Title 35, CITIES AND TOWNS

All demands against the city shall be presented to and audited by the city council in accordance with such regulations as it may by ordinance prescribe; and upon the allowance of a demand, the clerk shall draw a warrant upon the treasurer for it, which warrant shall be countersig…

A majority of the councilmembers shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A less number may compel the attendance of absent members and may adjourn from time to time. The council shall determine its rules of proceedings. The council may punish their members for …

At any time, at the request of any two members the ayes and noes on any question may be taken and entered upon the journal and they must be so taken and entered upon the passage of all ordinances appropriating money, imposing taxes, abolishing licenses, increasing or lessening th…

Whenever it shall become necessary for the city to take or damage private property for the purpose of establishing, laying out, extending and widening streets and other public highways and places within the city, or for the purpose of securing rights-of-way for drains, sewers and…

A second-class city, by ordinance, may adopt a policy for the payment of claims or other obligations of the city, which are payable out of solvent funds, electing to pay such obligations by warrant or by check. However, when the applicable fund is not solvent at the time payment …

No claim shall be allowed against the city by the city council, nor shall the city council order any warrants to be drawn except at a general meeting of the council. The council shall never allow, make valid, or recognize any demand against the city which was not a valid claim ag…

Every act or thing done or being within the limits of a second-class city which is declared by law or by ordinance to be a nuisance shall be a nuisance and shall be so considered in all actions and proceedings. All remedies given by law for the prevention and abatement of nuisanc…

RCW 35.23.352 does not apply to the selection of persons or entities to construct or develop water pollution control facilities or to provide water pollution control services under RCW 70A.140.040 or the selection of persons or entities to construct or develop solid waste handlin…

(1) Any second-class city or any town may construct any public works, as defined in RCW 39.04.010, by contract or day labor without calling for bids therefor whenever the estimated cost of the work or improvement, including cost of materials, supplies and equipment will not excee…

A second-class city may impose upon and collect from every inhabitant of the city over the age of eighteen years an annual street poll tax not exceeding two dollars and no other road poll tax shall be collected within the limits of the city. [ 1994 c 81 s 47; 1973 1st ex.s. c 154…

No exclusive franchise or privilege shall be granted for the use of any street, alley, highway, or public place or any part thereof. [ 1965 c 7 s 35.23.380. Prior: 1907 c 241 s 32; RRS s 9039.]

The city council may lease for business purposes portions of the ends of streets terminating in the waterfront or navigable waters of the city with the written consent of all the property owners whose properties abut upon the portion proposed to be leased. The lease may be made f…

No lease of a portion of the end of a street terminating in the waterfront or navigable waters of the city shall be made until a notice describing the portion of the street proposed to be leased, to whom and for what purpose leased and the proposed rental to be paid has been publ…

If an improvement is made upon a street occupied by a street railway or any railroad enjoying a franchise on the street, the city council shall assess against the railroad its just proportion of making the improvement which shall be not less than the expense of improving the spac…

The city council of each second-class city shall have power and authority: (1) Ordinances: To make and pass all ordinances, orders, and resolutions not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States or the state of Washington, or the provisions of this title, necessary for th…

See chapter 82.14A RCW.

See RCW 35.21.710.

See chapter 80.58 RCW.

See RCW 87.03.825 through 87.03.840.

The city council of such city shall have power to purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire real estate and personal property necessary or proper for municipal purposes and to control, lease, sublease, convey or otherwise dispose of the same; to acquire and plat land for cemeteries a…

All second-class cities and towns are authorized to use parking meter revenue as a base for obtaining revenue bonds for use in improvement of streets, roads, alleys, and such other related public works. [ 1994 c 81 s 44; 1965 c 7 s 35.24.305. Prior: 1957 c 166 s 1. Formerly RCW 3…

The legislative body of any second-class city or town which contains, or abuts upon, any bay, lake, sound, river or other navigable waters, may construct, operate and maintain any boat harbor, marina, dock or other public improvement, for the purposes of commerce, recreation or n…

A second-class city, where commercial ambulance service is not readily available, shall have the power: (1) To authorize the operation of municipally-owned ambulances which may serve the city and may serve for emergencies surrounding rural areas; (2) To authorize the operation of…

See RCW 35.22.302.

Subject to chapter 48.62 RCW, any second-class city or town may contract with an insurance company authorized to do business in this state to provide group insurance for its employees including group false arrest insurance for its law enforcement personnel, and pursuant thereto m…

Every city of the second class may create a publicity fund to be used exclusively for exploiting and advertising the general advantages and opportunities of the city and its vicinity. After providing by ordinance for a publicity fund the city council may use therefor an annual am…

The publicity board administering the publicity fund shall consist of three members nominated by a recognized commercial organization in the city, then appointed by the mayor and confirmed by at least a two-thirds vote of the city council. The commercial organization must be inco…

All expenditures shall be made under direction of the board of publicity. No part of the publicity fund shall ever be paid to any newspaper, magazine, or periodical published within the city or county in which the city is situated, for advertising, or write-ups or for any other s…

The city treasurer of any second-class city, by and with the consent of the city council or finance committee of the city council, may invest any portion of its local improvement guaranty fund in the city's own guaranteed local improvement bonds in an amount not to exceed ten per…

The city council of every city of the second class may contract for supplying the city with water, light, power, and heat for municipal purposes; and within or without the city may acquire, construct, repair, and manage pumps, aqueducts, reservoirs, plants, or other works necessa…

To pay the original cost of water, light, power, or heat systems, every city of the second class may issue: (1) General bonds to be retired by general tax levies against all the property within the city limits then existing or as they may thereafter be extended; or (2) Utility bo…

No taxes shall be imposed for maintenance and operating charges of city owned water, light, power, or heating works or systems. Rates shall be fixed by ordinance for supplying water, light, power, or heat for commercial, domestic, or irrigation purposes sufficient to pay for all …

Proceedings attacking the validity of the consolidation of a city of the second class or the annexation of territory to a city of the second class shall be by quo warranto only, instituted by the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the city is located or by a person inter…

A city of the second 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 …

All cities and towns within the state, other than cities of the first class, which are empowered to construct waterworks for irrigation and domestic purposes, may do so either by the entire city or by assessment districts as the mayor and council may determine. [ 1965 c 7 s 35.23…

Before letting any contract for the construction of any waterworks for irrigation and domestic purposes, the mayor and council shall by ordinance or resolution adopt the plans therefor and shall fix and establish the assessment district, if the same is to be constructed at the ex…

For the purpose of providing for, constructing and maintaining such waterworks for irrigation and domestic purposes and issuing bonds to pay therefor, such cities and towns may proceed in all ways in accordance with, and apply all the provisions of, law relating to local improvem…

See chapter 35.22 RCW.

A city of the second class may contract to purchase from a joint operating agency electric power and energy required for its present or future requirements. For projects the output of which is limited to qualified alternative energy resources as defined by RCW 19.29A.090(3), the …

In a city initially classified as a second-class city prior to January 1, 1993, that retained its second-class city plan of government when the city reorganized as a noncharter code city, the elective officers shall consist of a mayor, twelve councilmembers, a city clerk, and a c…

In a city initially classified as a second-class city prior to January 1, 1993, that retained its second-class city plan of government when the city reorganized as a noncharter code city, the terms of office of mayor, city clerk, city treasurer and councilmembers shall be four ye…

In a city initially classified as a second-class city prior to January 1, 1993, that retained its second-class city plan of government when the city reorganized as a noncharter code city, the mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the city and shall: (1) Have general super…

In a city initially classified as a second-class city prior to January 1, 1993, that retained its second-class city plan of government when the city reorganized as a noncharter code city, the appointive officers shall be a chief of police, city attorney, health officer, and stree…

In a city initially classified as a second-class city prior to January 1, 1993, that retained its second-class city plan of government when the city reorganized as a noncharter code city, the council shall create the office of city health officer, prescribe the duties and qualifi…

In a city initially classified as a second-class city prior to January 1, 1993, that retained its second-class city plan of government when the city reorganized as a noncharter code city, the street commissioner shall be under the direction of the mayor and city council shall hav…

In a city initially classified as a second-class city prior to January 1, 1993, that retained its second-class city plan of government when the city reorganized as a noncharter code city, the mayor shall appoint all the appointive officers of the city subject to confirmation by t…