To regulate the authority of metropolitan municipal corporations (MMCs) to acquire property. Current law states that MMCs may purchase and condemn land, both within and without the metropolitan area, if deemed necessary for its purposes. The new language states that MMCs may purchase and condemn land, both within and without its component county boundaries that is necessary for its purposes. This right must be exercised by the MMC in the same manner as provided by law for cities, except when these laws are inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter. An MMC shall not condemn lands for an essential public facility at a location outside its component county boundaries without first completing the city or county siting process for an essential public facility where the proposed facility is to be located. See also Companion House Bill 1000.   Official Text and Analysis.

To state that the proposed King County wastewater treatment plant is needed and will serve the surrounding Snohomish County area. The siting process and environmental review included extensive public involvement and mitigating conditions. If not sited at a selected site, then the expansion must occur elsewhere. Further delay harms property owners and threatens accommodation of growth in a fast-growing area.

To state that Snohomish County citizens were effectively not represented in the siting process because of decisions made by King County. Governments should not be allowed to condemn property outside their boundaries for their facilities. King County should be required to go through the Snohomish County essential public facilities siting process now that such a process has been adopted.

But the bill did not pass the Senate by the cutoff date so it is considered a “dead bill” (although technically the bill could become active at any time during the 2003-2004 session).