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Subjects › Transportation › Assessment Districts
Reviewed 02/2009

Assessment Districts

Contents

Introduction

This Web page provides links to and information about transportation funding by means of assessing property owners who are benefited by the transportation project being constructed for a least a portion of the project costs . These property owners have varying degrees of collective ability within the various statutes to decide if they want the improvement and if and how they are to be assessed.

Local Improvement Districts and Road Improvement Districts

Local Improvement Districts (MRSC) can be used by cities and counties to fund transportation projects of all types via assessments on specially benefited properties. Road improvement districts are specific to counties.

    Latecomer Agreements

    Latecomer Agreements (MRSC), also referred to as recovery contracts or reimbursement agreements, allow a property owner who has installed street or utility improvements to recover a portion of the costs of those improvements from other property owners who later develop property in the vicinity and use the improvements. Two different statutes, chapter 35.72 RCW for streets, and chapter 35.91 RCW for utilities, govern these. Chapter 35.72 RCW allows a municipality to be considered as a property owner that can be reimbursed under a street latecomer agreement, but chapter 35.91 RCW does not afford that same opportunity.

      Parking and Business Improvement Areas (PBIA)

      A Parking and Business Improvement Area (PBIA) (MRSC) is designed to aid general economic development and to facilitate merchant and business cooperation. A PBIA is a local self-help funding mechanism that allows businesses and property owners within a defined area to establish a special assessment district. Funds raised can be used to provide management, services, facilities, and programs to the district.

        Sidewalk Statutes

        See also Sidewalk Construction, Maintenance and Repair (MRSC)

        Three chapters, 35.68 RCW, 35.69 RCW and 35.70 RCW, provide cities and towns with the authority to require property owners abutting a public street to construct sidewalk improvements or, if the property owners refuse to do so, to construct the improvements itself and assess the costs to them.  Each of the statutes has a slightly different approach to the issue and must be read carefully to make sure all procedures particular to that statute have been followed.

        Sidewalk Statute Summary
        Statute Chapter 35.68 Chapter 35.69 Chapter 35.70
        Applicability all cities or towns code cities,1st & 2nd class cities, or charter cities of equal population code cities or 2nd class cities and towns
        Improvement Type construct, reconstruct & repair sidewalks, curbs and gutters sidewalk construction & reconstruction less than one block long any form of sidewalk construction
        Remarks city may require improvements to be made or accomplish them through contract city requires improvements to be made and, if not, then accomplishes them through contract city requires improvements to be made and, if not, then accomplishes them through contract
        All three statutes refer to limitations in RCW 35.69.020: a). an abutting property owner cannot be charged more than 50% of the valuation of the property, exclusive of improvements; b). an abutting property owner cannot be charged if action by city caused deterioration or damage or if the deterioration or damage was caused by failure of the city to enforce its ordinances.