wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 6097 > Original Bill
Any county, city, town, metropolitan park district, metropolitan municipal corporation, federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit historic preservation corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or nonprofit nature conservancy corporation or association, as such are defined in RCW 84.34.250, may acquire by purchase, gift, grant, bequest, devise, lease, or otherwise, except by eminent domain, the fee simple or any lesser interest, development right, easement, covenant, or other contractual right necessary to protect, preserve, maintain, improve, restore, limit the future use of, or otherwise conserve, selected open space land, farm and agricultural land, and timberland as such are defined in chapter 84.34 RCW for public use or enjoyment. Among interests that may be so acquired are mineral rights. Any county, city, town, metropolitan park district, metropolitan municipal corporation, federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit historic preservation corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or nonprofit nature conservancy corporation or association, as such are defined in RCW 84.34.250, may acquire such property for the purpose of conveying or leasing the property back to its original owner or other person under such covenants or other contractual arrangements as will limit the future use of the property in accordance with the purposes of chapter 243, Laws of 1971 ex. sess.
In accordance with the authority granted in RCW 84.34.210, a county, city, town, metropolitan park district, metropolitan municipal corporation, federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit historic preservation corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or nonprofit nature conservancy corporation or association, as such are defined in RCW 84.34.250, may specifically purchase or otherwise acquire, except by eminent domain, rights in perpetuity to future development of any open space land, farm and agricultural land, and timberland which are so designated under the provisions of chapter 84.34 RCW and taxed at current use assessment as provided by that chapter. For the purposes of chapter 243, Laws of 1971 ex. sess., such developmental rights shall be termed "conservation futures". The private owner may retain the right to continue any existing open space use of the land, and to develop any other open space use, but, under the terms of purchase of conservation futures, the county, city, town, metropolitan park district, metropolitan municipal corporation, federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit historic preservation corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or nonprofit nature conservancy corporation or association, as such are defined in RCW 84.34.250, may forbid or restrict building thereon, or may require that improvements cannot be made without county, city, town, metropolitan park district, metropolitan municipal corporation, federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit historic preservation corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or nonprofit nature conservancy corporation or association, as such are defined in RCW 84.34.250, permission. The land may be alienated or sold and used as formerly by the new owner, subject to the terms of the agreement made by the county, city, town, metropolitan park district, metropolitan municipal corporation, federally recognized Indian tribe, nonprofit historic preservation corporation as defined in RCW 64.04.130, or nonprofit nature conservancy corporation or association, as such are defined in RCW 84.34.250, with the original owner.
Nothing in this chapter may be interpreted, construed, or applied in a way that decreases, diminishes, or otherwise impairs the treaty rights of federally recognized Indian tribes.