CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the Seattle Park District; authorizing the Superintendent of Parks and Recreation to acquire real property and property rights within the City’s green spaces.
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WHEREAS, Ordinance 124467 authorized a special election for the creation of the Seattle Park District per Chapter 35.61 RCW for the purposes of providing ongoing funding to acquire, maintain, operate, and improve parks, community centers, pools, and other recreation facilities and programs; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Seattle Park District was approved by Seattle voters on August 5, 2014; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle Park District allocates funding to the acquisition of all properties critical to the City’s park system including those within designated green spaces, as designated by Resolution 28653; and
WHEREAS, the City has made significant progress in preserving undeveloped lands within its green spaces by means of property acquisitions funded by the 1968 Forward Thrust bond initiative; the 1989 Open Space and Trails bond issuance; the 2000 Neighborhood Parks, Green Spaces, Trails, and Zoo Levy; and the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy, as well as by transfers of jurisdiction and voluntary conservation; and
WHEREAS, many privately owned properties that merit City acquisition remain in the City’s green spaces, including but not limited to greenbelts, natural areas, and undeveloped green spaces as defined in Resolution 28653; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Superintendent of Parks and Recreation or the Superintendent’s designee (“Superintendent”) is authorized, on behalf of The City of Seattle (“City”), to identify and evaluate parcels for purchase, transfer of jurisdiction, or voluntary conservation within the City’s green spaces, as designated and mapped in Resolution 28653, and to conduct acquisition planning activities (including, but not limited to, studies, title searches, surveys, appraisals, and environmental assessments for the identified parcels).
Section 2. The Superintendent is authorized, on behalf of the City, to acquire real property and real property rights within the City’s green spaces, as designated and mapped in Resolution 28653, at current fair market value or through donation, and to execute such documents as the Superintendent deems necessary or desirable to accomplish the acquisitions.
Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2018, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________________, 2018.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2018.
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Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2018.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)