City of Tacoma v. Welcker

The city of Tacoma, a municipality of the first class, situate in Pierce County, initiated this action in eminent domain seeking to acquire fee simple title to some 1,450 acres of land contiguous to the Green River in King County. The asserted purpose of the proposed acquisition is to protect the municipality’s domestic and industrial water supply from pollution. The trial court refused to enter an order of public use and necessity and dismissed the city’s petition with prejudice. The city was granted a writ of certiorari to review the trial court’s action.

Since 1913, when the city of Tacoma…