A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEAVIEW TERRACE
Seaview Terrace was initially platted in 1968 by P&E Enterprises, of which Paul Wick was president. The plat was accompanied by covenants that run with the land in perpetuity that were filed with the county auditor. It was a relatively small plat, with 19 lots. In 1971, the Seaview Terrace first addition was platted with 16 lots, referencing the same covenants as the initial plat. To correctly depict how the road connecting the two plats were aligned and connected, the initial plat had to be corrected.
Between 1971 and 1980 residents, Bethke and Robinson purchased the tidelands and constructed the first pier or dock and boat ramp adjacent to Tract A. Tract A is the land the road to the beach is on and the land currently enclosed by the rock bulkhead. By 1980 our beach was developed to include the dock, boat ramp, and the original pavilion. The tidelands were eventually deeded over to the Seaview Terrace Homeowners Association.
The subscription and development costs were converted from individual subscriptions to uniform membership dues by 1980. In return the 35 platted members were given 1/95 undivided ownership shares in Tract A. During this period, beach shares were also granted to properties adjacent to the two plats, together with deeds requiring payment of Seaview Terrace dues and creating a Homeowners Association to manage the properties.
Some of these developers subdivided their properties into lots and transferred shares to the beach to these lots together with obligations to pay dues and to become members of the HOA. This is what created the parts of Seaview Terrace along the private roads headed west from Starr Road near the “free library” and north from Defiance Drive. There are also members across Crescent Valley Road, one of which holds several 1/95 shares, which could allow several new member lots to be added to Seaview Terrace, provided other lot size/septic tank requirements of Kitsap County could be met.
The first drafts of the Bylaws were called S.T.A.S.T-1, (Seaview Terrace And Seaview Terrace Phase 1) and had a very broad scope covering nearly every eventuality including swimming pools and other facilities. S.T.A.S.T-1 apparently came into being about 1980 but by October 21, 1991, had evolved into what is similar to today’s Bylaws.
Today’s HOA’s ministerial and fiduciary responsibilities stem from: 1) fee simple ownership of beach tidelands, 2) management of the undivided interest of members holding shares of Tract A; 3) status as a registered corporation in the State of Washington representing Seaview Terrace; and 4) the powers of governance and purpose of the collection of fees granted by the Bylaws and Chapter 64.38 RCW, of the laws of Washington State.
If anyone has records about how Seaview Terrace was managed prior to the creation of bylaws in 1980, the dock subscriptions were converted to uniform dues as well as how the 1/95 shares were created, we would love to hear it!