Title 36, Title 36 COUNTIES

Counties may establish park and playground systems for public recreational purposes and for such purposes shall have the power to acquire lands, buildings and other facilities by gift, purchase, lease, devise, bequest and condemnation. A county may lease or sell any park property…

Counties may conduct programs of public recreation, and in any such program property or facilities owned by any individual, group or organization, whether public or private, may be utilized by consent of the owner.[ 1963 c 4 s 36.68.020. Prior: 1949 c 94 s 2; Rem. Supp. 1949 s 39…

Each county may form a county park and recreation board composed of seven members, who shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners to serve without compensation.[ 1969 ex.s. c 176 s 93; 1963 c 4 s 36.68.030. Prior: 1949 c 94 s 3; Rem. Supp. 1949 s 3991-16.]

For the appointive positions on the county park and recreation board the initial terms shall be two years for two positions, four years for two positions, and six years for the remaining positions plus the period in each instance to the next following June 30th; thereafter the te…

Any appointed county park and recreation board member may be removed by a majority vote of the board of county commissioners either for cause or upon the joint written recommendation of five members of the county park and recreation board. Vacancies on the county park and recreat…

The county park and recreation board:(1) Shall elect its officers, including a chair, vice chair and secretary, and such other officers as it may determine it requires.(2) Shall hold regular public meetings at least monthly.(3) Shall adopt rules for transaction of business and sh…

In counties in which county park and recreation boards are formed, a county park and recreation fund shall be established. Into this fund shall be placed the allocation as the board of county commissioners annually appropriates thereto, together with miscellaneous revenues derive…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, any person violating any rules or regulations adopted by the board of county commissioners relating to parks, playgrounds, or other recreational facilities is guilty of a misdemeanor.(2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsec…

Any county, acting through its board of county commissioners, is empowered to build, construct, care for, control, supervise, improve, operate and maintain parks, playgrounds, gymnasiums, swimming pools, field houses, bathing beaches, stadiums, golf courses, automobile racetracks…

See RCW 53.08.310 and 53.08.320.

A county, acting through its county legislative authority, is authorized to permit the location of public libraries on land owned by the county that is used for park and recreation purposes, unless a covenant or other binding restriction precludes such uses.[ 1993 c 84 s 1.]

The antidiscrimination provisions of RCW 49.60.500 apply to community athletics programs and facilities operated, conducted, or administered by a park and recreation service area.[ 2009 c 467 s 8.]Notes:Findings—Declaration—2009 c 467: See note following RCW 49.60.500.

Any county shall have the power to create park and recreation service areas for the purpose of financing, acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining, or operating any park, senior citizen activities centers, zoos, aquariums, and recreational facilities as defined in RCW 36.6…

Park and recreation service areas may be initiated in any unincorporated area of any county by resolution adopted by the county legislative authority or by a petition signed by ten percent of the registered voters within the proposed park and recreation service area. Incorporated…

Any resolution or petition initiating a proposed park and recreation service area shall set forth the boundaries of the service area with certainty, describe the purpose or purposes for which the service area is to be formed, and contain an estimate of the initial cost of any cap…

Petitions shall be submitted to the county auditor who shall verify the signatures thereon to determine that the petition has been signed by the requisite number of persons who are registered voters within the proposed service area. If the petition is found not to have the requis…

Upon accepting a petition to form a park and recreation service area, or upon passage of a resolution to establish such a service area, the county legislative authority shall order a full investigation for the purpose or purposes of the proposed service area to determine the feas…

At the hearing, the county legislative authority shall first provide for an explanation of the objectives of the proposed park and recreation service area and the estimated initial costs thereof. The county legislative authority shall permit any resident or property owner of the …

At the conclusion of a hearing, the board of county commissioners shall make the following findings:(1) Whether or not the service area's objectives fit within the general framework of the county's comprehensive park plan and general park policies.(2) The exact boundaries of the …

(1) Upon making findings under the provisions of RCW 36.68.460, the county legislative authority shall, by resolution, order an election of the voters of the proposed park and recreation service area to determine if the service area shall be formed. The county legislative authori…

If the petition or resolution initiating the formation of the proposed park and recreation service area proposes that the initial capital or operational costs are to be financed by regular property tax levies for a six-year period as authorized by RCW 36.68.525, or an annual exce…

In order for the annual excess tax levy proposition or bond retirement levies proposition to be approved, voters exceeding in number at least sixty percent of the number of voters who cast ballots for the office of county legislative authority within the park and recreation area,…

If the formation of the service area is approved by the voters, the county legislative authority shall by resolution declare the service area to be formed and direct the county treasurer to be the treasurer of the service area. Expenditures of the service area shall be made upon …

If the service area is formed, there shall be created in the office of the county treasurer a local service area fund with such accounts as the treasurer may find convenient, or as the state auditor may direct, into which shall be deposited all revenues received by the service ar…

(1) A park and recreation service area shall have the power to levy annual excess levies upon the property included within the service area if authorized at a special election called for the purpose in the manner prescribed by section 2, Article VII of the Constitution and by RCW…

A park and recreation service area may impose regular property tax levies in an amount equal to sixty cents or less per thousand dollars of assessed value of property in the service area in each year for six consecutive years when specifically authorized so to do by a majority of…

In addition to other authority that a park and recreation service area possesses, a park and recreation service area may provide any public improvement as defined under RCW 39.89.020, but this additional authority is limited to participating in the financing of the public improve…

The governing body of each park and recreation service area shall annually compile a budget for each service area in a form prescribed by the state auditor for the ensuing calendar year which shall, to the extent that anticipated income is actually realized, constitute the approp…

Park and recreation service areas may hire employees and may fund all or a portion of the salaries and benefits of county park employees who perform work on county park and recreation facilities within the service area and may fund all or a portion of the salaries and benefits of…

A park and recreation service area may impose and collect use fees or other direct charges on facilities financed, acquired, and operated by the park and recreation service area. The county legislative authority may allow admission fees or other direct charges which are paid by p…

A park and recreation service area may exercise the power of eminent domain to obtain property for its authorized purposes in a manner consistent with the power of eminent domain of the county in which the park and recreation service area is located.[ 1988 c 82 s 8.]

The county legislative authority may transfer the proceeds from concessions for food and other services accruing to the county from park or park facilities which are located in a park and recreation service area to the fund of the service area in the office of the county treasure…

A park and recreation service area may reimburse the county for any charge incurred by the county current expense fund which is properly an expense of the service area, including reasonable administrative costs incurred by the offices of county treasurer and the county auditor in…

Any park facility or park acquired, improved or otherwise financed in whole or in part by park and recreation service area funds shall be owned by the park service area and/or the county and/or the city or town in which the park or facility is located. The county may make expendi…

The purpose of RCW 36.68.400 et seq. shall be to provide a higher level of park services and shall not in any way diminish the right of a county to provide a general park program financed from current expense funds.[ 1963 c 218 s 20.]

A park and recreation service area may exercise any of the powers enumerated in chapter 67.20 RCW with respect to any park and recreation facility financed in whole or part from park and recreation service area funds.[ 1988 c 82 s 6; 1981 c 210 s 17; 1963 c 218 s 21.]Notes:Severa…

A park and recreation service area may include any unincorporated area in the state, and when any part of the proposed district lies within the corporate limits of any city or town said resolution or petition shall be accompanied by a certified copy of a resolution of the governi…

After a park and recreation service area has been organized, an additional area may be added by the same procedure within the proposed additional area as is provided herein for the organization of a park and recreation service area, and all electors within both the organized park…