Special Purpose Districts in Washington by Date of Enabling Legislation

Includes List of Districts Created for Funding Purposes, But Do Not Have Independent Governance

Related Tables

Districts with Statutorily Designated Governing Body
District	Date Created	Enabling Statute (RCW)	Purpose
School Districts	1889	Ch. 28A.315 RCW	Education
Irrigation Districts	1890	Ch. 87.03 RCW	Provide irrigation of land, develop electrical generating facilities, purchase and sell electricity, provide street lighting, sewer and domestic water system
Diking Districts	1895	Ch. 85.05 RCW	Straighten, widen, deepen and improve all rivers, watercourses or streams, construct diking system to protect land from overflow
Drainage Districts	1895	Ch. 85.06 RCW	Establish drainage system.
Joint School Districts	1897	Ch. 28A.323 RCW	Any school district composed of territory lying in more than one county
Metropolitan Park District	1907	Ch. 35.61 RCW	Manage, control, improve, maintain, and acquire parks, parkways, boulevards, and recreational facilities
Diking & Drainage Districts in Two or More Counties (Intercounty Diking and Drainage Districts)	1909	Ch. 85.24 RCW	Establish diking and drainage systems or erect flood dames to prevent inundations on land located in two or more counties
Port Districts	1911	Title 53 RCW	Acquire, construct, maintain, operate, develop and regulate system of harbor improvements, rail and water transfer and terminal facilities; air transfer, or terminal facilities, other storage and handling facilities. Acquire and construct toll bridges and tunnels and beltline railways, industrial development districts
Commercial Waterway Districts	1911, Repealed 1971	Ch. 91.04 RCW	Construct system of waterways
Diking, Drainage, Sewerage Improvement Districts 1913 Act, Funding methods revised by Diking, Drainage, and Sewerage Improvement Districts - 1967 Act	1913, 1967	Ch. 85.08 RCW; Ch. 85.15 RCW	Construct system of diking, drainage, or sewerage improvements
Flood Control by Counties Jointly - 1913 Act (Intercounty)	1913	Ch. 86.13 RCW	To help counties control flooding on a river that is or shall be the boundary line between two counties or its tributaries or outlet flows through parts of two counties and has a history of flooding
Water Districts	1913	Title 57 RCW	Water supply and distribution
Drainage Improvement District; Diking Improvement District - Improvement Districts - 1917 Act (reorganization of Diking or Drainage Dist)	1917	Ch. 85.20 RCW	Construct, straighten, widen, deepen, and improve all rivers, watercourses or streams causing overflow damage to land in district
Ferry Districts	1917, Repealed 1994	RCW 36.54..080-.100	Operate ferry vessels within islands
Water Distribution District	1921, Repealed 1971		Distribution of water for agricultural lands
Weed Districts	1921	Ch. 17.04 RCW	Control, prevent and exterminate weed found detrimental to crops, fruit trees, shrubs, foliage or other agricultural plants or foliage
Reclamation Districts of one million acres	1927	Ch. 89.30 RCW	Reclamation and improvement of arid and semiarid lands and for the generation and/or sale of hydroelectric energy
Public Utility Districts	1931	Title 54 RCW	Conserve water & power resources; supply public utility service including water and electricity, sewer, telecommunications
Diking, Drainage and Irrigation Improvement District; Drainage and Irrigation Improvement district - Improvement Districts - 1933 Act	1933	Ch. 85.22 RCW	Construct, straighten, widen, deepen, and improve all rivers, watercourses or streams causing overflow damage to land in district
Fire Protection Districts	1933	Title 52 RCW	Eliminate fire hazards and protect life and property outside cities/towns except where cities/towns have annexed
Sanitary Districts	1933, Repealed 1971	Title 55 RCW	Collect and dispose of garbage
Flood Control Districts - 1935 Act	1935, Repealed 1965	Ch.86.05 RCW	Control stream system, protection against tidal or any bodies of water
Regional Library Districts	1935	RCW 27.12.080	Allows two or more counties, or other governmental units to provide library services through interlocal contract
Flood Control Districts - 1937 Act	1937	Ch. 86.09 RCW	Protection of life and property, the preservation of the public health and the conservation and development of the natural resources
Conservation Districts	1939	Ch. 89.08 RCW	Conserve soil resources, prevent flood water and sediment damages....
Public Housing Authorities	1939	Ch. 35.82 RCW	Provide housing for low income persons
Rural County Library Districts	1941	RCW 27.12.040 - .070	Library district established by joint action of two or more counties
Sewer Districts	1941	Title 57 RCW	Operate system of sewers, treatment and disposal
Reclamation and Irrigation Districts in Reclamation Areas	1943	Ch. 89.12 RCW	Provides for participation in federal reclamation projects
Airport Districts, County	1945	RCW 14.08.290-.330	Establish and operate airports or other air navigational facilities
Health Districts	1945	Ch. 70.46 RCW	Provide health services within the district
Public Hospital Districts	1945	Ch. 70.44 RCW	Own and operate hospitals and other health care facilities, provide hospital and other health care services
Cemetery Districts	1947	Ch. 68.52 RCW	Acquire, establish, maintain, manage, improve and operate cemeteries and conduct businesses of a cemetery
Inter-County Rural Library Districts	1947	RCW 27.12.090	Provides free public library service throughout several counties
Boards of Joint Control (Irrigation districts and other entities)	1949	Ch. 87.80 RCW	Water supply administration for two or more irrigation entites
Air Pollution Control Authorities	1957, 1967	Ch. 70.94 RCW	State-wide program of air pollution prevention and control
Metropolitan Municipal Corporations	1957	Ch. 35.58 RCW; Ch.36.56 RCW	Essential services in metropolitan areas not adequately provided by existing agencies: water pollution, water supply, transportation, garbage, parks & rec, comp. planning
Mosquito Control Districts	1957	Ch. 17.28 RCW	Abatement or exterminate mosquitoes
Park & Recreation Districts	1957	Ch. 36.69 RCW	Provide leisure time activities, facilities, and recreational facilities
Inter-County Regular Weed Districts	1959	Ch. 17.06 RCW	Provides for joint program of all or any part of two counties or more to control weeds
Diking and Drainage Districts (general provisions - revised, statutes for diking district; drainage district; diking, drainage, and/or sewerage improvement district ;intercounty diking and drainage district; consolidated diking district, drainage district, diking improvement district, and/or drainage improvement district; or flood control district.)	1961 Recodification	Title 85 RCW	Construct, straighten, widen, deepen, and improve all rivers, watercourses or streams causing overflow damage to land in district
Flood Control Zone Districts	1961	Ch. 86.15 RCW	Undertake, operate, or maintain flood control projects/storm water control projects for areas of the county
Irrigation and Rehabilitation Districts	1961	Ch. 87.84 RCW	Conversion of certain irrigation districts to further recreational potential of larger lakes, improve inland lakes and shorelines
Joint Jail Districts (Two or more counties)	1961, Repealed 1971	RCW 36.63.280-.440	Establish and operate joint county jail, farm, camp
Toll Facility Aid Districts	1961, Repealed 1971	Ch. 47.57 RCW	Pay bonds or portion of cost of toll project finance by bonds
Park & Recreation Service Areas	1963	RCW 36.68.400 - .620	Finance, acquire construct, improve, maintain, or operate any park, senior citizen activities center, zoo, aquarium, and, or recreational facilities
Water-Sewer Districts (water-sewer district, water district, sewer district)	1971	Title 57 RCW (districts reclassified, formerly Sewer Title 56, Water Title 57), reclassification 1997	Furnish ample supply of water; purchase and maintenance of fire fighting equipment; furnish wastewater collection; provide street lighting
Television Reception Improvement Districts	1971	Ch. 36.95 RCW	Construction, maintenance, and operation of television and FM radio translator stations
County Public Transportation Authority	1974	Ch. 36.57 RCW	Allows county to provide public transportation
Public Transportation Benefit Areas	1975	Ch. 36.57A RCW	Provide public transportation services with defined area
Unincorporated Transportation Benefit Areas (UTBA)	1975	RCW 36.57.100	Provide transportation services to unincorporated areas of the county
Emergency Medical Service Districts	1979	36.32.480 RCW	Emergency medical services and funding
Joint Park and Recreation Districts	1979	36.69.420 -.460 RCW	Enables park and recreation district to be formed by two or more counties
Joint city-county Housing Authorities	1980	RCW 35.82.300	Housing authority created by one or more counties and any city or cities within any of those counties or in another county or counties
Operating Agencies (Electricity Generation and Distribution, Cities & PUD))	1981	Ch. 43.52 RCW	Generate electricity
Cultural Arts, Stadium, and Convention Districts	1982	Ch. 67.38 RCW	Construction, modification, renovation, and operation of facilities for cultural arts, stadium and convention uses
Island Library District	1982	RCW 27.12.400 - .450	Provide library service for all areas outside of incorporated cities and towns on a single island only
Solid Waste Disposal Districts	1982	RCW 36.58.100	Provides for and funds solid waste disposal in counties under 1 million
County Rail Districts	1983	Ch. 36.60 RCW	Providing and fund improved rail freight and passenger service
Legal Authorities (Hydroelectric) - Irrigation Districts	1983	RCW 87.03.825 - .840	Enables cooperative development of hydroelectric generating resources by cities and irrigation districts, cities towns, irrigation districts and PUDs
Roads & Bridges Service Districts	1983	Ch. 36.83 RCW	Improvement or providing funding for capital costs for state highway improvement a county or road district has authority to provide
Emergency Service Communication Districts	1987	RCW 82.14B.070-.100	In-lieu of providing a county-wide system of emergency communication, county can form districts for providing service and funding.
Public Facilities Districts	1988 - counties, 1999 - cities & towns	Ch. 36.100 RCW for counties	Acquire, construct, and operate sports facilities, entertainment facilities, convention facilities or regional centers and related parking facilities
Transportation Benefit District	1989	Ch. 36.73 RCW; RCW 35.21.225 for city	Funding streets, roads and highways
Regional Transit Authorities	1992	RCW 81.112	Enables transportation system for Puget Sound Area
Rural Public Hospital District (defined)	1992	RCW 70.44.450-.460	Hospital district whose geographic boundaries do not include a city with a population greater than thirty thousand
Rural Partial Library Districts	1993	RCW 27.12.470	Library district in a portion of the unincorporated area of a county
Library Capital Facility Areas	1995	Ch 27.15 RCW	Provides funding for construction of capital library facilities
Public Stadium Authorities	1997	Ch. 36.102 RCW	development of a stadium and exhibition center
Public Facilities Districts, Cities	1999	Ch. 35.57 RCW cities/towns	Acquire, construct, and operate sports facilities, entertainment facilities, convention facilities or regional centers and related parking facilities
City Transportation Authority (Monorail)	2002	Ch. 35.95A RCW	Construct and operate public monorail transportation system
Regional Transportation Investment District	2002	Ch. 36.120 RCW	Provides regions with the ability to plan, select, fund, and implement (or contract for the implementation of) projects identified to meet the region's transportation and land use goals.
County Ferry Districts, passenger-only (Counties of 1 million pop)	2003	Ch 36.54.110-.190 RCW, Ch. 83, Laws of 2003	Provide funding and operation of passenger-only ferries in counties bordering Puget Sound
Regional Fire Protection Service Authorities	2004	Ch. 52.26 RCW	Provides for regional fire protection service delivery, enhanced funding options, and new authority to address critical fire protection projects and emergency services
Districts Created for Funding Purposes, But Do Not Have Independent Governance
District	Date Created	Enabling Statute (RCW)	Purpose
County Road District - Originally had powers of special purpose district	1889	RCW 36.75.060	Provide revenue to establish, laying out, constructing, altering, repairing, improving and maintaining county roads
River & Harbor Improvement Districts	1903	Ch. 88.32 RCW	When federal govt making River, lake, canal or harbor improvement allows county to cooperate; can form joint board for planning for improvement of navigable river
Flood Control by Counties (River Improvement Fund)	1907	Ch. 86.12 RCW	Funding source for river improvements
Public Waterway Districts	1911	Ch. 91.08 RCW	Provides funding for owners of lands bordering upon/accessible to any navigable water shall to improve waterway
Agricultural Pest Districts	1919	Ch. 17.12 RCW	Destroy/exterminate animals that destroy/interfere with agricultural plants or products
Sewage Improvement Districts - Formerly under Title 85 After 1979 powers of title 85	1923	RCW 57.04.120 -.130	Construct system of sewerage improvements
Industrial Development Districts (Ports) - to develop marginal area properties	1939	Ch. 53.25 RCW	Provide funding for developing or redeveloping marginal area properties
Horticultural Pest and Disease Boards (Horticultural Assessment)	1969	Ch. 15.09 RCW	Provide funds for inspecting and disinfecting horticultural or agricultural produces and horticultural premises
Solid Waste Collection Districts	1971	Ch. 36.58A RCW	Mandatory collection of solid waste in unincorporated county
Apportionment District (Community redevelopment financing Act)	1982	Ch 39.88 RCW, Ruled unconstitutional by Leonard v. Spokane, 127 Wn. 2nd 195(1995)	Allocate a portion of regular property taxes for limited periods of time to assist in the financing of public improvements
Aquifer Protection Areas	1985	Ch. 36.36 RCW	Funds the protection, preservation and rehabilitation of subterranean water
Shellfish Protection Districts - "Clean Water Districts"	1985	Ch. 90.72 RCW	Protect shellfish industry from pollution
Lake and Beach Management Districts	1986	Ch. 36.61 RCW; RCW 35.21.403	Lake and beach improvement & maintenance
Community Renewal Area	2002	Ch. 35.81 RCW	Financing to rehabilitate blighted areas