Wash. Rev. Code » Title 53 · Chapter 53.08
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 53.08.020 (2026)

Acquisition and operation of facilities

✓ current as of May 2026
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A port district may construct, condemn, purchase, acquire, add to, maintain, conduct, and operate sea walls, jetties, piers, wharves, docks, boat landings, and other harbor improvements, warehouses, storehouses, elevators, grain-bins, cold storage plants, terminal icing plants, bunkers, oil tanks, ferries, canals, locks, tidal basins, bridges, subways, tramways, cableways, conveyors, administration buildings, fishing terminals, together with modern appliances and buildings for the economical handling, packaging, storing, and transporting of freight and handling of passenger traffic, rail and motor vehicle transfer and terminal facilities, water transfer and terminal facilities, air transfer and terminal facilities, and any combination of such transfer and terminal facilities, commercial transportation, transfer, handling, storage and terminal facilities, and improvements relating to industrial and manufacturing activities within the district, and in connection with the operation of the facilities and improvements of the district, it may perform all customary services including the handling, weighing, measuring and reconditioning of all commodities received. A port district may also construct, condemn, purchase, acquire, add to and maintain facilities for the freezing or processing of goods, agricultural products, meats or perishable commodities. A port district may also construct, purchase and operate belt line railways, but shall not acquire the same by condemnation.
[ 1963 c 147 s 3; 1961 c 126 s 1; 1955 c 65 s 3. Prior: 1953 c 171 s 2; 1943 c 166 s 2, part; 1921 c 183 s 1, part; 1917 c 125 s 1, part; 1913 c 62 s 4, part; 1911 c 92 s 4, part; Rem. Supp. 1943 s 9692, part.]

Notes:

Severability—1961 c 126: "If any provision of this act, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1961 c 126 s 2.]
Essential rail assistance account, distribution of moneys to port districts: RCW 47.76.250.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases, 1959–2013 · leading case: Port of Seattle v. Washington Utils. & Transp. Comm'n, 597 P.2d 383 (Wash. 1979).
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Port of Seattle v. Washington Utils. & Transp. Comm'n, 597 P.2d 383 (Wash. 1979). · cites it 6× “The Port urges that it derives the power to operate its own airporter service from RCW 53.08.020 1 and RCW 14.08. In regard to RCW 53.”
City of Tacoma v. Taxpayers of City of Tacoma, 743 P.2d 793 (Wash. 1987). · cites it 3× “The Port of Seattle had claimed authority to operate its own ground transportation business (airporter service) pursuant to its authority under RCW 53.08.020 to control and operate Sea-Tac Airport.”
Lane v. Port of Seattle, 316 P.3d 1070 (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 3× “THE 1981 STATUTE: “EXTRATERRITORIAL RAIL SERVICES” ¶25 Statutory authority has long existed allowing a port to acquire by purchase or by condemnation “all lands, property, property rights, leases, or easements necessary for its purposes.” RCW 53.08.010. Ports may construct,…”
In Re Petition of Seattle, 638 P.2d 549 (Wash. 1981). · cites it 2× “010, RCW 53.08.020, and RCW 14.08.030). Also we found that the Port had express statutory authority to lease its facilities to private parties.”
Hogue v. Port of Seattle, 341 P.2d 171 (Wash. 1959). · cites it 2× “010, RCW 53.08.020, and RCW 53.08.060. See Port of Tacoma v.”
Hutchinson v. Port of Benton, 383 P.2d 500 (Wash. 1963). · cites it 2× “Neither the validity nor the effect of that statute is before us; nor does the court’s finding that the port intends to lease portions of the tract for industrial and commercial purposes under RCW 53.08.020 and RCW 53.08.040 raise a justiciable question now.”
Marino Prop. Co. v. Port of Seattle, 567 P.2d 1125 (Wash. 1977). “" RCW 53.08.020 "Acquisition and operation of facilities.”
In Re Petition of Port of Seattle, 495 P.2d 327 (Wash. 1972). “) RCW 53.08.020 provides further: A port district may construct, condemn, purchase, acquire, add to, maintain, conduct, and operate .”
Arthur Lane v. Port Of Seattle (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 4× “Ports may not transport cargo outside the district by motor vehicle for compensation, and they may not manufacture rail cars for use off of port property.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.