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Subjects › Governance › Special Purpose Districts › Alphabetical List of Special Purpose Districts in Washington
Updated 05/2011

Alphabetical List of Special Purpose Districts in Washington

Contents

Districts with Statutorily Designated Governing Body
District Name Date Created Enabling Statute (RCW)
Air Pollution Control Authorities 1957, 1967 Ch. 70.94 RCW
Airport District, County 1945 RCW 14.08.290-.330
Boards of Joint Control (irrigation districts and other entities) 1949 Ch. 87.80 RCW
Cemetery Districts 1947 Ch. 68.52 RCW
Community Facilities Districts 2010 Laws 2010, ch. 7 (ESSB 6241)
City Transportation Authority (Monorail) 2002 Ch. 35.95A RCW, Laws 2002, ch. 248  
Conservation Districts 1939 Ch. 89.08 RCW
County Public Transportation Authority 1974 Ch. 36.57 RCW
County Rail Districts 1983 Ch. 36.60 RCW
Cultural Arts, Stadium, and Convention Districts 1982 Ch. 67.38 RCW
Diking and Drainage Districts (general provisions - revised, statutes (a) A diking district; (b) a drainage district; (c) a diking, drainage, and/or sewerage improvement district; (d) an intercounty diking and drainage district; (e) a consolidated diking district, drainage district, diking improvement district, and/or drainage improvement district; or (f) a flood control district.) 1961, recodification Title 85 RCW
Diking & Drainage Districts in Two or More Counties (Intercounty Diking and Drainage Districts) 1909 Ch.. 85.24 RCW
Diking Districts 1895 Ch. 85.05 RCW
Diking, Drainage and Irrigation Improvement District; Drainage and Irrigation Improvement district - Improvement Districts - 1933 Act 1933 Ch. 85.22 RCW
Diking, Drainage, Sewerage Improvement Districts  1913 Ch. 85.08 RCW, Ch. 85.15 RCW
Drainage District 1895 Ch. 85.06 RCW
Drainage Improvement District; Diking Improvement District - Improvement Districts - 1917 Act (reorganization of Diking or Drainage Dist) 1917 Ch. 85.20 RCW
Emergency Medical Service Districts 1979 RCW 36.32.480
Emergency Service Communication Districts 1987, repealed effective 01/01/11 RCW 82.14B.070-.100
Ferry Districts 1917, repealed 1994 RCW 36.54.080-.100
Ferry Districts, passenger-only (Counties of one million population) 2003 Ch 36.54.110-.190 RCW, Laws of 2003, ch. 83
Fire Protection Districts 1933 Title 52 RCW
Flood Control by Counties Jointly - 1913 Act (Intercounty) 1913 Ch. 86.13 RCW
Flood Control Districts - 1935 Act 1935, repealed 1965 Ch.86.05 RCW
Flood Control Districts - 1937 Act 1937 Ch. 86.09 RCW
Flood Control Zone Districts 1961 Ch. 86.15 RCW
Health Districts 1945 Ch. 70.46 RCW
Inter-County Regular Weed Districts 1959 Ch. 17.06 RCW
Inter-County Rural Library Districts 1947 RCW 27.12.090
Irrigation Districts 1890 Ch. 87.03 RCW
Irrigation and Rehabilitation Districts 1961 Ch. 87.84 RCW
Island Library District 1982 RCW 27.12.400-.450
Joint City-County Housing Authorities 1980 RCW 35.82.300
Joint Park and Recreation District 1979 RCW 36.60.420-.460
Joint School Districts 1897 Ch. 28A.323 RCW
Irrigation Districts 1983 RCW 87.03.825-.840
Library Capital Facility Area 1995 Ch 27.15 RCW
Metropolitan Municipal Corporations 1957 Ch. 35.58 RCW & Ch. 36.56 RCW
Metropolitan Park District 1907 Ch. 35.61 RCW
Mosquito Control Districts 1957 Ch. 17.28 RCW
Operating Agencies (Electricity Generation and Distribution, Cities & PUD) 1981 Ch. 43.52 RCW
Park and Recreation Districts 1957 Ch. 36.69 RCW
Park and Recreation Service Areas 1963 RCW 36.68.400-.620
Port Districts 1911 Title 53 RCW
Public Facilities Districts 1988 for counties, 1999 for cities/towns Ch. 36.100 RCW for counties, Ch. 35.57 RCW for cities/towns
Public Hospital Capital Facility Areas 2009 Ch. 70.265 RCW
Public Hospital Districts 1945 Ch. 70.44 RCW
Public Housing Authorities 1939 Ch. 35.82 RCW
Public Stadium Authority 1997 Ch. 36.102 RCW
Public Transportation Benefit Area 1975 Ch. 36.57A RCW
Public Utility Districts 1931 Title 54 RCW
Reclamation and Irrigation Districts in Reclamation Areas 1943 Ch. 89.12 RCW
Reclamation Districts of one million acres 1927 Ch. 89.30 RCW
Regional Library Districts 1935 RCW 27.12.080
Regional Fire Protection Service Authorities 2004 Ch. 52.26 RCW
Regional Transit Authorities 1992 RCW 81.112
Regional Transportation Investment District 2002 RCW 36.120
Roads & Bridges Service Districts 1983 Ch. 36.83 RCW
Rural County Library Districts 1941 RCW 27.12.040-.070
Rural Partial Library District 1993 RCW 27.12.470
Rural Public Hospital District (defined) 1992 RCW 70.44.450-.460
Sanitary Districts 1933, repealed 1971 Title 55 RCW
School Districts 1889 Ch. 28A.315 RCW
Sewage Improvement Districts - Formerly under Title 85 RCW 1923 RCW 57.04.120-.130
Sewer Districts 1941 Title 57 RCW
Solid Waste Disposal Districts 1982 RCW 36.58.100
Television Reception Improvement Districts 1971 Ch. 36.95 RCW
Transportation Benefit District 1989 Ch. 36.73 RCW, RCW 35.21.225 for cities
Unincorporated Transportation Benefit Areas 1975 RCW 36.57.100
Urban Emergency Medical Service Districts 1994 RCW 35.21.762
Water Distribution District 1921, repealed
Water Districts 1913 Title 57 RCW
Water-Sewer Districts (water-sewer district, water district, sewer district) Sewer Dist. in 1941; Water Dist. in 1913; Water-Sewer consolidation in 1971 Title 57 RCW (districts reclassified, formerly Title 56, Sewer Districts), Title 57 (Water Districts), reclassification in 1997
Weed Districts 1921 Ch. 17.04 RCW

Districts Created for Funding Purposes,
But Do Not Have Independent Governing Boards
District Date Created Enabling Statute (RCW)
Agricultural Pest Districts Ch. 17.12 RCW
Apportionment District (Community redevelopment financing Act) 1982 Ch 39.88 RCW, ruled unconstitutional by Leonard v. Spokane, 127 Wn.2d 195 (1995)
Aquifer Protection Areas 1985 Ch. 36.36 RCW
Community Renewal Area 2002 Ch. 35.81 RCW, Laws of 2002, ch. 218
County Road District
1889 RCW 36.75.060
Flood Control by Counties (River Improvement Fund) 1907 Ch. 86.12 RCW
Industrial Development Districts (Ports) - to develop marginal area properties 1939 Ch. 53.25 RCW
Lake and Beach Management Districts 1986 Ch. 36.61 RCW; RCW 35.21.403
Public Waterway Districts 1911 Ch. 91.08 RCW
River and Harbor Improvement Districts 1903 Ch. 88.32 RCW
Shellfish Protection Districts - "Clean Water Districts" 1985 Ch. 90.72 RCW
Solid Waste Collection Districts 1971 Ch. 36.58A RCW

Special Purpose Districts listed are defined as political subdivisions of the state and come into existence, acquire legal rights and duties, and are dissolved in accordance with statutory procedures. Enabling legislation sets forth the purpose of the district, procedures for formation, powers, functions and duties, composition of the governing body, methods of finance, and other provisions. The districts are usually quasi-municipal corporations though some are statutorily defined as municipal corporations. They are often designated in the statutes as a public body corporate and a taxing authority.