2023 Revised Code of Washington › Title 35 - Cities and Towns › Chapter 35.27 - Towns. › 35.27.370 - Specific powers enumerated.

RCW 35.27.370
Specific powers enumerated.
The council of said town shall have power:
(1) To pass ordinances not in conflict with the Constitution and laws of this state, or of the United States;
(2) To purchase, lease or receive such real estate and personal property as may be necessary or proper for municipal purposes, and to control, dispose of and convey the same for the benefit of the town; to acquire, own, and hold real estate for cemetery purposes either within or without the corporate limits, to sell and dispose of such real estate, to plat or replat such real estate into cemetery lots and to sell and dispose of any and all lots therein, and to operate, improve and maintain the same as a cemetery;
(3) To contract for supplying the town with water for municipal purposes, or to acquire, construct, repair and manage pumps, aqueducts, reservoirs, or other works necessary or proper for supplying water for use of such town or its inhabitants, or for irrigating purposes therein;
(4) To establish, build and repair bridges, to establish, lay out, alter, widen, extend, keep open, improve, and repair streets, sidewalks, alleys, squares and other public highways and places within the town, and to drain, sprinkle and light the same; to remove all obstructions therefrom; to establish the grades thereof; to grade, pave, plank, macadamize, gravel and curb the same, in whole or in part, and to construct gutters, culverts, sidewalks and crosswalks therein, or on any part thereof; to cause to be planted, set out and cultivated trees therein, and generally to manage and control all such highways and places;
(5) To establish, construct and maintain drains and sewers, and shall have power to compel all property owners on streets along which sewers are constructed to make proper connections therewith, and to use the same for proper purposes when such property is improved by the erection thereon of a building or buildings; and in case the owners of such improved property on such streets shall fail to make such connections within the time fixed by such council, they may cause such connections to be made, and to assess against the property in front of which such connections are made the costs and expenses thereof;
(6) To provide fire engines and all other necessary or proper apparatus for the prevention and extinguishment of fires;
(7) To impose and collect an annual license on every dog within the limits of the town, to prohibit dogs running at large, and to provide for the killing of all dogs found at large and not duly licensed;
(8) To levy and collect annually a property tax, for the payment of current expenses and for the payment of indebtedness (if any indebtedness exists) within the limits authorized by law;
(9) To license, for purposes of regulation and revenue, all and every kind of business, authorized by law and transacted and carried on in such town; and all shows, exhibitions and lawful games carried on therein and within one mile of the corporate limits thereof; to fix the rate of license tax upon the same, and to provide for the collection of the same, by suit or otherwise; to regulate, restrain, or prohibit the running at large of any and all domestic animals within the city limits, or any part or parts thereof, and to regulate the keeping of such animals within any part of the city; to establish, maintain and regulate a common pound for estrays, and to appoint a poundkeeper, who shall be paid out of the fines and fees imposed on, and collected from, the owners of any impounded stock. A city may not require a business to be licensed based solely upon registration under or compliance with the streamlined sales and use tax agreement;
(10) To improve the rivers and streams flowing through such town or adjoining the same; to widen, straighten and deepen the channels thereof, and to remove obstructions therefrom; to prevent the pollution of streams or water running through such town, and for this purpose shall have jurisdiction for two miles in either direction; to improve the waterfront of the town, and to construct and maintain embankments and other works to protect such town from overflow;
(11) To erect and maintain buildings for municipal purposes;
(12) To grant franchises or permits to use and occupy the surface, the overhead and the underground of streets, alleys and other public ways, under such terms and conditions as it shall deem fit, for any and all purposes, including but not being limited to the construction, maintenance and operation of railroads, street railways, transportation systems, water, gas and steam systems, telephone and telegraph systems, electric lines, signal systems, surface, aerial and underground tramways;
(13) To punish the keepers and inmates and lessors of houses of ill fame, and keepers and lessors of gambling houses and rooms and other places where gambling is carried on or permitted, gamblers and keepers of gambling tables;
(14) To impose fines, penalties and forfeitures for any and all violations of ordinances, and for any breach or violation of any ordinance, to fix the penalty by fine or imprisonment, or both; but no such fine shall exceed five thousand dollars, nor the term of imprisonment exceed one year, except that the punishment for any criminal ordinance shall be the same as the punishment provided in state law for the same crime; or to provide that violations of ordinances constitute a civil violation subject to a monetary penalty, but no act which is a state crime may be made a civil violation;
(15) To operate ambulance service which may serve the town and surrounding rural areas and, in the discretion of the council, to make a charge for such service;
(16) To make all such ordinances, bylaws, rules, regulations and resolutions not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the state of Washington, as may be deemed expedient to maintain the peace, good government and welfare of the town and its trade, commerce and manufacturers, and to do and perform any and all other acts and things necessary or proper to carry out the provisions of this chapter.
[ 2008 c 129 § 3; 1993 c 83 § 7; 1986 c 278 § 6; 1984 c 258 § 805; 1977 ex.s. c 316 § 25; 1965 ex.s. c 116 § 15; 1965 c 127 § 1; 1965 c 7 § 35.27.370. Prior: 1955 c 378 § 4; 1949 c 151 § 1; 1945 c 214 § 1; 1941 c 74 § 1; 1927 c 207 § 1; 1925 ex.s. c 159 § 1; 1895 c 32 § 1; 1890 p 201 § 154; Rem. Supp. 1949 § 9175.]
NOTES:
Effective date—1993 c 83: See note following RCW 35.21.163.
Severability—1986 c 278: See note following RCW 36.01.010.
Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effective dates—Severability—Short title—1984 c 258: See notes following RCW 3.30.010.
Severability—1977 ex.s. c 316: See note following RCW 70.48.020.
Validating—1925 ex.s. c 159: "All franchises, permits and rights-of-way heretofore granted by any municipality of the fourth class to any person, firm or corporation, to construct, maintain or operate surface, underground and aerial tramways and other means of conveyance over, above, across, upon and along its streets, highways and alleys are hereby validated, ratified and confirmed." [ 1925 ex.s. c 159 § 2.]