Title 85, Title 85 DIKING AND DRAINAGE

Any portion of a county requiring diking may be organized into a diking district, and when so organized, such district, and the board of commissioners hereinafter provided for, shall have and possess the power herein conferred or that may hereafter be conferred by law upon such d…

Diking districts shall possess the authority and shall be created, district voting rights shall be determined, and district elections shall be held as provided in chapter 85.38 RCW.[ 1985 c 396 s 31.]Notes:

All diking districts organized under the provisions of this act shall have the right of eminent domain with the power by and through its board of commissioners to cause to be condemned and appropriated private property for the use of said organization, in the construction and mai…

Before entering upon the construction of any system of drainage for the land situated within such diking district, the commissioners thereof shall adopt a resolution which shall contain a brief and general description of the proposed improvement, a statement that the costs thereo…

Notice of the hearing shall be given by posting in three public places within the district a true copy of the resolution signed by the commissioners of the diking district and attested with the seal thereof, which notice shall be posted for at least ten days prior to the day fixe…

At the time fixed, the commissioners shall meet and if no objections have been made to the proposed improvement or to the proposed method of paying the costs thereof, they shall adopt an order reciting that fact and shall thereupon proceed to construct such system of drainage and…

But if objections in writing are filed either to the proposed improvement or to the proposed method of paying the costs thereof, the commissioners shall proceed to hear and consider the same and may, thereupon, order that such proposed improvement be abandoned for the time being …

In case the commissioners at such hearing shall determine that the benefits accruing to any lot or parcel of lands within said district by reason of the construction of such drainage system are greater or less than the amount theretofore fixed in the original or any subsequent pr…

Any person deeming himself or herself aggrieved by the assessment for benefits made against any lot or parcel of land owned by him or her, may appeal therefrom to the superior court for the county in which the diking district is situated; such appeal shall be taken within the tim…

In all cases wherein it is finally determined that the assessments for the system of drainage differ from the assessment theretofore made, as to any tract or parcel of land within said diking district, the diking commissioners in making their annual estimate shall segregate the a…

Authority is hereby given to any diking district heretofore organized, or that may be hereafter organized, to issue bonds of such diking district for the purpose of procuring funds with which to construct a drainage system, such bonds to be issued in accordance with the terms of …

Either the dike commissioners or any landowner who has appealed to the superior court in accordance with the provisions of *this act may seek appellate review within the time and in the manner prescribed by existing law.[ 1988 c 202 s 72; 1971 c 81 s 156; 1915 c 153 s 10; RRS s 4…

The right, power and authority to acquire the necessary and needed rights-of-way for any and all purposes now existing by law or created by this act, may be acquired by the commissioners of any diking district over, across and upon any land, or interest therein, of the state of W…

In all proceedings hereafter had to organize diking districts, all notices, petitions or proceedings shall contain and set forth all matters and things required by existing law, and in addition thereto shall contain and set forth, so far as is necessary or applicable, all matters…

All the right, title and interest of the state of Washington in and to so much of the beds and shores of any navigable river, stream, waterway or watercourse located within the boundaries of any diking district up to and including the line of ordinary high tide in waters where th…

Whenever the county owns any land situated within the boundaries of a proposed diking district, the county auditor, when so directed by the board of county commissioners of the county in which such lands are situated, is hereby authorized to sign the petition praying for the form…

The board of dike commissioners shall consist of three elected commissioners. The initial commissioners shall be appointed, and the elected commissioners elected, as provided in chapter 85.38 RCW. The board of dike commissioners shall have the exclusive charge of the construction…

Whenever it is desired to prosecute the construction of a system of dikes within said district, said district, by and through its board of commissioners, shall file a petition in the superior court of the county in which said district is located, setting forth therein the route o…

In the preparation of the facts and data to be inserted in said petition and filed therewith for the purpose of presenting the matter to the said superior court, the board of commissioners of said diking district may employ one or more good and competent surveyors and drafters to…

A summons stating briefly the objects of the petition and containing a description of the land, real estate, premises or property sought to be appropriated, and those which it is claimed will be benefited by the improvement, and stating the court wherein the petition is filed, th…

Any or all of said defendants may appear jointly or separately, and admit or deny the allegations of said petition, and plead any affirmative matter in defense thereof, at the time and place appointed for hearing said petition, or to which the same may have been adjourned. If the…

RCW 85.38.140 through 85.38.170 constitute a mutually exclusive alternative method by which diking districts in existence as of July 28, 1985, may measure and impose special assessments and adopt budgets. RCW 85.38.150 through 85.38.170 constitute the exclusive method by which di…

In case the damages or amount of compensation for such right-of-way, together with the estimated cost of the improvement, amount to more than the maximum amount of benefits which will be derived from said improvement, or if said improvement is not practicable, or will not be cond…

Any person or corporation claiming to be entitled to any money ordered paid by the court, as provided in this act, may apply to the court therefor, and upon furnishing evidence satisfactory to the court that he or she is entitled to the same, the court shall make an order directi…

Upon the entry of the judgment upon the verdict of the jury, the clerk of said court shall immediately prepare a transcript, which shall contain a list of the names of all the persons and corporations benefited by said improvement and the amount of benefit derived by each, respec…

In the event of the dismissal of said proceedings and the rendition of judgment against said district, as hereinbefore provided, said diking commissioners shall levy a tax upon all of the real estate within said district, taking as a basis the last equalized assessment of said re…

After the filing of said certificate said commissioners of such diking district shall proceed at once in the construction of said improvements, and in carrying on said construction or any extension thereof they shall have full charge and management thereof, and shall have the pow…

The work on said improvement shall begin without delay, and shall be carried on with all expedition possible, and said board of commissioners of said diking district, or any contractor thereunder, shall have no power whatever to change the location of the dikes or the system of i…

During the construction of said improvement said commissioners shall have the right to allow payment thereof, in installments as the work progresses, in proportion to the amount of work completed: PROVIDED, That no allowance or payment shall be made for said work to any contracto…

In case any diking district organized under the provisions of this act desires to connect its system of dikes with the system of dikes of any other district theretofore organized or constructed, said last mentioned diking district shall be made a party defendant in the proceeding…

In case it shall be found necessary to enlarge or strengthen the system of dikes sought to be connected with, by reason of such connection, the jury shall determine the cost of such enlarging or strengthening, and said petitioner district shall have the right, by and through its …

Where any diking system is sought to be constructed by any district organized under the provisions of this act along any river or watercourse to prevent overflow therefrom, and it shall become necessary to provide against the washing away of the banks of said river or watercourse…

Whenever any land is appropriated along the bank of any river or watercourse, as provided for in the last preceding section, the expenses of such appropriation, including the costs and damages to be paid therefor—when such appropriation is taken subsequently to the construction o…

In the construction of any diking system under the provisions of this act, where it is desired to construct the same along the right-of-way of any public road which has theretofore been legally established, said district shall have a right to construct its dikes along such road: …

Any town or city already incorporated, or which may hereafter be incorporated, may exercise the functions of a diking district under the provisions of this act, or the whole or any portion of any such town or city may be included with other territory in a common district under th…

On or before the first day of November of each year the diking commissioners shall, and on or before the first Monday in October of each year the drainage commissioners shall, make and certify to the county auditor an estimate of the cost of maintenance and repair of the improvem…

The board of commissioners of such district shall elect one of their number chair and shall either elect one of their number, or appoint a voter of the district, as secretary, who shall keep minutes of all the district's proceedings. The board of commissioners may issue warrants …

Special assessment bonds and notes shall be issued and sold in accordance with chapter 85.38 RCW.[ 1986 c 278 s 23.]Notes:Severability—1986 c 278: See note following RCW 36.01.010.

All warrants issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be presented by the owners thereof to the county treasurer in accordance with chapter 36.29 RCW.[ 1991 c 245 s 36; 1986 c 278 s 29; 1895 c 117 s 36; RRS s 4286. Formerly RCW 85.04.170, part.]Notes:Severability—1986 c …

Whenever any diking district assessments levied under this act shall remain unpaid for a period of four years from the date when such assessment becomes due and payable, the diking district, which levied said assessment or assessments is hereby empowered and authorized, through i…

For the purpose of raising funds to purchase certificates of delinquency each diking district is authorized to levy an annual assessment upon the acreage contained within the diking district at the same time and in the same manner as other assessments of the district are levied; …

Any and all lands purchased and acquired by the diking district through foreclosure of delinquent assessment certificates shall, so long as owned by, or until sold by, such diking district, be exempt from general state and county taxes.[ 1929 c 111 s 3; RRS s 4286-3. Formerly RCW…

Upon the trial of any questions of issue by a jury under the provisions of this act, the trial court may, in its discretion, submit all questions to be found by the jury in the form of separate findings, or may submit to such jury separate forms of verdict on all such questions t…

All state, county, school district or other lands belonging to other public corporations requiring to be diked as a protection from overflow shall be subjected to the provisions of this act, and such corporations, by and through the proper authorities, shall be made parties in al…

In case lands belonging to the state, county, school district or other public corporations are benefited by any improvement instituted under the provisions of this chapter, all benefits shall be assessed against such lands, and the same shall be paid by the proper authorities of …

Fees for service of all process necessary to be served under the provisions of this act shall be the same as for like services in other civil cases, or as is or may be provided by law.[ 1895 c 117 s 40; RRS s 4290. Formerly RCW 85.04.200, part.]

Members of the board of diking commissioners of any diking district in this state may receive as compensation the sum of up to ninety dollars for actual attendance at official meetings of the district and for each day or part thereof, or in performance of other official services …

The court may compel the performance of the duties imposed by this act and may, in its discretion, on proper application therefor, issue its mandatory injunction for such purpose.[ 1895 c 117 s 42; RRS s 4292.]

Whenever, in the judgment of a board of commissioners of any diking district heretofore or hereafter organized, real or personal property, or any part thereof, owned by said district, is no longer of use to or needed by such district, or if personal property has become obsolete, …

Whenever in the judgment of the commissioners of any diking district, it is advisable so to sell real or personal property, the board of commissioners of such district shall pass a resolution declaring its intention to make such sale, describing the property to be sold and statin…