Wash. Supreme Court published opinion — 897239.pdf

Citation: Wash. Supreme Court published opinion — 897239.pdf
Jurisdiction: Washington (state)
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Original Source: https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/897239.pdf ↗

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Every airport and other air navigation facility controlled and operated by
any municipality, or jointly controlled and operated pursuant to the
provisions of this chapter, shall, subject to federal and state laws, rules,
and regulations, be under the exclusive jurisdiction and control of the
municipality or municipalities controlling and operating it. The
municipality or municipalities shall have concurrent jurisdiction over the
adjacent territory described in RCW 14.08.120(2). No other
municipality in which the airport or air navigation facility is located shall
have any police jurisdiction of the same or any authority to charge or
exact any license fees or occupation taxes for the operations. However,
by agreement with the municipality operating and controlling the airport
or air navigation facility, a municipality in which an airport or air
navigation facility is located may be responsible for the administration
and enforcement of the uniform fire code, as adopted by that
municipality under RCW 19.27.040, on that portion of any airport or air
navigation facility located within its jurisdictional boundaries.

RCW 14.08.330.

Thus, the first question is whether the meaning of this statute is plain on its face

or whether it is ambiguous. The Port of Seattle contends that the statute is plain on its

face. We do not agree. Reading RCW 14.08.330 as a whole, we find the statute's

"exclusive jurisdiction and control" language ambiguous. The statute provides that

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Fila Foods, LLC v. City of SeaTac
89723-9

every airport controlled by a municipality "shall ... be under the exclusive

jurisdiction and control of the municipality ... controlling and operating it." Id. But