Opinion ID: 1426747
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Local

Text: Article XI, section 11 of the Washington Constitution is a direct delegation of the police power to cities and counties, and the power delegated is as extensive within their sphere as that possessed by the Legislature. Petstel, Inc. v. King County, 77 Wash.2d 144, 159, 459 P.2d 937 (1969). The previous discussion of police power under article XI, section 11 establishes the general scope of counties' ability and authority to act. While a municipality cannot exercise its police power outside its boundaries, municipal legislation will not be found to violate the police power if its effect outside the county is only incidental. Petstel, 77 Wash.2d at 159, 459 P.2d 937. The prohibition of the use of PWC within the physical boundaries of San Juan County is purely local. The argument that the Ordinance has some tangential effects on interests or individuals lying geographically outside of San Juan County does not mean the Ordinance is not local, nor does the existence of the incidental effects provide the appropriate test. If the test required an ordinance to only affect local residents, no ordinance could be local because all laws affect, at least to some degree, individuals visiting a county or city. A ban on hunting within a city is a valid exercise of the police power. The fact that nonresidents must comply with the law does not invalidate the law or make it not local for purposes of the police power. The bottom line is this PWC Ordinance only affects the type of activity allowed within the county. The Ordinance does not preclude San Juan County residents from using PWC outside the County, nor does it regulate activities beyond geographical limits. As Respondents bear the burden on this issue, we reject their assertion that the subject matter of the Ordinance is not local.