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Subjects › Governance › Special Purpose Districts › Lists of Washington Special Purpose Districts by Type
Updated 02/2010

Lists of Washington Special Purpose Districts by Type and General Purpose

Contents

Districts with Statutorily Designated Governing Body
District Date Created Enabling Statute (RCW)
Agricultural Related - Also Provided by Conservation Districts and Irrigation Districts
Mosquito Control Districts 1957 Ch. 17.28 RCW
Weed Districts 1921 Ch. 17.04 RCW
Inter-County Regular Weed Districts 1959 Ch. 17.06 RCW
Diking and Drainage Districts
Diking Districts 1895 Ch. 85.05 RCW
Diking and Drainage Districts in Two or More Counties (Intercounty Diking and Drainage Districts) 1909 Ch. 85.24 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 Funding methods revised by Diking, Drainage, and Sewerage Improvement Districts - 1967 Act 1913 Ch. 85.08 RCW, Ch. 85.15 RCW
Drainage Districts 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
Sewage Improvement Districts* - Formerly under Title 85 After 1979 powers of title 85 1923 RCW 57.04.120-.130
Economic Development
Cultural Arts, Stadium, and Convention Districts 1982 Ch. 67.38 RCW
Port Districts 1911 Title 53 RCW
Public Facilities Districts 1988 - counties, 1999 - cities and towns Ch. 36.100 RCW for counties, Ch. 35.57 RCW cities/towns
Public Stadium Authority 1997 Ch. 36.102 RCW
Environmental Protection - Also Provided by Diking, Drainage and Flood Control Districts
Air Pollution Control Authorities 1957, 1967 Ch. 70.94 RCW
Conservation Districts 1939 Ch. 89.08 RCW
Flood Control - Environment and Public Safety
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Flood Control Districts - 1935 Act 1935, Repealed 1965 Ch.86.05 RCW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 Related
Cemetery Districts 1947 Ch. 68.52 RCW
Emergency Medical Service Districts 1979 36.32.480 RCW
Health Districts 1945 Ch. 70.46 RCW
Mosquito Control Districts 1957 Ch. 17.28 RCW
Public Hospital Capital Facility Areas (Island counties) 2009  Ch. 70.265 RCW
Public Hospital Districts 1945 Ch. 70.44 RCW
Rural Public Hospital District (defined) 1992 RCW 70.44.450-.460
Housing
Public Housing Authorities 1939 Ch. 35.82 RCW
Joint city-county Housing Authorities 1980 RCW 35.82.300
Irrigation and Reclamation - Agriculture - Environment - Utilities
Irrigation Districts 1890 Ch. 87.03 RCW
Irrigation and Rehabilitation Districts 1961 Ch. 87.84 RCW
Reclamation and Irrigation Districts in Reclamation Areas 1943 Ch. 89.12 RCW
Reclamation Districts of one million acres 1927 Ch. 89.30 RCW
Library Districts
Inter-County Rural Library Districts 1947 RCW 27.12.090
Island Library District 1982 RCW 27.12.400 - .450
Library Capital Facility Area 1995 Ch 27.15 RCW
Regional Library 1941 RCW 27.12.080
Rural County Library Districts 1941 RCW 27.12.040 - .070
Rural Partial Library District 1993 RCW 27.12.470
Park and Recreation - Also provided by Port Districts, Irrigation and Rehabilitation Districts
Metropolitan Park Districts 1907 Ch. 35.61 RCW
Park and Recreation Districts 1957 Ch. 36.69 RCW
Park and Recreation Service Areas 1963 RCW 36.68.400 - .620
Joint Park and Recreation Districts 1979 RCW 36.60.420 - .460
Public Safety
Emergency Medical Service Districts 1979 36.32.480 RCW
Emergency Service Communication Districts 1987 RCW 82.14B.070-.100
Fire Protection Districts 1933 Title 52 RCW
Regional Fire Protection Service Authorities 2004 Ch. 52.26 RCW
Public Utility Services - Also provided by Irrigation Districts
Public Utility Districts - power, water, sewer 1931 Title 54 RCW
Legal Authorities (Hydroelectric) - Irrigation Districts - Interlocal  1983 RCW 87.03.825 - .840
Operating Agencies (Electricity Generation and Distribution,  Cities and PUD) - Interlocal 1981 Ch. 43.52 RCW
Water-Sewer Districts (water-sewer district, water district, sewer district) Sewer Dist 1941; water dist 1913; water-sewer consolidation 1971 Title 57 RCW (districts reclassified, formerly Sewer Title 56, Water Title 57), reclassification 1997
Solid Waste Disposal Districts 1982 RCW 36.58.100
Television Reception Improvement Districts 1971 Ch. 36.95 RCW
School
School Districts 1889 Ch. 28A.315 RCW
Joint School Districts 1897 Ch. 28A.323 RCW
Transportation Funding
Airport Districts, County 1945 RCW 14.08.290-.330
County Rail Districts 1983 Ch. 36.60 RCW
Regional Transportation Investment District 2002 Ch. 36.120 RCW
Roads and Bridges Service Districts 1983 Ch. 36.83 RCW
Transportation Benefit District 1989 Ch. 36.73 RCW, RCW 35.21.225  for city
Transportation (Mass Transit)
City Transportation Authority (Monorail) 2002 Ch. 35.95A RCW, Ch. 248 Laws 2002
County Public Transportation Authority 1974 Ch. 36.57 RCW
County Ferry Districts, passenger-only (Counties of 1 million population) 2003 Ch. 83 Laws 2003 (Adobe Acrobat Document)
Public Transportation Benefit Area 1975 Ch. 36.57A RCW
Regional Transit Authorities 1992 RCW 81.112
Unincorporated Transportation Benefit Areas (UTBA) 1975 RCW 36.57.100


Districts Created for Funding Purposes, But Do Not Have Independent Governing Boards
District Date Created Enabling Statute (RCW)
Agricultural - Weeds and Pests
Agricultural Pest Districts 1919 Ch. 17.12 RCW
Horticultural Pest and Disease Boards (Horticultural Assessment) 1969 Ch. 15.09 RCW
Apportionment District (Community redevelopment financing Act) 1982 Ch 39.88 RCW, Ruled unconstitutional by Leonard v. Spokane, 127 Wn. 2nd 195 (1995)
Aquifer Protection Areas 1985 Ch. 36.36 RCW
Community Renewal Area 2002 Ch. 35.81 RCW, Ch. 218 Laws of 2002
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 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
Sanitary Districts 1933, Repealed 1971 Title 55 RCW
Shellfish Protection Districts - "Clean Water Districts" 1985 Ch. 90.72 RCW
Solid Waste Collection Districts 1971 Ch. 36.58A RCW


Other Types of Special Governments
District Date Created Enabling Statute (RCW)
Boards of Joint Control (Irrigation districts and other entities) 1949 Ch. 87.80 RCW
Metropolitan Municipal Corporations 1957 Ch. 35.58 RCW and Ch. 36.56 RCW
Townships 1895, Repealed 1997 Title 45 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. The are often designated in the statutes as a public body corporate and a taxing authority