Laserfiche WebLink
Chapter 36.165 RCW <br />COMMERCIAL PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY AND RESILIENCY (C-PACER) <br />PROGRAM <br />Sections <br />36.165.005 <br />Finding-2020 c 27. <br />36.165.010 <br />Definitions. <br />36.165.020 <br />Voluntary statewide program —County participation — <br />Program criteria, requirements, and administration. <br />36.165.030 <br />Program application and review process. <br />36.165.040 <br />Program adoption —County requirements. <br />36.165.050 <br />Recording requirements. <br />36.165.060 <br />C-PACER liens. <br />36.165.070 <br />Financing —Capital providers. <br />36.165.080 <br />Financing —Permitted inclusions. <br />36.165.090 <br />Financing —Property owner authorizations. <br />36.165.100 <br />Prohibitions. <br />36.165.105 <br />Exemptions from personal liability. <br />36.165.110 <br />Privately financed debt not enforceable by county. <br />RCW 36.165.005 Finding-2020 c 27. (1) The legislature finds <br />that the efficiency and resiliency of buildings in Washington is <br />essential for ensuring the health and safety of residents, employees, <br />and tenants; for using water and energy more efficiently; and for <br />economic development of our communities. Buildings in Washington have <br />significant needs for resiliency retrofits, including seismic <br />improvements, stormwater management, flood mitigation, wildfire and <br />wind resistance, and for clean energy and energy efficiency <br />improvements, but these improvements often have high up -front capital <br />costs. <br />(2) This chapter authorizes the establishment of a commercial <br />property assessed clean energy and resiliency ("C-PACER") program that <br />jurisdictions can voluntarily implement to ensure that free and <br />willing owners of agricultural, commercial, and industrial properties <br />and of multifamily residential properties with five or more dwelling <br />units can obtain low-cost, long-term financing for qualifying <br />improvements, including energy efficiency, water conservation, <br />renewable energy, and resiliency projects. These improvements are <br />repaid by a voluntary assessment on the property, secured by a county <br />lien, and assigned to a capital provider for all the administrative <br />aspects of billing, collecting, and enforcing the lien and without the <br />accumulation of cost to the county and without the creation of a <br />personal debt obligation to the property owner. The obligation is <br />instead carried by the property and remains with the property until <br />repaid, regardless of any potential transfer of property ownership. <br />After the adoption of a C-PACER program, a county's role is limited to <br />the approval of an assessment and recordation of a C-PACER lien, and <br />administration of the C-PACER program which may be contracted out to a <br />private third party. <br />(3) The legislature declares that the establishment and operation <br />of a C-PACER program under this chapter serves important public health <br />and safety interests. A qualified improvement as defined in RCW <br />36.165.010 provides benefit to the public, either in the form of <br />energy or water resource conservation, reduced public health risk, or <br />Certified on 8/15/2025 Combined Chapter 36.165 RCW Page 1 <br />