Title 35, CITIES AND TOWNS

See RCW 84.52.069.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the legislative body of any city or town, by resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of the full legislative body, may authorize any of its members to serve as volunteer firefighters, volunteer ambulance personnel, or reserve law enforc…

(1) Except as otherwise prohibited by law, a volunteer member of any fire department who does not serve as fire chief for the department may be: (a) A candidate for elective public office and serve in that public office if elected; or (b) Appointed to any public office and serve …

Subject to the provisions of RCW 35.21.779, whenever a city or town has located within its territorial limits facilities, except those leased to a nontax-exempt person or organization, owned by the state or an agency or institution of the state, the state or agency or institution…

Nothing in chapter 117, Laws of 1992, shall be interpreted to abrogate existing contracts for fire protection services and equipment, nor be deemed to authorize cities and towns to negotiate additional contractual provisions to apply prior to the expiration of such existing contr…

(1) In cities or towns where the estimated value of state-owned facilities constitutes ten percent or more of the total assessed valuation, the state agency or institution owning the facilities shall contract with the city or town to pay an equitable share for fire protection ser…

On and after June 12, 1975, every law and rule or regulation of the state or any agency thereof which immediately prior to June 12, 1975 related to cities of five hundred thousand population or over shall be deemed to be applicable to cities of four hundred thousand population or…

(1) The governing bodies of a county and any city or town located therein may by agreement revise any part of the corporate boundary of the city or town which coincides with the centerline, edge, or any portion of a public street, road or highway right-of-way by substituting ther…

It is the finding of the legislature that foreign trade zones serve an important public purpose by the creation of employment opportunities within the state and that the establishment of zones designed to accomplish this purpose is to be encouraged. It is the further intent of th…

A city or town, as zone sponsor, may apply to the United States for permission to establish, operate, and maintain foreign trade zones: PROVIDED, That nothing herein shall be construed to prevent these zones from being operated and financed by a private corporation(s) on behalf o…

Any city or town may provide restrooms and other services in its public parks to be used by spectators of any hydroplane race held on a lake or river which is located adjacent to or within the city or town, and in addition any city or town may charge admission fees for persons to…

It is hereby declared to be a legitimate public park purpose for any city or town to levy an admission charge for spectators to view hydroplane races from park property. Property which has been conveyed to a city or town by the state for exclusive use in the city's or town's publ…

The power of any city, town, county, other municipal corporation, or quasi municipal corporation to acquire, hold, use, possess, and dispose of motor vehicles for official business shall include, but not be limited to, the power to acquire, hold, use, possess, and dispose of moto…

The imposition of controls on rent is of statewide significance and is preempted by the state. No city or town of any class may enact, maintain, or enforce ordinances or other provisions which regulate the amount of rent to be charged for single-family or multiple-unit residentia…

The following principles shall allocate gross receipts of a motor carrier of freight for hire (called the "motor carrier" in this section) to prevent multiple taxation by two or more municipalities. They shall apply when two or more municipalities in this state impose a license f…

A motor carrier of freight for hire whose gross receipts are subject to multiple taxation by two or more municipalities in this state may request and thereupon shall be given a joint audit of the taxpayer's books and records by all of the taxing authorities seeking to tax all or …

No demand for a fee or tax or penalty shall be made by a city or town against a motor carrier of freight for hire on gross income derived from providing transportation services more than four years after the close of the year in which the same accrued except (1) against a taxpaye…

(1) A city shall not impose a gross receipts tax on amounts received by a chamber of commerce or other similar business association for administering the operation of a parking and business improvement area within the meaning of RCW 35.87A.110. (2) For the purposes of this sectio…

(1) A city may not impose a gross receipts tax on intellectual property creating activities. (2) A city may impose a gross receipts tax measured by gross receipts from royalties only on taxpayers domiciled in the city. For the purposes of this section, "royalties" does not includ…

(1) No city or town may impose a franchise fee or any other fee or charge of whatever nature or description upon the light and power, or gas distribution businesses, as defined in RCW 82.16.010, or telephone business, as defined in RCW 82.16.010, or service provider for use of th…

No city or town may change the rate of tax it imposes on the privilege of conducting an electrical energy, natural gas, or telephone business which change applies to business activities occurring before the effective date of the change, and no rate change may take effect before t…

(1) No city or town may impose a tax on the privilege of conducting an electrical energy, natural gas, steam energy, or telephone business at a rate which exceeds six percent unless the rate is first approved by a majority of the voters of the city or town voting on such a propos…

A city or town required by RCW 35.21.870(2) to reduce its rate of taxation on telephone business may defer for one year the required reduction in rates for the year 1987. If the delay in rate reductions authorized by the preceding sentence is inadequate for a city or town to offs…

If a customer believes that an amount of city tax or an assignment of place of primary use or taxing jurisdiction included on a billing for mobile telecommunications services is erroneous, the customer shall notify the home service provider in writing. The customer shall include …

Each city and town shall designate an official newspaper by resolution. The newspaper shall be of general circulation in the city or town and have the qualifications prescribed by chapter 65.16 RCW. [ 1985 c 469 s 99.]

Where the zoning and planning provisions of a city or town require landscaping, parking, or other improvements as a condition to granting permits for commercial or industrial developments, the city or town may credit donations of right-of-way in excess of that required for traffi…

A city or town may provide factual information on the effects of a proposed boundary change on the city or town and the area potentially affected by the boundary change. A statement that the city or town has such information available, and copies of any printed materials or infor…

No city or town may enact or enforce an ordinance or regulation mandating automatic number identification or automatic location identification for a private telecommunications system or for a provider of private shared telecommunications services. [ 1995 c 243 s 6.] Notes: Findin…

(1) A city or town shall transmit a copy of any permit issued to a tenant or the tenant's agent for a mobile home, manufactured home, or park model installation in a mobile home park to the landlord. (2) A city or town shall transmit a copy of any permit issued to a person engage…

Cities are authorized to transfer real property pursuant to RCW 43.83.400 and 43.83.410. [ 2015 1st sp.s. c 4 s 27; 2006 c 35 s 10.] Notes: Findings—2006 c 35: See note following RCW 43.83.400.

Cities shall, in the predesign phase of construction projects involving relocation of sewer and/or water facilities, consult with public utilities operating water/sewer systems in order to coordinate design. [ 2007 c 31 s 5.]

The antidiscrimination provisions of RCW 49.60.500 apply to community athletics programs and facilities operated, conducted, or administered by a city or town. [ 2009 c 467 s 4.] Notes: Findings—Declarations—2009 c 467: See note following RCW 49.60.500.

No city or town may enact, enforce, or maintain an ordinance, regulation, or rule that regulates or otherwise treats a comprehensive cancer center participating in a collaborative arrangement as defined in RCW 28B.10.930 that is operated in conformance with RCW 28B.10.930 as a st…

(1) A religious organization may host the homeless on property owned or controlled by the religious organization whether within buildings located on the property or elsewhere on the property outside of buildings. (2) Except as provided in subsection (7) of this section, a city or…

(1) For the purpose of receiving criminal history record information by city or town officials, cities or towns may: (a) By ordinance, require a state and federal background investigation of license applicants or licensees in occupations specified by ordinance; (b) By ordinance, …

In addition to any other power and authority conferred to a city that is located in a county having a population of more than one million five hundred thousand, a city legislative authority may provide or contract for supplemental transportation improvements to meet mobility need…

(1) Any fire department may develop a community assistance referral and education services program to provide community outreach and assistance to residents of its jurisdiction in order to improve population health and advance injury and illness prevention within its community. T…

(1) Any city or town may establish the position of warrant officer. (2) If any city or town establishes the position of warrant officer, the position shall be maintained by the city or town within the city or town police department. The number and qualifications of warrant office…

(1) A city with an ordinance or resolution requiring, upon the failure of an on-site septic system, connection to a public sewer system must, in accordance with this section, provide an administrative appeals process to consider denials of permit applications to repair or replace…

(1) Any municipality may elect to contract for asset management service of its water storage assets in accordance with this section. If a municipality elects to contract under this subsection for all, some, or one component of water storage asset management services for its water…

A city or town must comply with the requirements of RCW 47.01.485 in making a final determination on a permit as part of a project on a state highway as defined in RCW 46.04.560. [ 2015 3rd sp.s. c 15 s 3.] Notes: Effective date—Findings—Intent—2015 3rd sp.s. c 15: See notes foll…

(1) A city or town that exercises its authority under chapter 7.48 RCW, RCW 35.22.280, 35.23.440, or 35.27.410, or other applicable law to abate a nuisance which threatens health or safety must provide prior notice to the property owner that abatement is pending and a special ass…

Any city, town, or municipal corporation must hold a public hearing upon a proposal to remove, vacate, or extinguish a restrictive covenant from property owned by the city, town, or municipal corporation before the action is finalized. The public hearing must allow individuals to…

The legislative authority of a city or town may authorize a change to its electoral system pursuant to RCW 29A.92.040. [ 2018 c 113 s 206.] Notes: Findings—Intent—Short title—2018 c 113: See RCW 29A.92.005 and 29A.92.900.

(1) A city with a population of more than five hundred fifty thousand that permits a public facility to be constructed or operated by another local government agency, transit authority, or public facility district in a neighborhood with a high poverty level and a high rate of eth…

For the purposes of this chapter, the terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow, widower, next of kin, and family shall be interpreted as applying equally to state registered domestic partnerships or individuals in state registered domestic partnerships as well as to …