RCW 84.33.210 — Forestland valuation—Special benefit assessments.

1. (1) Any land that is designated as forestland under this chapter at the earlier of the times the legislative authority of a local government adopts a resolution, ordinance, or legislative act (a) to create a local improvement district, in which the land is included or would have been included but for the designation, or (b) to approve or confirm a final special benefit assessment roll relating to a sanitary or storm sewerage system, domestic water supply or distribution system, or road construction or improvement, which roll would have included the land but for the designation, shall be exempt from special benefit assessments, charges in lieu of assessment, or rates and charges for stormwater control facilities under RCW 36.89.080 for such purposes as long as that land remains designated as forestland, except as otherwise provided in RCW 84.33.250.

2. (2) Whenever a local government creates a local improvement district, the levying, collection, and enforcement of assessments shall be in the manner and subject to the same procedures and limitations as are provided under the law concerning the initiation and formation of local improvement districts for the particular local government. Notice of the creation of a local improvement district that includes designated forestland shall be filed with the assessor and the legislative authority of the county in which the land is located. The assessor, upon receiving notice of the creation of a local improvement district, shall send a notice to the owners of the designated forestlands listed on the tax rolls of the applicable treasurer of:

   1. (a) The creation of the local improvement district;
   2. (b) The exemption of that land from special benefit assessments;
   3. (c) The fact that the designated forestland may become subject to the special benefit assessments if the owner waives the exemption by filing a notarized document with the governing body of the local government creating the local improvement district before the confirmation of the final special benefit assessment roll; and
   4. (d) The potential liability, pursuant to RCW 84.33.220, if the exemption is not waived and the land is subsequently removed from designated forestland status.
3. (3) When a local government approves and confirms a special benefit assessment roll, from which designated forestland has been exempted under this section, it shall file a notice of this action with the assessor and the legislative authority of the county in which the land is located and with the treasurer of that local government. The notice shall describe the action taken, the type of improvement involved, the land exempted, and the amount of the special benefit assessment that would have been levied against the land if it had not been exempted. The filing of the notice with the assessor and the treasurer of that local government shall constitute constructive notice to a purchaser or encumbrancer of the affected land, and every person whose conveyance or encumbrance is subsequently executed or subsequently recorded, that the exempt land is subject to the charges provided in RCW 84.33.220 and 84.33.230, if the land is removed from its designation as forestland.
4. (4) The owner of the land exempted from special benefit assessments under this section may waive that exemption by filing a notarized document to that effect with the legislative authority of the local government upon receiving notice from said local government concerning the assessment roll hearing and before the local government confirms the final special benefit assessment roll. A copy of that waiver shall be filed by the local government with the assessor, but the failure to file this copy shall not affect the waiver.
5. (5) Except to the extent provided in RCW 84.33.250, the local government shall have no duty to furnish service from the improvement financed by the special benefit assessment to the exempted land.

[ 2003 c 394 s 7; 2001 c 249 s 6; 1992 c 52 s 7.]