The provisions of this and the following chapters relating to municipal local improvements apply to local improvements owned or operated by a public corporation or by a public corporation and a city, town, or another public corporation as if they were owned or operated by a city or town. Whenever a section in such chapters refers to improvements made by, ordered by, owned by, operated by, constructed by, acquired by, or otherwise provided for or undertaken by a city or town or other municipality, it shall be construed to refer also to improvements made by, ordered by, owned by, operated by, constructed by, acquired by, or otherwise provided for or undertaken by a public corporation.

Policy—1987 c 242: "It is declared to be the public policy of the state that public improvements owned and operated by public corporations that confer special benefits on property, including without limitation museum, cultural, or arts facilities or structures, should be able to use the local improvement district financing of municipalities." [ 1987 c 242 s 1.]

Whenever the words "city council" or "town council" are used in this and the following chapters relating to municipal local improvements, they shall be construed to mean the council or other legislative body of such city or town. Whenever the word "mayor" is used therein, it shall be construed to mean the presiding officer of said city or town. Whenever the words "installment" or "installments" are used therein, they shall be construed to include installment or installments of interest. Whenever the words "local improvement," "local improvements," or "municipal local improvements" are used therein, they shall be construed to include improvements owned or operated by a public corporation or by a public corporation and a city, town, or another public corporation. Whenever the words "public corporation" are used therein, they shall mean a public corporation, commission, or authority created pursuant to RCW 35.21.730 through 35.21.755.

Policy—1987 c 242: See note following RCW 35.43.005.

The rule that statutes in derogation of the common law are to be strictly construed shall have no application to this and the following chapters relating to municipal local improvements but the same shall be liberally construed for the purpose of carrying out the objects for which intended.

This and the following chapters relating to municipal local improvements shall supersede the provisions of the charter of any city of the first class.

They shall apply to all incorporated cities and towns, including unclassified cities and towns operating under special charters.

The council of each city and town shall pass such general ordinance or ordinances as may be necessary to carry out their provisions and thereafter all proceedings relating to local improvements shall be conducted in accordance with this and the following chapters relating to municipal local improvements and the ordinance or ordinances of such city or town.

Cities or towns may form local improvement districts or utility local improvement districts composed entirely or in part of unincorporated territory outside of such city or town's corporate limits in the manner provided in this chapter, or, upon approval of the legislative authority of an adjoining city or town, may form local improvement districts or utility local improvement districts for transportation and infrastructure purposes that are composed entirely or in part of territory within that adjoining city or town.

Effective date—2009 c 237: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [April 25, 2009]." [ 2009 c 237 s 2.]

Construction—Severability—1967 c 52: See notes following RCW 35.43.042.

The creation of a local improvement district outside of the boundaries of a city or town to provide water or sewer facilities may be subject to potential review by a boundary review board under chapter 36.93 RCW.

Whenever the public interest or convenience may require, the legislative authority of any city or town may order the whole or any part of any local improvement including but not restricted to those, or any combination thereof, listed below to be constructed, reconstructed, repaired, or renewed and landscaping including but not restricted to the planting, setting out, cultivating, maintaining, and renewing of shade or ornamental trees and shrubbery thereon; may order any and all work to be done necessary for completion thereof; and may levy and collect special assessments on property specially benefited thereby to pay the whole or any part of the expense thereof, viz:

(1) Alleys, avenues, boulevards, lanes, park drives, parkways, parking facilities, public places, public squares, public streets, their grading, regrading, planking, replanking, paving, repaving, macadamizing, remacadamizing, graveling, regraveling, piling, repiling, capping, recapping, or other improvement; if the management and control of park drives, parkways, and boulevards is vested in a board of park commissioners, the plans and specifications for their improvement must be approved by the board of park commissioners before their adoption;

(2) Auxiliary water systems;

(3) Auditoriums, field houses, gymnasiums, swimming pools, or other recreational, playground, museum, cultural, or arts facilities or structures;

(4) Bridges, culverts, and trestles and approaches thereto;

(5) Bulkheads and retaining walls;

(6) Dikes and embankments;

(7) Drains, sewers, and sewer appurtenances which as to trunk sewers shall include as nearly as possible all the territory which can be drained through the trunk sewer and subsewers connected thereto;

(8) Escalators or moving sidewalks together with the expense of operation and maintenance;

(9) Parks and playgrounds;

(10) Sidewalks, curbing, and crosswalks;

(11) Street lighting systems together with the expense of furnishing electrical energy, maintenance, and operation;

(12) Underground utilities transmission lines;

(13) Water mains, hydrants, and appurtenances which as to trunk water mains shall include as nearly as possible all the territory in the zone or district to which water may be distributed from the trunk water mains through lateral service and distribution mains and services;

(14) Fences, culverts, syphons, or coverings or any other feasible safeguards along, in place of, or over open canals or ditches to protect the public from the hazards thereof;

(15) Roadbeds, trackage, signalization, storage facilities for rolling stock, overhead and underground wiring, and any other stationary equipment reasonably necessary for the operation of an electrified public streetcar line;

(16) Systems of surface, underground, or overhead railways, tramways, buses, or any other means of local transportation except taxis, and including passenger, terminal, station parking, and related facilities and properties, and such other facilities as may be necessary for passenger and vehicular access to and from such terminal, station, parking, and related facilities and properties, together with all lands, rights-of-way, property, equipment, and accessories necessary for such systems and facilities;

(17) Convention center facilities or structures in cities incorporated before January 1, 1982, with a population over sixty thousand located in a county with a population over one million, other than the city of Seattle. Assessments for purposes of convention center facilities or structures may be levied only to the extent necessary to cover a funding shortfall that occurs when funds received from special excise taxes imposed pursuant to chapter 67.28 RCW are insufficient to fund the annual debt service for such facilities or structures, and may not be levied on property exclusively maintained as single-family or multifamily permanent residences whether they are rented, leased, or owner occupied;

(18) Programs of aquatic plant control, lake or river restoration, or water quality enhancement. Such programs must identify all the area of any lake or river which will be improved and must include the adjacent waterfront property specially benefited by such programs of improvements. Assessments may be levied only on waterfront property including any waterfront property owned by the department of natural resources or any other state agency. Notice of an assessment on a private leasehold in public property must comply with provisions of chapter 79.44 RCW. Programs under this subsection shall extend for a term of not more than five years;

(19) Railroad crossing protection devices, including maintenance and repair. Assessments for purposes of railroad crossing protection devices may not be levied on property owned or maintained by a railroad, railroad company, street railroad, or street railroad company, as defined in RCW 81.04.010, or a regional transit authority as defined in RCW 81.112.020; and

(20) Research laboratories, testing facilities, incubation facilities, and training centers built in areas designated as innovation partnership zones under RCW 43.330.270.

Intent—Severability—1997 c 452: See notes following RCW 67.28.080.

Savings—1997 c 452: See note following RCW 67.28.181.

Authority supplemental—1985 c 397: See RCW 35.51.900.

Whenever the legislative authority of any city or town has provided pursuant to law for the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, purchase, condemnation and purchase, addition to, repair, or renewal of the whole or any portion of a:

(1) System for providing the city or town and the inhabitants thereof with water, which system includes as a whole or as a part thereof water mains, hydrants or appurtenances which are authorized subjects for local improvements under RCW 35.43.040(13) or other law; or a

(2) System for providing the city or town with sewerage and storm or surface water disposal, which system includes as a whole or as a part thereof drains, sewers or sewer appurtenances which are authorized subjects for local improvements under RCW 35.43.040(7) or other law; or

(3) Off-street parking facilities; and

Has further provided in accordance with any applicable provisions of the Constitution or statutory authority for the issuance and sale of revenue bonds to pay the cost of all or a portion of any such system, such legislative authority shall have the authority to establish utility local improvement districts, and to levy special assessments on all property specially benefited by any such local improvement to pay in whole or in part the damages or costs of any local improvements so provided for.

The initiation and formation of such utility local improvement districts and the levying, collection and enforcement of assessments shall be in the manner and subject to the same procedures and limitations as are now or hereafter provided by law for the initiation and formation of local improvement districts in cities and towns and the levying, collection and enforcement of assessments pursuant thereto.

It must be specified in any petition or resolution initiating the formation of such a utility local improvement district in a city or town and in the ordinance ordered pursuant thereto, that the assessments shall be for the sole purpose of payment into such revenue bond fund as may be specified by the legislative authority for the payment of revenue bonds issued to defray the cost of such system or facilities or any portion thereof as provided for in this section.

Assessments in any such utility local improvement district may be made on the basis of special benefits up to but not in excess of the total cost of the local improvements portion of any system or facilities payable by issuance of revenue bonds. No warrants or bonds shall be issued in any such utility local improvement district, but the collection of interest and principal on all assessments in such utility local improvement district, when collected, shall be paid into any such revenue bond fund.

When in the petition or resolution for establishment of a local improvement district and in the ordinance ordered pursuant thereto, it is specified or provided that the assessments shall be for the sole purpose of payment into a revenue bond fund for the payment of revenue bonds, then the local improvement district shall be designated a "utility local improvement district".

The provisions of chapters 35.45, 35.47 and 35.48 RCW shall have no application to utility local improvement districts created under authority of this section.

Construction—1967 c 52: "The authority granted by this 1967 amendatory act shall be considered an alternative and additional method of securing payment of revenue bonds issued for the purposes specified in RCW 35.43.042 and shall not be construed as a restriction or limitation upon any other method for providing for the payment of any such revenue bonds." [ 1967 c 52 s 27.]

Severability—1967 c 52: "If any provision of this act, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1967 c 52 s 29.]

The legislative authority of any city or town may by ordinance convert any then existing local improvement district into a utility local improvement district at any time prior to the adoption of an ordinance approving and confirming the final assessment roll of such local improvement district. The ordinance so converting the local improvement district shall provide for the payment of the special assessments levied in that district into the special fund established or to be established for the payment of revenue bonds issued to defray the cost of the local improvement in that district.

Construction—Severability—1967 c 52: See notes following RCW 35.43.042.

Every city or town shall have the right of entry upon all irrigation, drainage, or flood control canal or ditch rights-of-way within its limits for all purposes necessary to safeguard the public from the hazards of such open canals or ditches, and the right to cause to be constructed, installed, and maintained upon or adjacent to such rights-of-way safeguards as provided in RCW 35.43.040: PROVIDED, That such safeguards must not unreasonably interfere with maintenance of the canal or ditch or with the operation thereof. The city or town, at its option, notwithstanding any laws to the contrary, may require the irrigation, drainage, flood control, or other district, agency, person, corporation, or association maintaining the canal or ditch to supervise the installation and construction of such safeguards, or to maintain the same. If such option is exercised reimbursement must be made by the city or town for all actual costs thereof.

Safeguarding open canals or ditches, assessments: RCW 35.43.040, 35.43.045, 36.88.015, 36.88.350, 36.88.380 through 36.88.400, 87.03.480, 87.03.526.

When the legislative body of any city or town finds that all of the property within a local improvement district or utility local improvement district will be benefited by the improvements as a whole, a local improvement district or utility local improvement district may include adjoining, vicinal, or neighboring streets, avenues, and alleys or other improvements even though the improvements thus made are not connected or continuous. The assessment rates may be ascertained on the basis of the special benefit of the improvements as a whole to the properties within the entire local improvement district or utility local improvement district, or on the basis of the benefit of each unit of the improvements to the properties specially benefited by that unit, or the assessment rates may be ascertained by a combination of the two bases. Where no finding is made by the legislative body as to the benefit of the improvements as a whole to all of the property within a local improvement district or utility local improvement district, the cost and expense of each continuous unit of the improvements shall be ascertained separately, as near as may be, and the assessment rates shall be computed on the basis of the cost and expense of each unit. In the event of the initiation of a local improvement district authorized by this section or a utility local improvement district authorized by this section, the legislative body may, in its discretion, eliminate from the district any unit of the improvement which is not connected or continuous and may proceed with the balance of the improvement within the local improvement district or utility local improvement district, as fully and completely as though the eliminated unit had not been included within the improvement district, without the giving of any notices to the property owners remaining within the district, other than such notices as are required by the provisions of this chapter to be given subsequent to such elimination.

Authority supplemental—1985 c 397: See RCW 35.51.900.

Construction—Severability—1967 c 52: See notes following RCW 35.43.042.

The city council of any city which is composed of two or more cities or towns which have been or may hereafter be consolidated may make and pass all resolutions, orders and ordinances necessary for any assessment where the improvement was made or was being made by a component city or town prior to consolidation.

A local improvement may be ordered only by an ordinance of the city or town council, pursuant to either a resolution or petition therefor. The ordinance must receive the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the members of the council.

Charters of cities of the first class may prescribe further limitations. In cities and towns other than cities of the first class, the ordinance must receive the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of the council if, prior to its passage, written objections to its enactment are filed with the city clerk by or on behalf of the owners of a majority of the lineal frontage of the improvement and of the area within the limits of the proposed improvement district.

Whenever the formation of a local improvement district or utility local improvement district which lies entirely or in part outside of a city or town's corporate limits is initiated by petition the legislative authority of the city or town may by a majority vote deny the petition and refuse to form the local improvement district or utility local improvement district.

Construction—Severability—1967 c 52: See notes following RCW 35.43.042.

Every ordinance ordering a local improvement to be paid in whole or in part by assessments against the property specially benefited shall describe the improvement and establish a local improvement district to be known as "local improvement district No. . . . .," or a utility local improvement district to be known as "utility local improvement district No. . . . ." which shall embrace as nearly as practicable all the property specially benefited by the improvement.

Construction—Severability—1967 c 52: See notes following RCW 35.43.042.

The council may continue the hearing upon any petition or resolution provided for in this chapter and shall retain jurisdiction thereof until it is finally disposed of. The action and decision of the council as to all matters passed upon by it in relation to any petition or resolution shall be final and conclusive. No lawsuit whatsoever may be maintained challenging the jurisdiction or authority of the council to proceed with the improvement and creating the local improvement district or in any way challenging the validity thereof or any proceedings relating thereto unless that lawsuit is served and filed no later than thirty days after the date of passage of the ordinance ordering the improvement and creating the district or, when applicable, no later than thirty days after the expiration of the thirty-day protest period provided in RCW 35.43.180.

Proceedings to establish local improvement districts must be initiated by petition in the following cases:

(1) Any local improvement payable in whole or in part by special assessments which includes a charge for the cost and expense of operation and maintenance of escalators or moving sidewalks shall be initiated only upon a petition signed by the owners of two-thirds of the lineal frontage upon the improvement to be made and two-thirds of the area within the limits of the proposed improvement district;

(2) If the management of park drives, parkways, and boulevards of a city has been vested in a board of park commissioners or similar authority: PROVIDED, That the proceedings may be initiated by a resolution, if the ordinance is passed at the request of the park board or similar authority therefor specifying the particular drives, parkways, or boulevards, or portions thereof to be improved and the nature of the improvement.

Severability—1981 c 313: See note following RCW 36.94.020.

Any local improvement may be initiated upon a petition signed by the owners of property aggregating a majority of the area within the proposed district. The petition must briefly describe: (1) The nature of the proposed improvement, (2) the territorial extent of the proposed improvement, (3) what proportion of the area within the proposed district is owned by the petitioners as shown by the records in the office of the county auditor, and (4) the fact that actual assessments may vary from assessment estimates so long as they do not exceed a figure equal to the increased true and fair value the improvement, or street lighting, adds to the property.

If any of the property within the area of the proposed district stands in the name of a deceased person, or of any person for whom a guardian has been appointed and not discharged, the signature of the executor, administrator, or guardian, as the case may be, shall be equivalent to the signature of the owner of the property on the petition. The petition must be filed with the clerk or with such other officer as the city or town by charter or ordinance may require.

A public hearing shall be held on the creation of a proposed local improvement district or utility local improvement district that is initiated by petition. Notice requirements for this public hearing shall be the same as for the public hearing on the creation of a proposed local improvement district or utility local improvement district that is initiated by resolution.

Upon the filing of a petition or upon the adoption of a resolution, as the case may be, initiating a proceeding for the formation of a local improvement district or utility local improvement district, the proper board, officer, or authority designated by charter or ordinance to make the preliminary estimates and assessment roll shall cause an estimate to be made of the cost and expense of the proposed improvement and certify it to the legislative authority of the city or town together with all papers and information in its possession touching the proposed improvement, a description of the boundaries of the district, and a statement of what portion of the cost and expense of the improvement should be borne by the property within the proposed district.

If the proceedings were initiated by petition the designated board, officer or authority shall also determine the sufficiency of the petition and whether the facts set forth therein are true. If the petition is found to be sufficient and in all proceedings initiated by resolution of the legislative authority of the city or town, the estimates must be accompanied by a diagram showing thereon the lots, tracts, and parcels of land and other property which will be specially benefited by the proposed improvement and the estimated amount of the cost and expense thereof to be borne by each lot, tract, or parcel of land or other property: PROVIDED, That no such diagram shall be required where such estimates are on file in the office of the city engineer, or other designated city office, together with a detailed copy of the preliminary assessment roll and the plans and assessment maps of the proposed improvement.

For the purpose of estimating and levying local improvement assessments, the value of property of the United States, of the state, or of any county, city, town, school district, or other public corporation whose property is not assessed for general taxes shall be computed according to the standards afforded by similarly situated property which is assessed for general taxes.

Construction—Severability—1967 c 52: See notes following RCW 35.43.042.

Any local improvement to be paid for in whole or in part by the levy and collection of assessments upon the property within the proposed improvement district may be initiated by a resolution of the city or town council or other legislative authority of the city or town, declaring its intention to order the improvement, setting forth the nature and territorial extent of the improvement, containing a statement that actual assessments may vary from assessment estimates so long as they do not exceed a figure equal to the increased true and fair value the improvement, or street lighting, adds to the property, and notifying all persons who may desire to object thereto to appear and present their objections at a time to be fixed therein.

In the case of trunk sewers and trunk water mains the resolution must describe the routes along which the trunk sewer, subsewer and branches of trunk water main and laterals are to be constructed.

In case of dikes or other structures to protect the city or town or any part thereof from overflow or to open, deepen, straighten, or enlarge watercourses, waterways and other channels the resolution must set forth the place of commencement and ending thereof and the route to be used.

In the case of auxiliary water systems, or extensions thereof or additions thereto for protection of the city or town or any part thereof from fire, the resolution must set forth the routes along which the auxiliary water system or extensions thereof or additions thereto are to be constructed and specifications of the structures or works necessary thereto or forming a part thereof.

The resolution shall be published in at least two consecutive issues of the official newspaper of the city or town, the first publication to be at least fifteen days before the day fixed for the hearing.

The hearing herein required may be held before the city or town council, or other legislative authority, or before a committee thereof. The legislative authority of a city or town may designate an officer to conduct the hearings. The committee or hearing officer shall report recommendations on the resolution to the legislative authority for final action.

Severability—1984 c 203: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1984 c 203 s 10.]

Notice of the hearing upon a resolution declaring the intention of the legislative authority of a city or town to order an improvement shall be given by mail at least fifteen days before the day fixed for hearing to the owners or reputed owners of all lots, tracts, and parcels of land or other property to be specially benefited by the proposed improvement, as shown on the rolls of the county assessor, directed to the address thereon shown.

The notice shall set forth the nature of the proposed improvement, the estimated cost, a statement that actual assessments may vary from assessment estimates so long as they do not exceed a figure equal to the increased true and fair value the improvement, or street lighting, adds to the property, and the estimated benefits of the particular lot, tract, or parcel.

The jurisdiction of the legislative authority of a city or town to proceed with any local improvement initiated by resolution shall be divested by a protest filed with the city or town council within thirty days from the date of passage of the ordinance ordering the improvement, signed by the owners of the property within the proposed local improvement district or utility local improvement district subject to sixty percent or more of the total cost of the improvement including federally-owned or other nonassessable property as shown and determined by the preliminary estimates and assessment roll of the proposed improvement district or, if all or part of the local improvement district or utility local improvement district lies outside of the city or town, such jurisdiction shall be divested by a protest filed in the same manner and signed by the owners of property which is within the proposed local improvement district or utility local improvement district but outside the boundaries of the city or town, and which is subject to sixty percent or more of that part of the total cost of the improvement allocable to property within the proposed local improvement district or utility local improvement district but outside the boundaries of the city or town, including federally-owned or other nonassessable property: PROVIDED, That such restraint by protest shall not apply to any of the following local improvements, if the legislative body finds and recites in the ordinance or resolution authorizing the improvement that such improvement is necessary for the protection of the public health and safety and such ordinance or resolution is passed by unanimous vote of all members present: (1) Sanitary sewers or watermains where the health officer of the city or town, or department of ecology, files with the legislative authority a report showing the necessity for such improvement; and (2) fire hydrants where the chief of the fire department files a report showing the necessity for such improvement.

Construction—Severability—1967 c 52: See notes following RCW 35.43.042.

If an owner of property enters into an agreement with a city or town waiving the property owner's right under RCW 35.43.180 to protest formation of a local improvement district, the agreement must specify the improvements to be financed by the district and shall set forth the effective term of the agreement, which shall not exceed ten years. The agreement must be recorded with the auditor of the county in which the property is located. It is against public policy and void for an owner, by agreement, as a condition imposed in connection with proposed property development, or otherwise, to waive rights to object to the property owner's individual assessment (including the determination of special benefits allocable to the property), or to appeal to the superior court the decision of the city or town council affirming the final assessment roll.

Severability—Prospective application—Section captions—1988 c 179: See RCW 39.92.900 and 39.92.901.

The city or town engineer or other designated official may contract with owners of real property to provide for payment by the owners of the cost of the preparation of engineering plans, surveys, studies, appraisals, legal services, and other expenses associated with improvements to be financed in whole or in part by a local improvement district (not including the cost of actual construction of such improvements), that the owners elect to undertake. The contract may provide for reimbursement to the owner of such costs from the proceeds of bonds issued by the district after formation of a district under this chapter, from assessments paid to the district as appropriate, or by a credit in the amount of such costs against future assessments assessed against such property under the district. Such reimbursement shall be made to the owner of the property at the time of reimbursement. The contract shall also provide that such costs shall not be reimbursed to the owner if a district to construct the specified improvements (as the project may be amended) is not formed within six years of the date of the contract. The contract shall provide that any preformation work shall be conducted only under the direction of the city or town engineer or other appropriate city or town authority.

Severability—Prospective application—Section captions—1988 c 179: See RCW 39.92.900 and 39.92.901.

A city or town ordering a local improvement upon which special assessments on property specifically benefited by the improvement are levied and collected, may provide as part of the ordinance creating the local improvement district that moneys paid or the cost of facilities constructed by a property owner in the district in satisfaction of obligations under chapter 39.92 RCW, shall be credited against assessments due from the owner of such property at the time the credit is made, if those moneys paid or facilities constructed directly defray the cost of the specified improvements under the district and if credit for such amounts is reflected in the final assessment roll confirmed for the district.

Severability—Prospective application—Section captions—1988 c 179: See RCW 39.92.900 and 39.92.901.

A city or town ordering a local improvement upon which special assessments on property specifically benefited by the improvement are levied and collected, may provide as part of the ordinance creating the local improvement district that the payment of an assessment levied for the district on underdeveloped properties may be made by owners of other properties within the district, if they so elect, subject to terms of reimbursement set forth in the ordinance. The terms for reimbursement shall require the owners of underdeveloped properties on whose behalf payments of assessments have been made to reimburse all such assessment payments to the party who made them when those properties are developed or redeveloped, together with interest at a rate specified in the ordinance. The ordinance may provide that reimbursement shall be made on a one-time, lump sum basis, or may provide that reimbursement shall be made over a period not to exceed five years. The ordinance may provide that reimbursement shall be made no later than the time of dissolution of the district, or may provide that no reimbursement is due if the underdeveloped properties are not developed or redeveloped before the dissolution of the district. Reimbursement amounts due from underdeveloped properties under this section are liens upon the underdeveloped properties in the same manner and with like effect as assessments made under this chapter. For the purposes of this section, "underdeveloped properties" may include those properties that, in the discretion of the legislative body of the city or town, (1) are undeveloped or are not developed to their highest and best use, and (2) are likely to be developed or redeveloped before the dissolution of the district.

Severability—Prospective application—Section captions—1988 c 179: See RCW 39.92.900 and 39.92.901.

All local improvements, the funds for the making of which are derived in whole or in part from assessments upon property specially benefited shall be made by contract on competitive bids whenever the estimated cost of such improvement including the cost of materials, supplies, labor, and equipment will exceed the sum of five thousand dollars. The city, town, or public corporation may reject any and all bids. The city, town, or public corporation itself may make the local improvements if all the bids received exceed by ten percent preliminary cost estimates prepared by an independent consulting engineer or registered professional engineer retained for that purpose by the city, town, or public corporation.

Policy—1987 c 242: See note following RCW 35.43.005.

Any city or town in this state owning and operating a municipal street railway over one hundred miles of track shall have power to provide for purchasing, or otherwise acquiring, or constructing and equipping surface, subway and elevated street railways and extensions thereof, and to levy and collect special assessments on property specially benefited thereby, for paying the cost and expense of the same or any portion thereof, as hereinafter provided.

Any improvement district created under RCW 35.43.200- 35.43.230 shall be created only by ordinance defining its boundaries as specified and described in the petition therefor and specifying the plan or system therein provided for; and shall be initiated only upon a petition therefor, specifying and describing the boundaries of such district and specifying the plan or system of proposed improvement, signed by the owners of at least sixty percent of the lineal frontage upon the proposed improvement and of at least fifty percent of the area within the limits of the proposed improvement district: PROVIDED, That the city council may in its discretion reject any such petition.

The cost and expense of any such improvement shall be distributed and assessed against all the property included in such local improvement district, in accordance with the special benefits conferred thereon.

Except as herein otherwise provided all matters and proceedings relating to such local improvement district, the levying and collecting of assessments, the issuance and redemption of local improvement warrants and bonds, and the enforcement of local assessment liens hereunder shall be governed by the laws relating to local improvements; and all matters and proceedings relating to the purchase, acquisition, or construction and equipment of the improvement and the operation of the same hereunder and the issuance and redemption of utility bonds and warrants, if any, and the use of general or utility funds, if any, in connection with the purchase, acquisition, construction, equipping, or operation of the improvement shall be governed by the laws relating to municipal public utilities.

Any city of the first class in this state ordering any local improvement upon which shall be levied and collected special assessments on property specifically benefited thereby may provide as part of the ordinance creating any local improvement district that the collection of any assessment levied therefor may be deferred until a time previous to the dissolution of the district for those economically disadvantaged property owners or other persons who, under the terms of a recorded contract of purchase, recorded mortgage, recorded deed of trust transaction or recorded lease are responsible under penalty of forfeiture, foreclosure or default as between vendor/vendee, mortgagor/mortgagee, grantor and trustor/trustee and grantee, and beneficiary and lendor, or lessor and lessee for the payment of local improvement district assessments, and in the manner specified in the ordinance qualify for such deferment, upon assurance of property security for the payment thereof.

Severability—1972 ex.s. c 137: See note following RCW 35.49.010.

Any municipal corporation, quasi municipal corporation, or political subdivision which has the authority to install sewers by establishing local improvement districts, which has charged and collected monthly service fees for sewers, that have been authorized and approved by the voters and have not been constructed for a period of ten or more years since the voter approval, is hereby authorized and directed to grant a credit against the future assessment to be assessed at the time of actual completion of construction of the sewers for each parcel of real property in an amount equal in dollars to the total amount of service fees charged and collected since voter approval for each such parcel, plus interest at six percent compounded annually: PROVIDED, That if such service fees and interest exceed the future assessment for construction of the sewers, such excess funds shall be used to defray future sewer service charge fees.

It is the intent of the legislature that the provisions of this section are procedural and remedial and shall have retroactive effect.

Whenever it is proposed that a local improvement district or utility local improvement district finance sanitary sewers or potable water facilities, additional notice of the public hearing on the proposed improvement district shall be mailed to the owners of any property located outside of the proposed improvement district that would be required as a condition of federal housing administration loan qualification, at the time of notice, to be connected to the specific sewer or water facilities installed by the local improvement district. The notice shall include information about this restriction.

(1) The settlement of Indian land and other claims against public and private property owners is declared to be in the interest of public health and safety, orderly government, environmental protection, economic development, and the social well-being of the citizens of this state, and to specifically benefit the properties released from those claims.

It is the purpose of chapter 4, Laws of 1989 1st ex. sess. to encourage the settlement of such Indian land and other claims lawsuits by permitting the establishment and use of local improvement districts to finance all or a portion of the settlement costs of such lawsuits.

(2) A local improvement district may be established by a local government legislative authority to finance all or part of the settlement costs in an Indian land and other claims settlement related to public and private property located within the local government. The settlement of an Indian land claim lawsuit shall be deemed to be an improvement that may be financed in whole or in part through use of a local improvement district.

Except as expressly provided in this section, all matters relating to the establishment and operation of such a local improvement district, the levying and collection of special assessments, the issuance of local improvement district bonds and other obligations, and all related matters, shall be subject to the provisions of chapters 35.43 through 35.54 RCW. The resolution or petition initiating the creation of a local improvement district used to finance all or a portion of an Indian land and other claims settlement shall describe the general nature of the Indian land and other claims and the proposed settlement. The value of a contribution by any person, municipal corporation, political subdivision, or the state of money, real property, or personal property to the settlement of Indian land and other claims shall be credited to any assessment for a local improvement district under this section.

Severability—1989 1st ex.s. c 4: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1989 1st ex.s. c 4 s 4.]