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Bill allowing access to
property surrounded
by public lands passes House
Property owners landlocked
by public lands would be able to access their property under a bill that
passed the House today.
Rep.
Bill Hinkle, R-Cle Elum, is prime sponsor of Substitute House
Bill 2506.
“Sometimes the state buys land and ends up land locking a property
owner, making their property inaccessible and basically invaluable,”
said Hinkle. “This bill would simply give private land owners a way to
get a permit allowing them to access their own land across state-owned
property.”
State law allows a landlocked property owner to acquire a “private way
of necessity” across another private property owner’s land. SHB 2506
would give people a way to gain the same access over state-owned lands.
It would require the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR),
Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), and the Parks and Recreation
Commission to grant landlocked property owners permits for access roads
across state lands when:
-
The state land is
administered by DNR, DFW or the Commission;
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There is no existing
right of way via another private property; and
-
The road is necessary
to provide ingress to and egress from the private land.
“The state-owned land is
owned by everyone in Washington – including the property owner who finds
himself or herself landlocked by it,” Hinkle said. “If we give require
private property owners to give others access over their land, we should
certainly allow the same for someone landlocked by state property.”
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
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For more information, contact:
John Handy, Assistant
Communications Director - (360) 786-5758
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