Whenever any of the following described actions are proposed in a county in which a board has been established, the initiators of the action shall file within one hundred eighty days a notice of intention with the board: PROVIDED, That when the initiator is the legislative body of a governmental unit, the notice of intention may be filed immediately following the body's first acceptance or approval of the action. The board may review any such proposed actions pertaining to:

(1) The: (a) Creation, incorporation, or change in the boundary, other than a consolidation, of any city, town, or special purpose district; (b) consolidation of special purpose districts, but not including consolidation of cities and towns; or (c) dissolution or disincorporation of any city, town, or special purpose district, except that a board may not review the dissolution or disincorporation of a special purpose district which was dissolved or disincorporated pursuant to the provisions of chapter 36.96 RCW: PROVIDED, That the change in the boundary of a city or town arising from the annexation of contiguous city or town owned property held for a public purpose shall be exempted from the requirements of this section; or

(2) The assumption by any city or town of all or part of the assets, facilities, or indebtedness of a special purpose district which lies partially within such city or town; or

(3) The establishment of or change in the boundaries of a mutual water and sewer system or separate sewer system by a water-sewer district pursuant to RCW 57.08.065; or

(4) The extension of permanent water or sewer service outside of its existing service area by a city, town, or special purpose district. The service area of a city, town, or special purpose district shall include all of the area within its corporate boundaries plus, (a) for extensions of water service, the area outside of the corporate boundaries which it is designated to serve pursuant to a coordinated water system plan approved in accordance with RCW 70A.100.050; and (b) for extensions of sewer service, the area outside of the corporate boundaries which it is designated to serve pursuant to a comprehensive sewerage plan approved in accordance with chapter 36.94 RCW and RCW 90.48.110.

Part headings not law—Effective date—1996 c 230: See notes following RCW 57.02.001.

Effective date—1995 c 131: "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 shall take effect immediately [April 24, 1995]." [ 1995 c 131 s 2.]

Severability—1982 c 10: See note following RCW 6.13.080.

Legislative declaration—"District" defined—1981 c 45: "It is declared to be the public policy of the state of Washington to provide for the orderly growth and development of those areas of the state requiring public water service or sewer service and to secure the health and welfare of the people residing therein. The growth of urban population and the movement of people into suburban areas has required the performance of such services by water districts and sewer districts and the development of such districts has created problems of conflicting jurisdiction and potential double taxation.

It is the purpose of this act to reduce the duplication of service and the conflict among jurisdictions by establishing the principle that the first in time is the first in right where districts overlap and by encouraging the consolidation of districts. It is also the purpose of this act to prevent the imposition of double taxation upon the same property by establishing a general classification of property which will be exempt from property taxation by a district when such property is within the jurisdiction of an established district duly authorized to provide service of like character.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, as used in this act, the term "district" means either a water district organized under Title 57 RCW or a sewer district organized under Title 56 RCW or a merged water and sewer district organized pursuant to chapter 57.40 or 56.36 RCW." [ 1981 c 45 s 1.]

Severability—1981 c 45: "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." [ 1981 c 45 s 14.]

Consolidation of cities and towns—Role of boundary review board: RCW 35.10.450.