Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.010
Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to enable counties to more effectively control and prevent the spread of horticultural pests and diseases.
Revised Code of Washington Chapter 15.09 — Horticultural Pest and Disease Board
Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 15.09 · 17 active provisions
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.020
Creation of board
Either upon receiving a petition filed by twenty-five landowners within the county or on its own motion, the board of county commissioners in order to achieve the purposes of this chapter may, following a hearing, create a horticultural pest and disease board.
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.030
Members—Appointment—Terms
Each horticultural pest and disease board shall be comprised of five voting members, four of whom shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners and one of whom shall be appointed by the director. In addition, the chief county extension agent, or a county extension agent appointed by the chief agent, shall be…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.040
Meeting—Quorum—Officers
Within thirty days after the appointed seats on the horticultural pest and disease board have been filled, the board shall conduct its first meeting. A majority of the voting members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and shall be necessary for any action taken by the board. The boar…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.050
Powers and duties
Each horticultural pest and disease board shall have the following powers and duties:(1) To receive complaints concerning the infection of horticultural pests and diseases on any parcel of land within the county;(2) To inspect or cause to be inspected any parcel of land within the county for the purpose of ascertaining…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.055
Contracts and agreements
The horticultural pest and disease board may enter into contracts and agreements with federal, state, and local government agencies, Indian tribes, and any other organization to perform any duties pursuant to the identification, detection, control, or eradication of horticultural pests and diseases.
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.060
Owner's duty to control pests and diseases
Each owner of land containing any plant or plants shall perform or cause to be performed such acts as may be necessary to control and to prevent the spread of horticultural pests and diseases, as such pests and diseases are defined under RCW 15.08.010, as now or hereafter amended, or as such pests and diseases are defi…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.070
Right of entry—Search warrant
Any authorized agent or employee of the county horticultural pest and disease board may enter upon any property for the purpose of administering this chapter and any power exercisable pursuant thereto, including the taking of specimens, general inspection, and the performance of such acts as are necessary for controlli…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.080
Failure to control horticultural pests and diseases—Remedies
(1) Whenever the horticultural pest and disease control board finds that an owner of land has failed to control and prevent the spread of horticultural pests and diseases on his or her land, as is his or her duty under RCW 15.09.060, it shall provide such person with written notice, which notice shall identify the pest…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.090
Hearing on liability of owner for costs or charges—Review
Any person upon request and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the horticultural pest and disease board shall be entitled to a hearing before the board on any charge or cost for which such person is alleged to be liable under subsection (2) of RCW 15.09.080. Any determination or final action by the board shall be…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.100
Payment of expenses and costs—Penalty—Collection
Any amount charged to the owner of land in accordance with the provisions of RCW 15.09.080 and 15.09.090 shall be paid by such owner within sixty days of the date in which he or she was billed for such amount. If payment is not made within such sixty day period, the amount of such charge, together with a ten percent pe…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.110
Refund of charges paid
In regard to any charge made pursuant to RCW 15.09.080, if either the horticultural pest and disease board or the superior court on judicial review disallows such charge, then any amount paid on such charge, together with any interest or penalty, shall be promptly refunded by the county from the county's current expens…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.120
Disposition of moneys collected
Any moneys collected under this chapter shall be placed in the county current expense fund together with any taxes collected pursuant to the provisions of RCW 15.08.260, as now or hereafter amended.
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.131
Operating budget—Source of funds
Funding of the operating budget of a horticultural pest and disease board may be derived from any or all of the following:(1) Moneys from the county general fund or other general revenues, as appropriated by the board of county commissioners or other county legislative authority;(2) A horticultural tax, as authorized i…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.135
Assessment—Public hearing—Rate—County review—Lien
(1) Prior to the levying of an assessment authorized in RCW 15.09.131, the horticultural pest and disease board shall hold a public hearing at which it will gather information to serve as a basis for classification and then classify the lands into suitable classification, including but not limited to orchard lands, ran…
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.140
Abolishment of board
Upon receipt of a petition signed by twenty-five landowners within the county or on its own motion, the board of county commissioners may abolish the pest and disease board following a hearing and a finding that the purposes of this chapter would not be sufficiently served by the continued existence of such board.
Wash. Rev. Code § 15.09.900
Chapter cumulative
The effects of the provisions of this chapter on the provisions of chapter 15.08 RCW shall be cumulative.