Constitutional Convention Debates Tide Land Ownership
Delegates in Olympia weigh public versus private rights to Washington's valuable shorelines as the state prepares for entry into the Union.
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The convention is currently wrestling with the future of the state's tide lands. Weir, of the committee on state lands, introduced a proposal declaring that the state shall own all shore and tide lands, with provisions for their disposal by a state board of land commissioners. A three-hour debate ensued over whether these lands should be sold or kept by the state for public navigation and commerce. Meanwhile, the judiciary committee recommended a salary of $4,000 for supreme judges and $3,000 for superior judges, and continues to struggle with the apportionment of judicial districts across the new state.
“Declaring the state to own shore and tide lands and making provision for their disposal by the state board of land commissioners.”
The 'Tide Lands Question' was a massive fight over who owned the mudflats beneath Seattle and other coastal towns—often pitting powerful rail interests against public access. This struggle continues today in the form of modern-day shoreline development debates and the tension between private property rights and the Public Trust Doctrine.
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