and future
generations are afforded the same opportunities.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 79.10 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The department must develop and implement, through an inclusive
stakeholder process managed by the department, an official recreational
trail policy that is consistent with this section and the management
mandate of the department.
(2)(a) The recreational trail policy developed by the department
under this section must provide that recreational trails be developed
and managed in a manner that ensures the following principles are
satisfied:
(i) Causing the least impact to the land;
(ii) Providing environmental and water quality protection; and
(iii) Maintaining the lowest construction and maintenance costs
that are reasonable.
(b) The department should use trail standards developed by the
United States forest service as primary guidelines for trail
construction and maintenance. However, the department must develop its
own construction standards and best management practices when the
primary guidelines are deemed insufficient or inapplicable.
(c) Trails developed or maintained consistent with a recreational
trail policy developed under this section must comply with Title 79 RCW
and all applicable state laws and rules, including those administered
by the department of ecology.
(d) After developing the recreational trail policy required in this
section, and when developing or assessing recreational trail systems,
the department should evaluate existing nondesignated trails for
compliance with trail standards and incorporate those trails, when
compliant and consistent with the standards, into comprehensive
recreational management plans.
(3) When appropriate, the department should incorporate public
input on new and existing trail systems, and if deemed appropriate, the
department should support formal or informal public forums to allow
members of the local community to share concerns and ideas or organize
themselves for volunteer trail maintenance.
(4)(a) A recreational trail policy developed by the department
under this section must provide for the department to enter into a hold
harmless agreement with all volunteers coordinating with the department
under the policy or enter into other agreements that limit the
department's liability from the actions of volunteers.
(b) Whenever volunteers or volunteer organizations are authorized
to perform activities or carry out projects under this subsection, the
volunteers or members of the organizations may not be considered
employees or agents of the department and the department is not subject
to any liability whatsoever arising out of volunteer activities or
projects. The liability of the department to volunteers and members of
the volunteer organizations is limited in the same manner as provided
for in RCW 4.24.210.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 79.10 RCW
to read as follows:
The department should work with representatives of local
governments to find efficiencies in gaining local government permits
for the development and maintenance of recreational facilities and
trails. If barriers to permitting efficiencies require legislative
action to overcome, then the department must provide options for
solutions to the appropriate committees of the legislature.
Sec. 4 RCW 79.10.120 and 2003 c 182 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
Multiple uses additional to and compatible with those basic
activities necessary to fulfill the financial obligations of trust
management may include but are not limited to:
(1) Recreational areas;
(2) Recreational trails for both vehicular and nonvehicular uses
developed or maintained consistent with section 2 of this act;
(3) Special educational or scientific studies;
(4) Experimental programs by the various public agencies;
(5) Special events;
(6) Hunting and fishing and other sports activities;
(7) Nonconsumptive wildlife activities as defined by the board of
natural resources;
(8) Maintenance of scenic areas;
(9) Maintenance of historical sites;
(10) Municipal or other public watershed protection;
(11) Greenbelt areas;
(12) Public rights-of-way;
(13) Other uses or activities by public agencies;
If such additional uses are not compatible with the financial
obligations in the management of trust land they may be permitted only
if there is compensation from such uses satisfying the financial
obligations.
Sec. 5 RCW 79.10.130 and 2013 c 15 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The department is hereby authorized to carry out all activities
necessary to achieve the purposes of this section and RCW 79.10.060,
79.10.070, 79.10.100 through 79.10.120, ((79.10.130,)) 79.10.200
through 79.10.330, 79.44.003, and 79.105.050 including, but not limited
to:
(a) Planning, construction, and operation of conservation,
recreational sites, areas, roads, and trails developed or maintained
consistent with section 2 of this act, by itself or in conjunction with
any public agency, nonprofit organization, volunteer, or volunteer
organization, including entering cooperative agreements for these
purposes;
(b) Planning, construction, and operation of special facilities for
educational, scientific, conservation, or experimental purposes by
itself or in conjunction with any other public or private agency,
including entering cooperative agreements for these purposes;
(c) Improvement of any lands to achieve the purposes of this
section and RCW 79.10.060, 79.10.070, 79.10.100 through 79.10.120,
((79.10.130,)) 79.10.200 through 79.10.330, 79.44.003, and 79.105.050,
including entering cooperative agreements with public agencies,
nonprofit organizations, volunteers, and volunteer organizations for
these purposes;
(d) Entering cooperative agreements with public agencies, nonprofit
organizations, volunteers, and volunteer organizations regarding the
use of lands managed by the department for the purpose of providing a
benefit to lands managed by the department, including but not limited
to the following benefits: The utilization of such lands for watershed
purposes; carrying out restoration and enhancement projects on such
lands, such as improving, restoring, or enhancing habitat that provides
for plant or animal species protection; improving, restoring, or
enhancing watershed conditions; removing nonnative vegetation and
providing vegetation management to restore, enhance, or maintain
properly functioning conditions of the local ecosystem; and other
similar projects on these lands that provide long-term environmental
and other land management benefits, provided that the cooperative
agreements are consistent with land management obligations;
(e) Authorizing individual volunteers and volunteer organizations
to conduct restoration and enhancement projects on lands managed by the
department through cooperative agreements authorized in this section or
other arrangements that are consistent with land management obligations
and that do not require the volunteers to pay a fee for the cooperative
agreement purpose;
(f) Authorizing the receipt of gifts of personal property,
services, and other items of value for the purposes of this section, as
well as the exchange of consideration in cooperative agreements
authorized under this section;
(g) The authority to make such leases, contracts, agreements, or
other arrangements as are necessary to accomplish the purposes of this
section and RCW 79.10.060, 79.10.070, 79.10.100 through 79.10.120,
((79.10.130,)) 79.10.200 through 79.10.330, 79.44.003, and 79.105.050.
However, nothing in this section shall affect any existing requirements
for public bidding or auction with private agencies or parties, except
that agreements or other arrangements may be made with public schools,
colleges, universities, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations,
volunteers, and volunteer organizations. In addition, nothing in this
section is intended to conflict with the department's trust
obligations.
(2) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this
section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) "Nonprofit organization" means: (i) Any organization described
in section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code of 1986 (26 U.S.C.
Sec. 501(c)(3)) and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the
internal revenue code; or (ii) any not-for-profit organization that is
organized and conducted for public benefit and operated primarily for
charitable, civic, educational, religious, welfare, or health purposes.
(b) "Volunteer" or "volunteer organization" means an individual or
entity performing services for a nonprofit organization or a
governmental entity who does not receive compensation, other than
reasonable reimbursement or allowances for expenses actually incurred,
or any other thing of value, in excess of five hundred dollars per
year. "Volunteer" includes a volunteer serving as a director, officer,
trustee, or direct service volunteer.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 (1) The initial recreational trail policies
required under section 2 of this act must be reviewed by the department
of ecology and a representative panel of stakeholders and be adopted by
October 31, 2015.
(2) This section expires June 30, 2016.