Parks deannexation bill passes Legislature

HB 2044, sponsored by Rep. Tana Senn (D–Mercer Island), authorizes the deannaxation of a portion of a local jurisdiction from a park district. The bill passed the Legislature on a nearly unanimous vote.

The bill authorizes a local jurisdiction authorized to withdraw (deannex) a portion of a city, town, or county from a parks and recreation district or a metropolitan park district when:

• Both the governing body of a park district and the governing body of the local jurisdiction which is part of the district adopt a resolution and findings of fact supporting deannexation of that portion of the local jurisdiction that is part of the district; or
• 10% of the voters from the last general election of the city or county petition the governing officials for such a vote; or
• A park district located in a county with a population of 210,000 or more has not actively carried out any of the purposes or functions of that district in the preceding five years.

After one of the above occurs, the governing body of the city, town, or county must:

1. Draft a ballot;
2. Give appropriate notice to the public regarding the ballot measure; and
3. Submit the ballot to the voters of the city, town, or county which is part of the district at the next general election.

If 50% of the total persons voting on the ballot measure approve the deannexation, the ballot measure is approved and the deannexation becomes effective on December 31 of that year. The bill also allows reannexation if both the governing body and the park district approve. Reannexation is also open to a referendum petition.