For the purpose of this chapter, unless herein specifically otherwise provided, the definitions of words, terms and phrases appearing in the state aeronautic department act of this state are hereby adopted.
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: "Municipality" means any county, city, town, airport district, or port district of this state; "airport purposes" means and includes airport, restricted landing area and other air navigation facility purposes.
[ 1987 c 254 § 3; 1945 c 182 § 1; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-30; ]
"Airport charges" means charges of an airport operator for tie-downs, landing fees, the occupation of a hangar by an aircraft, and all other charges owing or to become owing under a contract between an aircraft owner and an airport operator or under an officially adopted regulation and/or tariff including, but not limited to, the cost of sale and related expenses.
"Aircraft" means every species of aircraft or other mechanical device capable of being used for the purpose of aerial flight.
"Airport operator" means any municipality as defined in RCW 14.08.010(2) or state agency which owns and/or operates an airport.
"Owner" means (a) every natural person, firm, partnership, corporation, association, trust, estate, or organization, or agent thereof with actual or apparent authority, who expressly or impliedly contracts for use of airport property for landing, parking, or hangaring aircraft, and (b) includes the registered owner or owners and lienholders of record with the federal aviation administration.
[ 1987 c 254 § 1; ]
The acquisition of any lands for the purpose of establishing airports or other air navigation facilities; the acquisition of airport protection privileges; the acquisition, establishment, construction, enlargement, improvement, maintenance, equipment and operation of airports and other air navigation facilities, and the exercise of any other powers herein granted to municipalities, are hereby declared to be public, governmental, county and municipal functions, exercised for a public purpose, and matters of public necessity, and such lands and other property, easements and privileges acquired and used by such municipalities in the manner and for the purposes enumerated in this chapter shall and are hereby declared to be acquired and used for public, governmental, county and municipal purposes and as a matter of public necessity.
[ 1961 c 74 § 1; 1945 c 182 § 3; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-32; ]
Every municipality is hereby authorized, through its governing body, to acquire property, real or personal, for the purpose of establishing, constructing, and enlarging airports and other air navigation facilities and to acquire, establish, construct, enlarge, improve, maintain, equip, operate, and regulate such airports and other air navigation facilities and structures and other property incidental to their operation, either within or without the territorial limits of such municipality and within or without this state; to make, prior to any such acquisition, investigations, surveys, and plans; to construct, install and maintain airport facilities for the servicing of aircraft and for the comfort and accommodation of air travelers; and to purchase and sell equipment and supplies as an incident to the operation of its airport properties. It may not, however, acquire or take over any airport or other air navigation facility owned or controlled by any other municipality of the state without the consent of such municipality. It may use for airport purposes any available property that is now or may at any time hereafter be owned or controlled by it. Such air navigation facilities as are established on airports shall be supplementary to and coordinated in design and operation with those established and operated by the federal and state governments.
Property needed by a municipality for an airport or restricted landing area, or for the enlargement of either, or for other airport purposes, may be acquired by purchase, gift, devise, lease or other means if such municipality is able to agree with the owners of said property on the terms of such acquisition, and otherwise by condemnation in the manner provided by the law under which such municipality is authorized to acquire like property for public purposes, full power to exercise the right of eminent domain for such purposes being hereby granted every municipality both within and without its territorial limits. If but one municipality is involved and the charter of such municipality prescribes a method of acquiring property by condemnation, proceedings shall be had pursuant to the provisions of such charter and may be followed as to property within or without its territorial limits. Any title to real property so acquired shall be in fee simple, absolute and unqualified in any way. The fact that the property needed has been acquired by the owner under power of eminent domain, shall not prevent its acquisition by the municipality by the exercise of the right of eminent domain herein conferred.
Where necessary, in order to provide unobstructed air space for the landing and taking off of aircraft utilizing airports or restricted landing areas acquired or operated under the provisions of this chapter, every municipality is authorized to acquire, in the same manner as is provided for the acquisition of property for airport purposes, easements through or other interests in air spaces over land or water, interests in airport hazards outside the boundaries of the airports or restricted landing areas and such other airport protection privileges as are necessary to insure safe approaches to the landing areas of said airports or restricted landing areas and the safe and efficient operation thereof. It is also hereby authorized to acquire, in the same manner, the right or easement, for a term of years or perpetually, to place or maintain suitable marks for the daytime marking and suitable lights for the nighttime marking of airport hazards, including the right of ingress and egress to or from such airport hazards, for the purpose of maintaining and repairing such lights and marks. This authority shall not be so construed as to limit any right, power or authority to zone property adjacent to airports and restricted landing areas under the provisions of any law of this state.
It shall be unlawful for anyone to build, rebuild, create, or cause to be built, rebuilt, or created any object, or plant, cause to be planted or permit to grow higher any tree or trees or other vegetation, which shall encroach upon any airport protection privileges acquired pursuant to the provisions of this section. Any such encroachment is declared to be a public nuisance and may be abated in the manner prescribed by law for the abatement of public nuisances, or the municipality in charge of the airport or restricted landing area for which airport protection privileges have been acquired as in this section provided may go upon the land of others and remove any such encroachment without being liable for damages in so doing.
[ 1945 c 182 § 2; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-31; ]
Any acquisition of property within or without the limits of any municipality for airports and other air navigation facilities, or of airport protection privileges, heretofore made by any such municipality in any manner, together with the conveyance and acceptance thereof, is hereby legalized and made valid and effective.
[ 1945 c 182 § 4; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-33; ]
The cost of investigating, surveying, planning, acquiring, establishing, constructing, enlarging or improving or equipping airports and other air navigation facilities, and the sites therefor, including structures and other property incidental to their operation, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter may be paid for by appropriation of moneys available therefor, or wholly or partly from the proceeds of bonds of the municipality, as the governing body of the municipality shall determine. The word "cost" includes awards in condemnation proceedings and rentals where an acquisition is by lease.
[ 1945 c 182 § 5; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-34; ]
Any bonds to be issued by any municipality pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be authorized and issued in the manner and within the limitation prescribed by the Constitution and laws of this state or the charter of the municipality for the issuance and authorization of bonds thereof for public purposes generally, secured by the revenues of the airport, a mortgage on facilities, or a general tax levy as allowed by law, if the plan and system resolution are approved by the secretary of transportation or the state auditor.
[ 1995 c 301 § 32; 1984 c 7 § 4; 1945 c 182 § 6; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-35; ]
The governing bodies having power to appropriate moneys within the municipalities in this state for the purpose of acquiring, establishing, constructing, enlarging, improving, maintaining, equipping or operating airports and other air navigation facilities under the provisions of this chapter, are hereby authorized to appropriate and cause to be raised by taxation or otherwise in such municipalities, moneys sufficient to carry out therein the provisions of this chapter.
The revenues obtained from the ownership, control and operation of any such airport or other air navigation facility shall be used, first, to finance the maintenance and operating expenses thereof, and, second, to make payments of interest on and current principal requirements of any outstanding bonds or certificates issued for the acquisition or improvement thereof, and to make payment of interest on any mortgage heretofore made. Revenues in excess of the foregoing requirements may be applied to finance the extension or improvement of the airport or other air navigation facilities, and to construct, maintain, lease, and otherwise finance buildings and facilities for industrial or commercial use: PROVIDED, That such portion of the airport property to be devoted to said industrial or commercial use be first found by the governing body to be not required for airport purposes.
[ 1959 c 231 § 1; 1945 c 182 § 7; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-36; ]
The legislative body of the municipality shall create a special fund for the sole purpose of paying the principal of and interest on the bonds of each issue, into which fund the legislative body shall obligate the municipality to pay an amount of the gross revenue derived from its ownership, control, use, and operation of the airport and all airport facilities and structures thereon and used and operated in connection therewith, including but not being limited to fees charged for all uses of the airport and facilities, rentals derived from leases of part or all of the airport, buildings and any or all air navigation facilities thereon, fees derived from concessions granted, and proceeds of sales of part or all of the airport and any or all buildings and structures thereon or equipment therefor, sufficient to pay the principal and interest as the same shall become due, and to maintain adequate reserves therefor if necessary. Revenue bonds and the interest thereon shall be payable only out of and shall be a valid claim of the owner thereof only as against the special fund and the revenue pledged to it, and shall not constitute a general indebtedness of the municipality.
Each revenue bond and any interest coupon attached thereto shall name the fund from which it is payable and state upon its face that it is only payable therefrom; however, all revenue bonds and any interest coupons issued under RCW 14.08.112 and 14.08.114 shall be negotiable instruments within the provisions and intent of the negotiable instruments law of this state. Each issue of revenue bonds may be bearer coupon bonds or may be registered either as to principal only or as to principal and interest as provided in RCW 39.46.030; shall be in the denomination or denominations the legislative body of the municipality shall deem proper; shall be payable at the time or times and at the place or places as shall be determined by the legislative body; shall bear interest at such rate or rates as authorized by the legislative body; shall be signed on behalf of the municipality by the chair of the county legislative authority, mayor of the city or town, president of the port commission, and similar officer of any other municipality, shall be attested by the county auditor, the clerk or comptroller of the city or town, the secretary of the port commission, and similar officer of any other municipality, one of which signatures may be a facsimile signature, and shall have the seal of the municipality impressed thereon; any interest coupons attached thereto shall be signed by the facsimile signatures of said officials. Revenue bonds shall be sold in the manner as the legislative body of the municipality shall deem best, either at public or private sale.
The municipality at the time of the issuance of revenue bonds may provide covenants as it may deem necessary to secure and guarantee the payment of the principal thereof and interest thereon, including but not being limited to covenants to create a reserve fund or account and to authorize the payment or deposit of certain moneys therein for the purpose of securing or guaranteeing the payment of the principal and interest, to establish and maintain rates, charges, fees, rentals, and sales prices sufficient to pay the principal and interest and to maintain an adequate coverage over annual debt service, to appoint a trustee for the bond owners and a trustee for the safeguarding and disbursing of the proceeds of sale of the bonds and to fix the powers and duties of the trustee or trustees, and to make any and all other covenants as the legislative body may deem necessary to its best interest and that of its inhabitants to accomplish the most advantageous sale possible of the bonds. The legislative body may also provide that revenue bonds payable out of the same source or sources may later be issued on a parity with revenue bonds being issued and sold.
The legislative body of the municipality may include an amount for working capital and an amount necessary for interest during the period of construction of the airport or any facilities plus six months, in the principal amount of any revenue bond issue; if it deems it to the best interest of the municipality and its inhabitants, it may provide in any contract for the construction or acquisition of an airport or facilities that payment therefor shall be made only in revenue bonds at the par value thereof.
If the municipality or any of its officers shall fail to carry out any of its or their obligations, pledges or covenants made in the authorization, issuance and sale of bonds, the owner of any bond or the trustee may bring action against the municipality and/or said officers to compel the performance of any or all of the covenants.
[ 2010 c 8 § 5002; 1983 c 167 § 16; 1970 ex.s. c 56 § 3; 1969 ex.s. c 232 § 2; 1957 c 53 § 1; ]
When any municipality has outstanding revenue bonds or warrants payable solely from revenues derived from the ownership, control, use and operation of the airport and all its facilities and structures thereon used and operated in connection therewith, the legislative body thereof may provide for the issuance of funding or refunding bonds to fund or refund outstanding warrants or bonds or any part thereof at or before maturity, and may combine various outstanding warrants and various series and issues of outstanding bonds in the amount thereof to be funded or refunded and may issue funding or refunding bonds to pay any redemption premium and interest payable on the outstanding revenue warrants or bonds being funded or refunded. The legislative body of the municipality shall create a special fund for the sole purpose of paying the principal of and interest on funding or refunding bonds, into which fund the legislative body shall obligate the municipality to pay an amount of the gross revenue derived from its ownership, control, use and operation of the airport and all airport facilities and structures thereon as provided in RCW 14.08.112, sufficient to pay the principal and interest as the same shall become due, and to maintain adequate reserves therefor if necessary. Bonds and the interest thereon shall be payable only out of and shall be a valid claim of the owner thereof only as against the special fund and the revenue pledged to it, and shall not constitute a general indebtedness of the municipality.
The net interest cost to maturity on funding or refunding bonds shall be at such rate or rates as shall be authorized by the legislative body.
The municipality may exchange funding or refunding bonds at par for the warrants or bonds which are being funded or refunded, or it may sell the funding or refunding bonds in the manner as it shall deem for the best interest of the municipality and its inhabitants, either at public or private sale. Funding or refunding bonds shall be governed by and issued under and in accordance with the provisions of RCW 14.08.112 with respect to revenue bonds unless there is a specific provision to the contrary in this section.
[ 1983 c 167 § 17; 1970 ex.s. c 56 § 4; 1969 ex.s. c 232 § 3; 1957 c 53 § 2; ]
Nothing in RCW 14.08.112 and 14.08.114 shall repeal or supersede revenue bond financing powers otherwise granted to port districts under the provisions of chapter 53.40 RCW.
[ 1957 c 53 § 3; ]
Municipalities, including any governmental subdivision which may be hereafter authorized by law to own, control and operate an airport, or other air navigation facility, may issue revenue warrants for the same purposes for which they may issue revenue bonds, and the provisions of RCW 14.08.112 as now or hereafter amended relating to the terms, conditions, covenants, issuance, and sale of revenue bonds shall be applicable to such revenue warrants.
Revenue warrants so issued shall not constitute a general indebtedness of the municipality.
[ 1971 ex.s. c 176 § 1; ]
In addition to the general powers conferred in this chapter, and without limitation thereof, a municipality that has established or may hereafter establish airports, restricted landing areas, or other air navigation facilities, or that has acquired or set apart or may hereafter acquire or set apart real property for that purpose or purposes is authorized:
To vest authority for the construction, enlargement, improvement, maintenance, equipment, operation, and regulation thereof in an officer, a board, or body of the municipality by ordinance or resolution that prescribes the powers and duties of the officer, board, or body; and the municipality may also vest authority for industrial and commercial development in a municipal airport commission consisting of at least five resident taxpayers of the municipality to be appointed by the governing board of the municipality by an ordinance or resolution that includes (i) the terms of office, which may not exceed six years and which shall be staggered so that not more than three terms will expire in the same year, (ii) the method of appointment and filling vacancies, (iii) a provision that there shall be no compensation but may provide for a per diem of not to exceed twenty-five dollars per day plus travel expenses for time spent on commission business, (iv) the powers and duties of the commission, and (v) any other matters necessary to the exercise of the powers relating to industrial and commercial development. The expense of the construction, enlargement, improvement, maintenance, equipment, industrial and commercial development, operation, and regulation are the responsibility of the municipality.
To adopt and amend all needed rules, regulations, and ordinances for the management, government, and use of any properties under its control, whether within or outside the territorial limits of the municipality; to provide fire protection for the airport, including the acquisition and operation of fire protection equipment and facilities, and the right to contract with any private body or political subdivision of the state for the furnishing of such fire protection; to appoint airport guards or police, with full police powers; to fix by ordinance or resolution, as may be appropriate, penalties for the violation of the rules, regulations, and ordinances, and enforce those penalties in the same manner in which penalties prescribed by other rules, regulations, and ordinances of the municipality are enforced. For the purposes of such management and government and direction of public use, that part of all highways, roads, streets, avenues, boulevards, and territory that adjoins the limits of any airport or restricted landing area acquired or maintained under the provisions of this chapter is under like control and management of the municipality. It may also adopt and enact rules, regulations, and ordinances designed to safeguard the public upon or beyond the limits of private airports or landing strips within the municipality or its police jurisdiction against the perils and hazards of instrumentalities used in aerial navigation. Rules, regulations, and ordinances shall be published as provided by general law or the charter of the municipality for the publication of similar rules, regulations, and ordinances. They shall conform to and be consistent with the laws of this state and the rules of the state department of transportation and shall be kept in conformity, as nearly as may be, with the then current federal legislation governing aeronautics and the regulations duly promulgated thereunder and the rules and standards issued from time to time pursuant thereto.
To create a special airport fund, and provide that all receipts from the operation of the airport be deposited in the fund, which fund shall remain intact from year to year and may be pledged to the payment of aviation bonds, or kept for future maintenance, construction, or operation of airports or airport facilities.
To lease airports or other air navigation facilities, or real property acquired or set apart for airport purposes, to private parties, any municipal or state government or the national government, or any department thereof, for operation; to lease or assign to private parties, any municipal or state government or the national government, or any department thereof, for operation or use consistent with the purposes of this chapter, space, area, improvements, or equipment of such airports; to authorize its lessees to construct, alter, repair, or improve the leased premises at the cost of the lessee and to reimburse its lessees for such cost, provided the cost is paid solely out of funds fully collected from the airport's tenants; to sell any part of such airports, other air navigation facilities or real property to any municipal or state government, or to the United States or any department or instrumentality thereof, for aeronautical purposes or purposes incidental thereto, and to confer the privileges of concessions of supplying upon its airports goods, commodities, things, services, and facilities: PROVIDED, That in each case in so doing the public is not deprived of its rightful, equal, and uniform use thereof.
Acting through its governing body, to sell or lease any property, real or personal, acquired for airport purposes and belonging to the municipality, which, in the judgment of its governing body, may not be required for aircraft landings, aircraft takeoffs or related aeronautic purposes, in accordance with the laws of this state, or the provisions of the charter of the municipality, governing the sale or leasing of similar municipally owned property. The municipal airport commission, if one has been organized and appointed under (a) of this subsection, may lease any airport property for aircraft landings, aircraft takeoffs, or related aeronautic purposes. If there is a finding by the governing body of the municipality that any airport property, real or personal, is not required for aircraft landings, aircraft takeoffs, or related aeronautic purposes, then the municipal airport commission may lease such space, land, area, or improvements, or construct improvements, or take leases back for financing purposes, grant concessions on such space, land, area, or improvements, all for industrial or commercial purposes, by private negotiation and under such terms and conditions that seem just and proper to the municipal airport commission. Any such lease of real property for aircraft manufacturing or aircraft industrial purposes or to any manufacturer of aircraft or aircraft parts or for any other business, manufacturing, or industrial purpose or operation relating to, identified with, or in any way dependent upon the use, operation, or maintenance of the airport, or for any commercial or industrial purpose may be made for any period not to exceed seventy-five years, but any such lease of real property made for a longer period than ten years shall contain provisions requiring the municipality and the lessee to permit the rentals for each five-year period thereafter, to be readjusted at the commencement of each such period if written request for readjustment is given by either party to the other at least thirty days before the commencement of the five-year period for which the readjustment is requested. If the parties cannot agree upon the rentals for the five-year period, they shall submit to have the disputed rentals for the period adjusted by arbitration. The lessee shall pick one arbitrator, and the governing body of the municipality shall pick one, and the two so chosen shall select a third. After a review of all pertinent facts the board of arbitrators may increase or decrease such rentals or continue the previous rate thereof.
The proceeds of the sale of any property the purchase price of which was obtained by the sale of bonds shall be deposited in the bond sinking fund. If all the proceeds of the sale are not needed to pay the principal of bonds remaining unpaid, the remainder shall be paid into the airport fund of the municipality. The proceeds of sales of property the purchase price of which was paid from appropriations of tax funds shall be paid into the airport fund of the municipality.
To determine the charges or rental for the use of any properties under its control and the charges for any services or accommodations, and the terms and conditions under which such properties may be used: PROVIDED, That in all cases the public is not deprived of its rightful, equal, and uniform use of the property. Charges shall be reasonable and uniform for the same class of service and established with due regard to the property and improvements used and the expense of operation to the municipality. The municipality shall have and may enforce liens, as provided by law for liens and enforcement thereof, for repairs to or improvement or storage or care of any personal property, to enforce the payment of any such charges. As used in this subsection (1)(f), the term "charges" does not refer to any minimum labor standard imposed by a municipality pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.
To impose a customer facility charge upon customers of rental car companies accessing the airport for the purposes of financing, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining consolidated rental car facilities and common use transportation equipment and facilities which are used to transport the customer between the consolidated car rental facilities and other airport facilities. The airport operator may require the rental car companies to collect the facility charges, and any facility charges so collected shall be deposited in a trust account for the benefit of the airport operator and remitted at the direction of the airport operator, but no more often than once per month. The charge shall be calculated on a per-day basis. Facility charges may not exceed the reasonable costs of financing, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining the consolidated car rental facilities and common use transportation equipment and facilities and may not be used for any other purpose. For the purposes of this subsection (1)(g), if an airport operator makes use of its own funds to finance the consolidated rental car facilities and common use transportation equipment and facilities, the airport operator (i) is entitled to earn a rate of return on such funds no greater than the interest rate that the airport operator would pay to finance such facilities in the appropriate capital market, provided that the airport operator establish the rate of return in consultation with the rental car companies, and (ii) may use the funds earned under (g)(i) of this subsection for purposes other than those associated with the consolidated rental car facilities and common use transportation equipment and facilities.
To make airport property available for less than fair market rental value under very limited conditions provided that prior to the lease or contract authorizing such use the airport operator's board, commission, or council has (i) adopted a policy that establishes that such lease or other contract enhances the public acceptance of the airport and serves the airport's business interest and (ii) adopted procedures for approval of such lease or other contract.
If the airport operator has adopted the policy and procedures under (h) of this subsection, to lease or license the use of property belonging to the municipality and acquired for airport purposes at less than fair market rental value as long as the municipality's council, board, or commission finds that the following conditions are met:
The lease or license of the subject property enhances public acceptance of the airport in a community in the immediate area of the airport;
The subject property is put to a desired public recreational or other community use by the community in the immediate area of the airport;
The desired community use and the community goodwill that would be generated by such community use serves the business interest of the airport in ways that can be articulated and demonstrated;
The desired community use does not adversely affect the capacity, security, safety, or operations of the airport;
At the time the community use is contemplated, the subject property is not reasonably expected to be used by an aeronautical tenant or otherwise be needed for airport operations in the foreseeable future;
At the time the community use is contemplated, the subject property would not reasonably be expected to produce more than de minimis revenue;
If the subject property can be reasonably expected to produce more than de minimis revenue, the community use is permitted only where the revenue to be earned from the community use would approximate the revenue that could be generated by an alternate use;
Leases for community use must not preclude reuse of the subject property for airport purposes if, in the opinion of the airport owner, reuse of the subject property would provide greater benefits to the airport than continuation of the community use;
The airport owner ensures that airport revenue does not support the capital or operating costs associated with the community use;
The lease or other contract for community use is not to a for-profit organization or for the benefit of private individuals;
The lease or other contract for community use is subject to the requirement that if the term of the lease is for a period that exceeds ten years, the lease must contain a provision allowing for a readjustment of the rent every five years after the initial ten-year term;
The lease or other contract for community use is subject to the requirement that the term of the lease must not exceed fifty years; and
The lease or other contract for community use is subject to the requirement that if the term of the lease exceeds one year, the lease or other contract obligations must be secured by rental insurance, bond, or other security satisfactory to the municipality's board, council, or commission in an amount equal to at least one year's rent, or as consistent with chapter 53.08 RCW. However, the municipality's board, council, or commission may waive the rent security requirement or lower the amount of the rent security requirement for good cause.
To exercise all powers necessarily incidental to the exercise of the general and special powers granted in this section.
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A municipality that controls or operates an airport having had more than twenty million annual commercial air service passenger enplanements on average over the most recent seven full calendar years that is located within the boundaries of a city that has passed a local law or ordinance setting a minimum labor standard that applies to certain employers operating or providing goods and services at the airport is authorized to enact a minimum labor standard that applies to employees working at the airport, so long as the minimum labor standard meets, but does not exceed, the minimum labor standard in the city's law or ordinance.
A municipality's authority to establish a minimum labor standard pursuant to (a) of this subsection may be imposed only on employers that are excluded from the minimum labor standard established by such city because the type of good or service provided by the employer is expressly excluded in the text of the city's law or ordinance.
This section does not authorize a municipality to establish a minimum labor standard for an employer who was excluded from the city's law or ordinance because it is a certificated air carrier performing services for itself or based on the employer's size or number of employees.
The authority granted under (a) of this subsection shall only apply to employers who provide the goods or services at the airport from facilities that are located on property owned by the municipality and within the boundaries of the city that enacted the minimum labor standard.
[ 2021 c 106 § 1; 2020 c 96 § 1; 2010 c 155 § 1; 2009 c 124 § 1; 2005 c 76 § 1; 1990 c 215 § 1; 1984 c 7 § 5; 1961 c 74 § 2; 1959 c 231 § 2; 1957 c 14 § 1; 1953 c 178 § 1; 1945 c 182 § 8; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-37; ]
An airport operator may adopt all regulations necessary for rental and use of airport facilities and for the expeditious collection of airport charges. The regulations may also establish procedures for the enforcement of these regulations by the airport operator. The regulations shall include the following:
Procedures authorizing airport personnel to take reasonable measures including, but not limited to, the use of chains, ropes, and locks to secure aircraft within the airport facility so that the aircraft are in the possession and control of the airport operator and cannot be removed from the airport. These procedures may be used if an owner hangaring or parking an aircraft at the airport fails, after being notified that charges are owing and of the owner's right to contest that such charges are owing, to pay the airport charges owed or to commence legal proceedings. Notification shall be by registered mail to the owner at his or her last known address. In the case of an aircraft where an owner's address cannot be determined or obtained after reasonable effort, the airport operator need not give such notice prior to securing the aircraft. At the time of securing the aircraft, an authorized airport employee shall attach to the aircraft a readily visible notice and shall make a reasonable attempt to send a copy of the notice to the owner at his or her last known address by registered mail, return receipt requested, and an additional copy of the notice by first-class mail. The notice shall be of a reasonable size and shall contain the following information:
The date and time the notice was attached;
A reasonable description of the aircraft;
The identity of the authorized employee;
The amount of airport charges owing;
A statement that if the account is not paid in full within ninety days from the time the notice was attached the aircraft may be sold at public auction to satisfy the airport charges;
A statement of the owner's right to commence legal proceedings to contest the charges owing and to have the aircraft released upon posting of an adequate cash bond or other security; and
The address and telephone number where additional information may be obtained concerning the release of the aircraft.
Procedures authorizing airport personnel at their discretion to move aircraft to an area within the airport operator's control or for storage with private persons under the airport operator's control as bailees of the airport facility. Costs of any such procedure shall be paid by the aircraft's owner.
If an aircraft is secured under subsection (1) of this section or moved under conditions authorized by subsection (2) of this section the owner who is obligated for hangaring or parking or other airport charges may regain possession of the aircraft by:
Making arrangements satisfactory with the airport operator for the immediate removal of the aircraft from the airport's hangar, or making arrangements for authorized parking; and
By making payment to the airport operator of all airport charges or by posting with the airport operator a sufficient cash bond or other security acceptable to such operator, to be held in trust by the airport operator pending written agreement of the parties with respect to payment by the aircraft owner of the amount owing, or pending resolution of charges in a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction. Upon written agreement or judicial resolution, the trust shall terminate and the airport operator shall receive so much of the bond or other security as is necessary to satisfy the agreement, or any judgment, costs, and interest as may be awarded to the airport operator. The balance shall be refunded immediately to the owner at the owner's last known address by registered mail, return receipt requested. The airport operator shall send to the owner by first-class mail a notice that the balance of funds was forwarded to him or her by registered mail, return receipt requested.
If an aircraft parked or hangared at an airport is abandoned, the airport operator may authorize the public sale of the aircraft by authorized personnel to the highest and best bidder for cash as follows:
If an aircraft has been secured by the airport operator under subsection (1) of this section and is not released to the owner under the bonding provisions of this section within ninety days after notifying or attempting to notify the owner under subsection (1) of this section, or in all other cases, for ninety days after the airport operator secures the aircraft, the aircraft shall be conclusively presumed to have been abandoned by the owner;
Before the aircraft is sold, the owner of the aircraft shall be given at least twenty days' notice of sale by registered mail, return receipt requested, if the name and address of the owner are known, and the notice of sale shall be published at least once, more than ten but less than twenty days before the sale, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the airport is located. The notice shall include the name of the aircraft, if any, its aircraft identification number, the last known owner and address, the time and place of sale, the amount of airport charges that will be owing at the time of sale, a reasonable description of the aircraft to be sold and a statement that the airport operator may bid all or part of its airport charges at the sale and may become a purchaser at the sale;
Before the aircraft is sold, any person seeking to redeem an impounded aircraft under this section may commence a lawsuit in the superior court of the county in which the aircraft was impounded, to contest the validity of the impoundment or the amount of airport charges owing. Such lawsuit must be commenced within ten days of the date the notification was provided under subsection (1) of this section, or the right to a hearing is waived and the owner is liable for any airport charges owing the airport operator. In the event of litigation, the prevailing party is entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees and costs;
The proceeds of a sale under this section shall first be applied to payment of airport charges owed. The balance, if any, shall be deposited with the department of revenue to be held in trust for the owner or owners and lienholders for a period of one year from the date of sale. If more than one owner appears on the aircraft title, and/or if any liens appear on the title, the department must, if a claim is made, interplead the balance into a court of competent jurisdiction for distribution. The department may release the balance to the legal owner provided that the claim is made within one year of sale and only one legal owner and no lienholders appear on the title. If no valid claim is made within one year of the date of sale, the excess funds from the sale shall be deposited in the aeronautics account created under RCW 82.42.090. If the sale is for a sum less than the applicable airport charges, the airport operator is entitled to assert a claim against the aircraft owner or owners for the deficiency;
In the event that no one purchases the aircraft at a sale, or that the aircraft is not removed from the premises or other arrangements are not made within ten days of the sale, title to the aircraft shall revert to the airport operator.
The regulations authorized under this section shall be enforceable only if:
The airport operator has had its tariff and/or regulations, including any and all regulations authorizing the impoundment of an aircraft that is the subject of delinquent airport charges, conspicuously posted at the airport manager's office at all times;
All impounding remedies available to the airport operator are included in any written contract for airport charges between an airport operator and an aircraft owner; and
All rules and regulations authorized under this section are adopted either pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW, or by resolution of the appropriate legislative authority, as applicable.
[ 2022 c 56 § 1; 1999 c 302 § 1; 1987 c 254 § 2; ]
A municipality is authorized to accept, receive, and receipt for federal moneys and other moneys, either public or private, for the acquisition, construction, enlargement, improvement, maintenance, equipment, or operation of airports and other air navigation facilities and sites therefor, and to comply with the provisions of the laws of the United States and any rules and regulations made thereunder for the expenditure of federal moneys upon airports and other air navigation facilities.
The governing body of any municipality is authorized to designate the state secretary of transportation as its agent to accept, receive, and receipt for federal moneys on its behalf for airport purposes and to contract for the acquisition, construction, enlargement, improvement, maintenance, equipment, or operation of airports or other air navigation facilities, and may enter into an agreement with the secretary of transportation prescribing the terms and conditions of such agency in accordance with federal laws, rules, and regulations and applicable laws of this state. Such moneys as are paid over by the United States government shall be paid over to the municipality under such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the United States government in making the grant.
All contracts for the acquisition, construction, enlargement, improvement, maintenance, equipment, or operation of airports or other air navigation facilities, made by the municipality itself or through the agency of the state secretary of transportation, shall be made pursuant to the laws of this state governing the making of like contracts, except that where the acquisition, construction, improvement, enlargement, maintenance, equipment, or operation is financed wholly or partly with federal moneys, the municipality or the secretary of transportation, as its agent, may let contracts in the manner prescribed by the federal authorities, acting under the laws of the United States, and any rules or regulations made thereunder, notwithstanding any other state law to the contrary.
[ 1984 c 7 § 6; 1945 c 182 § 9; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-38; ]
The powers herein granted to a municipality to establish and maintain airports shall include the power to establish and maintain such airports in, over and upon any public waters of this state within the limits or jurisdiction of or bordering on the municipality, any submerged land under such public waters, and any artificial or reclaimed land which before the artificial making or reclamation thereof constituted a portion of the submerged land under such public waters, and as well the power to construct and maintain terminal buildings, landing floats, causeways, roadways and bridges for approaches to or connecting with the airport, and landing floats and breakwaters for the protection of any such airport.
All the other powers herein granted municipalities with reference to airports on land are granted to them with reference to such airports in, over and upon public waters, submerged land under public waters, and artificial or reclaimed land.
[ 1945 c 182 § 10; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-39; ]
All powers, rights, and authority granted to any municipality in this chapter may be exercised and enjoyed by two or more municipalities, or by this state and one or more municipalities therein, acting jointly, either within or outside the territorial limits of either or any of the municipalities and within or outside this state, or by this state or any municipality therein acting jointly with any other state or municipality therein, either within or outside this state if the laws of the other state permit such joint action.
For the purposes of this section only, unless another intention clearly appears or the context requires otherwise, this state is included in the term "municipality," and all the powers conferred upon municipalities in this chapter, if not otherwise conferred by law, are conferred upon this state when acting jointly with any municipality or municipalities. Where reference is made to the "governing body" of a municipality, that term means, as to the state, its secretary of transportation.
Any two or more municipalities may enter into agreements with each other, duly authorized by ordinances or resolution, as may be appropriate, for joint action under this section. Concurrent action by the governing bodies of the municipalities involved constitutes joint action.
Each such agreement shall specify its terms; the proportionate interest which each municipality shall have in the property, facilities, and privileges involved, and the proportion of preliminary costs, cost of acquisition, establishment, construction, enlargement, improvement, and equipment, and of expenses of maintenance, operation, and regulation to be borne by each, and make such other provisions as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. It shall provide for amendments thereof and for conditions and methods of termination; for the disposition of all or any part of the property, facilities, and privileges jointly owned if the property, facilities, and privileges, or any part thereof, cease to be used for the purposes provided in this section or if the agreement is terminated, and for the distribution of the proceeds received upon any such disposition, and of any funds or other property jointly owned and undisposed of, and the assumption or payment of any indebtedness arising from the joint venture which remains unpaid, upon any such disposition or upon a termination of the agreement.
Municipalities acting jointly as authorized in this section shall create a board from the inhabitants of the municipalities for the purpose of acquiring property for, establishing, constructing, enlarging, improving, maintaining, equipping, operating, and regulating the airports and other air navigation facilities and airport protection privileges to be jointly acquired, controlled, and operated. The board shall consist of members to be appointed by the governing body of each municipality involved, the number to be appointed by each to be provided for by the agreement for the joint venture. Each member shall serve for such time and upon such terms as to compensation, if any, as may be provided for in the agreement.
Each such board shall organize, select officers for terms to be fixed by the agreement, and adopt and from time to time amend rules of procedure.
Such board may exercise, on behalf of the municipalities acting jointly by which it is appointed, all the powers of each of the municipalities granted by this chapter, except as provided in this section. Real property, airports, restricted landing areas, air protection privileges, or personal property costing in excess of a sum to be fixed by the joint agreement, may be acquired, and condemnation proceedings may be instituted, only by approval of the governing bodies of each of the municipalities involved. Upon the approval of the governing body, or if no approval is necessary then upon the board's own determination, such property may be acquired by private negotiation under such terms and conditions as seem just and proper to the board. The total amount of expenditures to be made by the board for any purpose in any calendar year shall be determined by the municipalities involved by the approval by each on or before the preceding December 1st, of a budget for the ensuing calendar year, which budget may be amended or supplemented by joint resolution of the municipalities involved during the calendar year for which the original budget was approved. Rules and regulations provided for by *RCW 14.08.120(2) become effective only upon approval of each of the appointing governing bodies. No real property and no airport, other navigation facility, or air protection privilege, owned jointly, may be disposed of by the board by sale except by authority of all the appointing governing bodies, but the board may lease space, land area, or improvements and grant concessions on airports for aeronautical purposes, or other purposes which will not interfere with the aeronautical purposes of such airport, air navigation facility, or air protection privilege by private negotiation under such terms and conditions as seem just and proper to the board, subject to the provisions of *RCW 14.08.120(4). Subject to the provisions of the agreement for the joint venture, and when it appears to the board to be in the best interests of the municipalities involved, the board may sell any personal property by private negotiations under such terms and conditions as seem just and proper to the board.
Each municipality, acting jointly with another pursuant to the provisions of this section, is authorized and empowered to enact, concurrently with the other municipalities involved, such ordinances as are provided for by *RCW 14.08.120(2), and to fix by such ordinances penalties for the violation thereof. When so adopted, the ordinances have the same force and effect within the municipalities and on any property jointly controlled by them or adjacent thereto, whether within or outside the territorial limits of either or any of them, as ordinances of each municipality involved, and may be enforced in any one of the municipalities in the same manner as are its individual ordinances. The consent of the state secretary of transportation to any such ordinance, where the state is a party to the joint venture, is equivalent to the enactment of the ordinance by a municipality. The publication provided for in *RCW 14.08.120(2) shall be made in each municipality involved in the manner provided by law or charter for publication of its individual ordinances.
Condemnation proceedings shall be instituted, in the names of the municipalities jointly, and the property acquired shall be held by the municipalities as tenants in common. The provisions of RCW 14.08.030(2) apply to such proceedings.
For the purpose of providing funds for necessary expenditures in carrying out the provisions of this section, a joint fund shall be created and maintained, into which each of the municipalities involved shall deposit its proportionate share as provided by the joint agreement. Such funds shall be provided for by bond issues, tax levies, and appropriations made by each municipality in the same manner as though it were acting separately under the authority of this chapter. The revenues obtained from the ownership, control, and operation of the airports and other air navigation facilities jointly controlled shall be paid into the fund, to be expended as provided in this chapter. Revenues in excess of cost of maintenance and operating expenses of the joint properties shall be divided or allowed to accumulate for future anticipated expenditures as may be provided in the original agreement, or amendments thereto, for the joint venture. The action of municipalities involved in heretofore permitting such revenues to so accumulate is declared to be legal and valid.
The governing body may by joint directive designate some person having experience in financial or fiscal matters as treasurer of the joint operating agency. Such a treasurer shall possess all the powers, responsibilities, and duties that the county treasurer and auditor possess for a joint operating agency related to creating and maintaining funds, issuing warrants, and investing surplus funds. The governing body may, and if the treasurer is not the county treasurer it shall, require a bond, with a surety company authorized to do business in the state of Washington, in an amount and under the terms and conditions which the governing body finds will protect the joint operating agency. The premium on such bond shall be paid by the joint operating agency. All disbursements from the joint fund shall be made by order of the board in accordance with such rules and regulations and for such purposes as the appointing governing bodies, acting jointly, shall prescribe. If no such joint directive is made by the governing appointing bodies to designate a treasurer, then the provisions of RCW 43.09.285 apply to such joint fund.
Specific performance of the provisions of any joint agreement entered into as provided for in this section may be enforced as against any party thereto by the other party or parties thereto.
[ 1987 c 254 § 4; 1984 c 7 § 7; 1967 c 182 § 1; 1949 c 120 § 1; 1945 c 182 § 11; Rem. Supp. 1949 § 2722-40; ]
The establishment of county airport districts is hereby authorized. Written application for the formation of such a district signed by at least one hundred registered voters, who reside and own real estate in the proposed districts, shall be filed with the board of county commissioners. The board shall immediately transmit the application to the proper registrar of voters for the proposed district who shall check the names, residence, and registration of the signers with the records of his or her office and shall, as soon as possible, certify to said board the number of qualified signers. If the requisite number of signers is so certified, the board shall thereupon place the proposition: "Shall a county airport district be established in the following area: (describing the proposed district)?," upon the ballot for vote of the people of the proposed district at the next election, general or special. If a majority of the voters on such proposition shall vote in favor of the proposition, the board, shall, by resolution, declare the district established. If the requisite number of qualified persons have not signed the application, further signatures may be added and certified until the requisite number have signed and the above procedure shall be thereafter followed.
The area of such district may be the area of the county including incorporated cities and towns, or such portion or portions thereof as the board may determine to be the most feasible for establishing an airport. When established, an airport district shall be a municipality as defined in this chapter and entitled to all the powers conferred by this chapter and exercised by municipal corporations in this state. The airport district is hereby empowered to levy not more than seventy-five cents per thousand dollars of assessed value of the property lying within the said airport district: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, Such levy shall not be made unless first approved at any election called for the purpose of voting on such levy.
[ 2010 c 8 § 5001; 1973 1st ex.s. c 195 § 1; 1949 c 194 § 1; 1945 c 182 § 12; Rem. Supp. 1949 § 2722-41; ]
The governing body of a county airport district shall be the board of county commissioners except as in this chapter provided.
[ 1951 c 114 § 1; 1945 c 182 § 13; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-42; ]
One hundred or more registered voters in any county airport district may make, sign and file a petition with the board of county commissioners asking that thereafter the airport district be governed by a board of airport district commissioners. Within ten days after receipt of such petition, the board of county commissioners shall check the petition. If the petition be found adequate and to be signed by the prescribed number of legal voters, the board of county commissioners shall within a reasonable time call a public hearing, notice of which shall be given by publication one week in advance thereof in a newspaper circulating within the district, at which arguments shall be heard for or against the proposal and if it shall appear to the county commissioners that the residents of the district so desire they shall enter an order declaring that the county airport district shall be governed by a board of three airport district commissioners.
[ 1951 c 114 § 2; ]
The board of airport district commissioners shall consist of three members. The first commissioners shall be appointed by the county legislative authority. At the next general district election, held as provided in RCW 29A.04.330, three airport district commissioners shall be elected. The terms of office of airport district commissioners shall be two years, or until their successors are elected and qualified and have assumed office in accordance with RCW 29A.60.280. Members of the board of airport district commissioners shall be elected at each regular district general election on a nonpartisan basis in accordance with the general election law. Vacancies on the board of airport district commissioners shall occur and shall be filled as provided in chapter 42.12 RCW. Members of the board of airport district commissioners shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for actual necessary traveling and sustenance expenses incurred while engaged on official business.
[ 2015 c 53 § 2; 1994 c 223 § 4; 1979 ex.s. c 126 § 3; 1951 c 114 § 3; ]
Whenever the governing body of any municipality determines that the public interest and the interests of the municipality will be served by assisting any other municipality in exercising the powers and authority granted by this chapter, such first-mentioned municipality is expressly authorized and empowered to furnish such assistance by gift, or lease with or without rental, of real property, by the donation, lease with or without rental, or loan, of personal property, and by the appropriation of moneys, which may be provided for by taxation or the issuance of bonds in the same manner as funds might be provided for the same purposes if the municipality were exercising the powers heretofore granted in its own behalf.
[ 1945 c 182 § 14; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-43; ]
Every airport and other air navigation facility controlled and operated by any municipality, or jointly controlled and operated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, shall, subject to federal and state laws, rules, and regulations, be under the exclusive jurisdiction and control of the municipality or municipalities controlling and operating it. The municipality or municipalities shall have concurrent jurisdiction over the adjacent territory described in *RCW 14.08.120(2). No other municipality in which the airport or air navigation facility is located shall have any police jurisdiction of the same or any authority to charge or exact any license fees or occupation taxes for the operations. However, by agreement with the municipality operating and controlling the airport or air navigation facility, a municipality in which an airport or air navigation facility is located may be responsible for the administration and enforcement of the uniform fire code, as adopted by that municipality under RCW 19.27.040, on that portion of any airport or air navigation facility located within its jurisdictional boundaries.
[ 1985 c 246 § 1; 1945 c 182 § 15; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-44; ]
This act shall be so interpreted and construed as to make uniform so far as possible the laws and regulations of this state and other states and of the government of the United States having to do with the subject of aeronautics.
[ 1945 c 182 § 17; Rem. Supp. 1945 § 2722-46; ]
This act may be cited as the "Revised Airports Act."
[ 1945 c 182 § 18; ]
All acts and parts of acts in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.
[ 1945 c 182 § 19; ]