A part of one district may be transferred and merged with an adjacent district if the area can be better served by the merged district. To effect such a merger, a petition, signed by a majority of the commissioners of the merging district or signed by not less than fifteen percent of the qualified electors residing in the area to be merged, shall be filed with the commissioners of the merging district, if signed by electors, or with the commissioners of the merger district if signed by commissioners of the merging district. If the commissioners of the merging district approve the petition, the petition shall be presented to the commissioners of the merger district. If the commissioners of the merger district approve the petition, an election shall be called in the area to be merged.
In the event that either board of fire district commissioners does not approve the petition, the petition may be approved by the boundary review board of the county or the county legislative authority of the county in which the area to be merged is situated, and may approve the merger if it decides the area can be better served by a merger. If the part of the merging district that is proposed to merge with the merger district is located in more than one county, the approval must be by the boundary review board or county legislative authority of each county. If there is an affirmative decision, an election shall be called in the area to be merged.
A majority of the votes cast is necessary to approve the transfer.
[1989 c 63 § 16; 1984 c 230 § 64; 1965 ex.s. c 18 § 2; 1963 c 42 § 1; 1953 c 176 § 5. Formerly RCW 52.24.090.]