Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 36.68 · 38 active provisions
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, buildings or facilities surplus to its…
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.
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.
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 term for each appointive position shall be…
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 recreation board shall be filled by appointment…
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 shall keep a written record of its meeting…
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 derived from the operation of parks, playgroun…
(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 subsection, violation of such a rule or regula…
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 and drag strips, coliseums for the disp…
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.
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.
PARK AND RECREATION SERVICE AREAS 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 36.69.010…
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 areas may be included under RCW 36.68.6…
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 capital improvements or services to be auth…
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 requisite number of signatures, it shall be re…
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 feasibility of forming the same and to deter…
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 proposed service area to appear and be h…
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 service area: The board shall be empower…
(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 authority shall in their resolution direct the…
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 excess levy, or that proposed capital costs…
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, or within the proposed service area, in…
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 warrants drawn by the county auditor pur…
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 area from tax levy, from gifts or donation…
(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 84.52.052 for operating funds, capital…