AN ACT Relating to removing disincentives to the creation of community facilities districts; amending RCW 36.145.110; and adding a new section to chapter 43.21C RCW.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 36.145.110 and 2010 c 7 s 502 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The board of supervisors of a community facilities district may impose special assessments on property located inside the district and benefited by the facilities and improvements provided, or to be provided, by a district, whether the facilities and improvements are located inside or outside of the boundaries of the proposed district. The requirements and powers of a district relating to the formation, assessment, collection, foreclosure, and other powers of a special assessment district are as set forth in chapters 35.43, 35.44, 35.49, and 35.50 RCW, except where otherwise addressed under this chapter. In any case where the provisions of this chapter conflict with the requirements under any other chapter that applies to the formation, assessment, collection, foreclosure, or other powers of a special assessment district, the provisions of this chapter control.

(2) Except as otherwise expressly provided under this chapter, the special assessments imposed and collected on property within a district may not exceed the amount set forth in a petition or amended petition approved in accordance with this chapter.

(3) The term of the special assessment is limited to the lesser of (a) ((twenty-eight))thirty-five years or (b) ((two years less than)) the full term of any bonds issued by or on behalf of the district to which the assessments or other revenue of the district is specifically dedicated, pledged, or obligated.

(4) The computation of special assessments must follow the requirements of chapter 35.44 RCW, including the authority to use any method or combination of methods to compute assessments which may be deemed by the board of supervisors to fairly reflect the benefit to the properties being assessed. The method of assessment may utilize the supplemental authority granted under chapter 35.51 RCW. A petition meeting the requirements of RCW 36.145.020 may provide for the reduction or waiver of special assessments for low-income households as that term is defined in RCW 36.130.010.

(5) The board must set a date, time, and place for hearing any objections to the assessment roll, which hearing must occur no later than one hundred twenty days from final approval of formation of the district. Petitioners or representatives thereof serving on the board of supervisors must not participate in the determination of the special assessment roll or vote on the confirmation of that assessment roll. The restriction in this subsection does not apply to members of the board of supervisors appointed from among the qualified professionals that petitioners may nominate under RCW 36.145.020(1)(h).

(6) The procedures and requirements for assessments, hearings on the assessment roll, filing of objections to the assessment roll, and appeals from the decision of the board approving or rejecting the assessment roll, must be as set forth in RCW 35.44.010 through 35.44.020, 35.44.080 through 35.44.110, and 35.44.190 through 35.44.270.

(7) At the hearing on the assessment roll, and((,)) in no event later than thirty days after the day of the hearing, the board may adopt a resolution approving the assessment roll or may correct, revise, raise, lower, change, or modify the assessment roll or any part thereof, and provide the petitioner with a detailed explanation of the changes made by the board.

(8) If the assessment roll is revised by the board in any way, then, within thirty days of the board's decision, the petitioner(s) must unanimously make one of the following elections: (a) Rescind the petition; or (b) accept the changes made by the board, upon which occurrence the board must adopt a resolution approving the assessment roll as modified by the board.

(9) Reassessments, assessments on omitted property, and supplemental assessments are governed by the provisions set forth under chapter 35.44 RCW.

(10) Any assessment approved under the provisions of this chapter may be segregated upon a petition of one hundred percent of the owners of the property subject to the assessment to be segregated. The segregation must be made as nearly as possible on the same basis as the original assessment was levied and approved by the board. The board, in approving a petition for segregation and amendment of the assessment roll, must do so in a fashion such that the total of the segregated parts of the assessment equal the assessment before segregation. As to any property originally entered upon the roll the assessment upon which has not been raised, no objections to the approval of the petition for segregation, the resulting assessment, or the amended assessment roll may be considered by the jurisdiction in which the district is located, the board, or by any court on appeal. Assessments must be collected in districts pursuant to the district's previous assessment roll until the amendment to the assessment roll is finalized under this section.

(11) Except as provided under chapter 35.44 RCW, assessments may not be increased without the approval of one hundred percent of the property owners subject to the proposed increase.

(12) Special assessments must be collected by the district treasurer determined in accordance with RCW 36.145.140.

(13) A notice of any special assessment imposed under this chapter must be provided to the owner of the assessed property, not less than once per year, with the following appearing at the top of the page in at least fourteen point, bold font: