A district may lease out real property which it owns or in which it has an interest and which is not immediately necessary for its purposes upon such terms as the board of commissioners deems proper. No such lease shall be made until the district has first caused notice thereof to be published twice in a newspaper in general circulation in the district, the first publication to be at least fifteen days and the second at least seven days prior to the making of such lease. The notice shall describe the property, the lessee, and the lease payments. A hearing shall be held pursuant to the terms of the notice, at which time any and all persons who may be interested shall have the right to appear and to be heard.

     No such lease shall be made unless secured by a bond conditioned on the performance of the terms of the lease, with surety satisfactory to the commissioners and with a penalty of not less than one-sixth of the term of the lease or for one year's rental, whichever is greater.

     No such lease shall be made for a term longer than fifty years. In cases involving leases of more than five years, the commissioners may provide for or stipulate to acceptance of a bond conditioned on the performance of a part of the term for five years or more whenever it is further provided that the lessee must procure and deliver to the commissioners renewal bonds with like terms and conditions no more than two years prior nor less than one year prior to the expiration of such bond during the entire term of the lease. However, no such bond shall be construed to secure the furnishing of any other bond by the same surety or indemnity company. The board of commissioners may require a reasonable security deposit in lieu of a bond on leased property owned by a district.

     The commissioners may accept as surety on any bond required by this section an approved surety company, or may accept in lieu thereof a secured interest in property of a value at least twice the amount of the bond required, conditioned further that in the event the commissioners determine that the value of the bond security has become or is about to become impaired, additional security shall be required from the lessee.

     The authority granted under this section shall not be exercised by the board of commissioners unless the property is declared by resolution of the board of commissioners to be property for which there is a future need by the district and for the use of which provision is made in the comprehensive plan of the district as the same may be amended from time to time.

[2007 c 31 § 9; 1996 c 230 § 319; 1991 c 82 § 6; 1967 ex.s. c 135 § 1.]

NOTES:

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