Except for off-street parking facilities situated on real property leased or rented to a city and not used for park and civic center parking, cities may operate off-street parking facilities with city forces. Leased or rented off-street parking facilities shall be operated by responsible, experienced private operators of such facilities. The call for bids shall specify the terms and conditions under which the facility will be leased for private operation. The call for bids shall specify the time and place at which the bids will be received and the time and when the same will be opened, and such call shall be advertised once a week for two successive weeks before the time fixed for the filing of bids in a newspaper of general circulation in the city. If no bid is received for the operation of such an off-street parking facility, or if the bids received are not satisfactory, the legislative body of the city may reject such bids and shall readvertise the facility for lease. In the event that no bids or no satisfactory bids shall have been received following the second advertising, the city may negotiate with a private operator for the operation of the facility without competitive bidding. In the event the city shall be unable to negotiate for satisfactory private operation within a reasonable time, the city may operate the facility for a period not to exceed three years, at which time it shall readvertise as provided above in this section.

Severability—1975 1st ex.s. c 221: See note following RCW 35.86.010.