Title 35, CITIES AND TOWNS

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the population of a city is three hundred thousand persons or more, not less than ten days before the time for filing declarations of candidacy for election of freeholders under Article XI, section 10 (Amendment 40), of the sta…

The board of freeholders shall convene within ten days after their election and frame a charter for the city and within thirty days thereafter, they, or a majority of them, shall submit the charter to the legislative authority of the city, which, within five days thereafter, shal…

Within five days after the filing with the city clerk of affidavits of publication, which affidavits shall be filed immediately after the last publication, the legislative authority of the city shall initiate the proceedings for the submission of the proposed charter to the quali…

The election of the members of the board of freeholders and that upon the proposition of adopting or rejecting the proposed charter and the officers to be elected thereunder, the returns of both elections, the canvassing thereof and the declaration of the result shall be governed…

The form of ballot in the election for the adoption or rejection of the proposed charter shall be: "For the proposed charter," "Against the proposed charter." In submitting the proposed charter or amendments thereto, any alternate article or proposition may be presented for the c…

If a majority of the votes cast at the election upon the adoption of the proposed charter favor it, certificates of election shall be issued to each officer elected at that election. Within ten days after the issuance of the certificates of election, the newly elected officers sh…

The authentication of the charter shall be by certificate of the mayor in substance as follows: "I . . . . . ., mayor of the city of . . . . . . do hereby certify that in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and statutes of the State of Washington, the city of . . .…

On petition of a number (equal to fifteen percent of the total number of votes cast at the last preceding general state election) of qualified voters of any municipality having adopted a charter under the laws of this state, asking the adoption of a specified charter amendment, p…

A petition containing the demand for the submission of the proposed charter amendment or for an election to be held for the purpose of electing a board of freeholders for the purpose of preparing a new charter for the city as provided in RCW 35.22.140 shall be filed with the city…

On the petition of a number of registered voters of a city equal to twenty-five percent of the total votes cast at the last preceding city election, the city council of a charter city shall, or without such petition may, cause an election to be held for the purpose of electing a …

Within ten days after the results of the election have been determined, if a majority of the votes cast favor the proceeding, the members of the board of freeholders elected thereat shall convene and prepare a new charter by altering, revising, adding to, or repealing the existin…

Upon the filing of the proposed new, altered, changed or revised charter with the city clerk, it shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the city at an election to be called therefor pursuant to the provisions of law applicable to the holding of elections in such city. [ 19…

The proposed new, altered or revised charter shall be published in the newspaper having the largest general circulation within the city at least once each week for four weeks next preceding the day of submitting the same to the electors for their approval. [ 1985 c 469 s 23; 1965…

The election of the board of freeholders and that upon the proposition of adopting the proposed new, altered or revised charter, may be general or special elections and except as herein provided, said elections, the returns, the canvassing thereof and the declaration of the resul…

If a majority of the voters voting upon the adoption of the proposed new, altered or revised charter favor it, it shall become the charter of the city and the organic law thereof, superseding any existing charter. All bodies or offices abolished or dispensed with by the new, alte…

Any city adopting a charter under Article XI, section 10 of the Constitution of the state of Washington, as amended by amendment 40, shall have all of the powers which are conferred upon incorporated cities and towns by Title 35 RCW, or other laws of the state, and all such power…

The legislative powers of a charter city shall be vested in a mayor and a city council, to consist of such number of members and to have such powers as may be provided for in its charter. The charter may provide for direct legislation by the people through the initiative and refe…

The compensation and the time to be devoted to the performance of the duties of the mayor and elected officials of all cities of the first class shall be as fixed by ordinance of said city irrespective of any city charter provisions. [ 1965 c 7 s 35.22.205. Prior: 1957 c 113 s 1;…

Any city of the first class having a population less than one hundred thousand by the last federal census and having a charter providing that each of its councilmembers shall be the commissioner of an administrative department of such city, may by ordinance provide for the separa…

Whenever any such city shall have passed such an ordinance providing for such separate designations and for filing for and election to office in accordance therewith, such city shall have no power to repeal the same except by ordinance passed by the council of such city and submi…

All regular elections in first-class cities having a mayor-council form of government whose charters provide for twelve councilmembers elected for a term of two years, two being elected from each of six wards, and for the election of a mayor, treasurer, and comptroller for terms …

All regular elections in first-class cities having a mayor-council form of government whose charters provide for seven councilmembers, one to be elected from each of six wards and one at large, for a term of two years, and for the election of a mayor, comptroller, treasurer and a…

Any city of the first class shall have power: (1) To provide for general and special elections, for questions to be voted upon, and for the election of officers; (2) To provide for levying and collecting taxes on real and personal property for its corporate uses and purposes, and…

See chapter 82.14A RCW.

See RCW 35.21.710.

See chapter 36.28A RCW.

See chapter 80.58 RCW.

See RCW 87.03.825 through 87.03.840.

Promptly after adoption, the text of each ordinance or a summary of the content of each ordinance shall be published at least once in the official newspaper of the city. For purposes of this section, a summary shall mean a brief description which succinctly describes the main poi…

Every city of the first class may lease, purchase, or construct, and maintain public auditoriums and art museums and may use and let them for such public and private purposes for such compensation and rental and upon such conditions as shall be prescribed by ordinance; it may iss…

If a city of the first class has acquired title to land for public auditoriums or art museums, it may let it or any part thereof, together with the structures and improvements constructed or to be constructed thereon for such term as may be deemed proper and may raise the needed …

The legislative authority of every city of the first and second class owning real property, not limited by dedication or trust to a particular public use, may convey or lease for public or private use any estate, right or interest in the areas above the surface of the ground of s…

The legislative authority of any city of the first class of more than four hundred thousand population shall have, notwithstanding any charter or statutory provision to the contrary, authority by ordinance to create a separate department of municipal government for the administra…

Every city of the first class is empowered to provide for the filling and closing of cesspools and for the removing of garbage, debris, grass, weeds, and brush on property in the city. [ 1965 c 7 s 35.22.310. Prior: 1907 c 89 s 1; RRS s 8972.]

Every city of the first class by general ordinance may prescribe the mode and manner of assessing, levying and collecting assessments upon property for filling and closing cesspools thereon and removing garbage, debris, grass, weeds, and brush and provide that the charges therefo…

Every city of the first class maintaining a harbor department may install, maintain, and operate in connection therewith wireless telegraph stations for the handling of official and commercial messages and for communicating with wireless land and shore stations under such regulat…

Every city of the first class may by ordinance authorize the location, construction, and operation of railroads in, along, over, and across any highway, street, alley, or public place in the city for such term of years and upon such conditions as the city council may by ordinance…

Every city of the first class which owns and operates a waterworks system, a light and power system, a street railway or other public utility, shall have power, through its proper officers, to deal with and to enter into contracts for periods not exceeding one year with its emplo…

Notwithstanding any annual budget or statute relating thereto, any city of the first class owning and operating a public utility, or the city's public utility department, may make an adjustment or change of the rate of daily wages of employees of any such public utility if such a…

See chapter 54.44 RCW.

See chapter 35.95 RCW.

Notwithstanding that the charter of a city of the first class may forbid the city council from redividing the city into wards except at stated periods, if the city has failed to redivide the city into wards during any such period, the city council by ordinance may do so at any ti…

Every city of the first class may let the whole or any part of a wharf, or the privileges thereon owned by the city, for periods not to exceed one year in such manner, and upon such terms, as may be prescribed by a general ordinance. [ 1965 c 7 s 35.22.410. Prior: 1911 c 67 s 1; …

Whenever a first-class city owns and operates a municipal airport which is located in an unincorporated area of a county, the airport shall be subject to the county's comprehensive plan and zoning ordinances in the same manner as if the airport were privately owned and operated. …

A city of the first class operating a municipal court may not repeal in its entirety that portion of its municipal code defining crimes or repeal a provision of its municipal code which defines a crime equivalent to an offense listed in RCW 46.63.020 unless the municipality has r…

Any city adopting a charter under the provisions of this chapter shall have all the powers which are conferred upon incorporated cities and towns by this title or other laws of the state, and all such powers as are usually exercised by municipal corporations of like character and…