All applicants to be elected as Active or Social members shall be persons of good character who have attained 21 years of age.
Only individual persons may be members of the Club. A corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity may not be a member of the Club.
Article I, Section 3
The following describes the process for applications for Active membership and Social membership, including Membership by Marriage and JSP to Senior Transfer. The process by which one becomes a Junior or JSP Member is covered by Chapter 144.
This Chapter applies to non-resident and resident memberships. Additional particular policies applicable to non-resident membership are at Chapter 146.
"Membership by Marriage" means the process by which a person who is:
the spouse or domestic partner of a Single Active member (and who is not already an Active member), or
the spouse or domestic partner of a Single Social member (and who is not already an Active or Social member)
becomes a member upon conversion of a Single membership into a Joint Membership.
"JSP to Senior Transfer" means the process by which a JSP member becomes an Active member.
"Active Wait List Application" means an application for Active Membership, other than by way of Membership by Marriage or JSP to Senior Transfer. As used herein, the term refers to the process to become an Active member after reaching the head of the wait list, rather than the process by which an applicant enters the wait list.
As used herein, references to an "application" (singular) include an application for Joint Active or Social membership (by which two people would become members) as well as an application for Single Active or Social membership, and references to an "applicant" refer to either or both individuals applying for Joint Active or Social membership as the context indicates.
Joint membership is only available to couples who are legally married or registered domestic partners, as defined in the Bylaws. Provisions applicable to Membership by Marriage are generally included in the appropriate sections below. Some particular provision are set forth in Part F below.
Applicants submitting Active Wait List Applications are only admitted from the Active wait list. An initial fee is required from applicants when they are placed on the wait list (see Chapter 110 for current amount). This initial payment is the same for an application for Joint membership and for an application for Single membership. This initial payment applies to the eventual initiation fee and is not refundable unless an applicant is denied membership. If the applicant is also applying for Social membership, the initial payment is not required.
Persons who wish to join the Active wait list only (as distinct from those who are applying to become Social Members and join the Active wait list) are required to fill out a standard applicant questionnaire, pay the wait list deposit and provide the name of one contact person who is an Active, Social or Emeritus member in good standing and who knows the applicant personally, without any restrictions on the length of time such member has known the applicant. Such a person is not required to provide a Proposer, Seconder or five references.
8/27/20: Reference requirement to join wait list relaxed.
After a form to join the Active wait list is received, the Club will contact the applicant to explain the Active wait list process.
When the initial payment is received, the applicant’s name is placed on the Active wait list in chronological order. No screening or investigation of any kind is undertaken with respect to applications for Active membership until their names reaches a position on the wait list where an opening is imminent.
An applicant on the Active wait list becomes eligible to submit a formal application for final processing as described in Section (C)(1) below on a chronological basis.
In the event of a Dissolution (as defined in Chapter 145) of the marriage or registered domestic partnership between applicants on the Active wait list, one or the other of them must notify in writing the Membership Manager within thirty calendar days of the entry of the decree of dissolution of marriage or domestic partnership or the decree of legal separation, specifying which (if either) of them will remain on the Active wait list. Failure so to notify the Club within this time period (including a failure to specify who will remain on the Active wait list) will subject both applicants to removal from the Active wait list. In the event of such a Dissolution, only one applicant will be eligible to remain on the Active wait list in the current chronological position.
An applicant for membership whose application is denied, or withdrawn after posting, is restricted from joining the Active wait list or reapplying as described in Section (C)(6) below.
All new applicants for Active and Social membership shall be proposed and seconded by eligible Active members.
All procedures for the proposal and processing of such applicants shall be determined by the Board of Trustees
Article I, Section 2
Emeritus members ... may not propose or second applicants for Active or Social membership
Article I, Section 5(e)
1. Generally. Each application requires one or two "sponsors" (a proposer and, in most cases, a seconder), and may require additional personal references, as set forth in Section 2 below.
Sponsors must: (a) have been socially well acquainted with the applicant (including spouse or partner) for a minimum number of years, which varies with the type of application as set forth in Section 2 below, and (b) meet the requirements set forth in Section 3 below.
Additional personal references (if required) must: (a) have been socially well acquainted with the applicant (including spouse or partner) for a minimum number of years, which varies with the type of application as set forth in Section 2 below, and (b) meet the requirements set forth in Section 4 below.
Except in the case of a JSP to Senior Transfer, it is the responsibility of the sponsor or sponsors to assure that the application is complete in all respects. Each sponsor shall submit appropriate information regarding the applicant and family members.
Generally, sponsors and references should be close, personal friends of the applicant, i.e. someone they currently see several times a year in social gatherings or in one-on-one situations. Sponsors and references must have had contact with the applicant during the year preceding their recommendation: this includes sponsors and references for JSP to Senior Transfer applicants. Sponsors and references must be well acquainted with the applicant personally, and not just with the applicant's family and relatives. This is particularly the case for JSP to Senior Transfer applicants.
The Membership Committee and the Board of Trustees will refuse to consider applications for membership which lack substantial personal references for all members of the family involved in the application.
(a) An Active Application requires:
a proposer and a seconder of at least two years' acquaintance;
at least five additional personal references of at least two years' acquaintance.
(b) An application for Social membership requires:
a proposer and a seconder of at least one year's acquaintance;
no additional personal references.
5/27/21: Reduced requirements for Social membership.
(c) An application for Membership by Marriage requires:
a proposer (a seconder is not required) of at least one year's acquaintance (two years is preferred);
at least two additional personal references of at least one year's acquaintance (two years is preferred).
Because the membership already exists, an applicant for Membership by Marriage is not considered a "new applicant" within the meaning of the first sentence of Article I, Section 2 of the Bylaws.
12/4/08: Reduced requirements for Membership by Marriage.
(d) An application for JSP to Senior Transfer requires:
a proposer and a seconder (without any requirement as to minimum years of acquaintance)
at least three additional personal references (without any requirement as to minimum years of acquaintance).
1/26/06: Reduced requirements for JSP to Senior transfer.
(a) Sponsors and spouses may not work for the same company as the applicant or spouse, except that (i) in the case of an application for Social Membership, one of the two sponsors (including their spouses), but not both sponsors (including their spouses), may be a member of an applicant’s firm or professional office and (ii) in the case of a JSP to Senior Transfer, this requirement is not applicable.
5/27/21: Requirement for sponsors of social members relaxed.
(b) Sponsors must be current Resident Active members in good standing for two years.
(c) Sponsors and spouses may not be relatives of an applicant (whether by blood or marriage or domestic partnership), except that, in the case of an application for Membership by Marriage, the applicant's spouse or domestic partner may serve as the proposer if he or she meets the other requirements of this Section.
12/4/08: Adopted exception for Membership by Marriage.
(d) None of the sponsors may be related to another sponsor or a personal reference, whether by blood or marriage (or domestic partnership).
(e) Sponsors may not be a member of the Board of Trustees or Membership Committee, or the spouse or partner of the same.
(f) The number of times a Single Active or Joint Active Membership (including both spouses) may serve as a sponsor is twice a year, except that serving as the sponsor of a JSP to Active Transfer shall not be counted for this purpose.
(a) All references must be current Active members, Social members who have formerly been Active members or Emeritus Members, except that, in the case of a JSP to Senior Transfer, two references may be non-members or Social members of a suitable status (such as an employer, professor, commanding officer, clergy, etc.). Emeritus members shall be treated the same as active members in regards to serving as references for new members.
3/28/13: Added Emeritus members. 1/26/06: Reduced requirements for JSP to Senior transfer.
(b) Business references are valuable, but in themselves will be insufficient information. Only two references may work for the same company.
(c) References may not be related to the applicants.
(d) None of the references may be related to another reference or a sponsor.
(e) References may not be a member of the Board of Trustees or Membership Committee, or the spouse or partner of the same.
(f) A current telephone number and email address must be provided for each reference.
(g) The number of times a Single Active or Joint Active membership (including both spouses), Single Social or Joint Social membership (including both spouses) or Emeritus membership (including both spouses) may serve as a reference in the category or categories that their membership status allows is twice a year, except that serving as a sponsor or reference of a JSP to Senior Transfer shall not be counted for this purpose.
6/28/07: Adopted annual limit on references.
1. Active Applicant Waitlist Notification Process. Each year, following the Board of Trustees' final approval of the number of new Active memberships to be admitted to the Club from the wait list, the General Manager and Membership Manager will confer on the number of Active Wait List applicants to be notified, which may be increased as needed based on the responses received following the below notification procedures.
As soon as reasonably practicable, the Membership Manager will notify the number of the applicants for Active membership so determined (from those on the Active wait list, in chronological order, and those who have previously deferred as described below) and instruct each applicant to submit a completed application for Active membership and to pay a final application deposit in the amount set forth in Chapter 110. Such notice will be sent first by email to the email addresses on file for the applicant. If the applicant does not confirm receipt of such email within one (1) week, the Membership Manager will re-send such notice by certified letter to the mailing address on file for such applicant. The applicant will have sixty (60) days from the date they confirm receipt of the email or the date of the certified letter, whichever is earlier, to submit a completed application or request a deferral (see below). If this deadline is not met, the applicant will be removed from the Active wait list and the initial fee paid to get on the wait list shall not be refunded. An applicant that has been removed from the Active wait list for this reason may reapply for membership through the normal process by filling out a new Active application and paying a new initial fee in the amount required at that time, in which case the applicant will be placed at the end of the current Active wait list.
An applicant may elect to have the application process deferred for a period of up to two (2) years. The request for deferral must be made in writing (may be in the form of an email) to the Membership Manager prior to the expiration of the sixty (60) day period following the notice that the applicant is to submit a completed application. To complete the deferral election, the applicant must pay to the Club the additional deferral fee set forth in Chapter 110. This additional fee is non-refundable and will not be credited against the Active initiation fee due from the applicant if the applicant is admitted to membership. If, however, the application is subsequently denied after processing by the Membership Committee and the Board of Trustees, both the deferral fee and the original fee paid to join the Active wait list shall be refunded to the applicant.
At the end of such deferral period, the applicant will be placed again in the pool of applicants and will be notified that a completed application must be received in accordance with the process set forth above. If a completed application is not received within that time period, the applicant will be removed from the wait list and the total amount paid (the initial fee and payment upon deferral) shall be retained by the Club. An applicant may only defer the application process once (unless otherwise approved by the General Manager or the Board of Trustees).
The date that the applicant is admitted as an Active member by the Board shall be used to determine: (1) the applicable Active membership initiation fee to be paid and (2) the eligibility of the applicant’s children for Junior membership.
3/24/22: Adopted revised Applicant Waitlist Notification Process.
2. Social/Active Wait List Applicants. If a Social member on the Active wait list wishes to resign his or her Social membership but retain his or her position on the Active wait list, he or she may do so without prejudice. The initiation fee paid for Social membership will not be refunded, but the applicant will not be required to pay the initial payment ordinarily required. If, at a later date, the applicant removes his or her name from the Active wait list, there will be no refund of the Social initiation fee.
At the time of final processing, each person submitting an Active application who is a Social member is required to submit a signed resignation of his or her Social membership, effective on the date the Board votes to decline his or her application for Active membership. If the Board votes to approve a Social member's application for Active membership, the applicant's Social membership shall be converted into an Active membership when the applicant is admitted as an Active member.
__/__/__: Approved preceding paragraph, requiring resignation of Social membership; 5/26/05: Clarified that there is no resignation on vote to approve an application.
3. Processing of Final Application. This Section 3 is applicable to (i) application for Membership by Marriage, (ii) applications for Social membership (whether or not also joining the Active wait list) and (iii) Active Wait List Application after coming to the top of the Active wait list.
A prospective applicant whose name is on the Active wait list becomes eligible to submit an Active Wait List Application on a chronological basis when he or she reaches the top of the wait list.
When a final application is completed (whether for Social Membership or Membership by Marriage or an Active Wait List Application), the application is then reviewed for completeness by the Membership Manager. The application is assigned to a member of the Membership Committee. The person assigned each application will contact the sponsors to let them know that the application process is beginning and to allow them to provide any additional input they would like to provide. After gathering all of the information that he or she can obtain, a report is made to the Membership Committee.
As a general rule, applications are taken on a chronological basis and are "posted" by means of mailing a notice of the proposed applicants to current members with their monthly bills. All applications must be posted for a minimum of two posting periods or two billing cycles. This period shall be allowed for members' comments, after which period the application is again reviewed by the Membership Committee, which then makes its recommendation to the Board of Trustees for acceptance or denial of the application.
The policy for Membership Committee reconsideration of recommendations to deny is set forth in Chapter 254.
The initiation fee (if applicable) is not required until final approval of the application by the Board of Trustees. The applicable initiation fee is payable immediately upon notification of final approval. The Board of Trustees may adjust initiation fees and dues from time to time.
Processing of an Active Wait List Application or application for Social membership will take a minimum of three months and it is not unusual for processing to be extended for several additional months. During this period, information regarding the status of an application will not be divulged. If there are insufficient references or insufficient information regarding the application, it is the sole responsibility of the sponsor or sponsors to provide additional data.
Applicants who have any questions, or would like a tour of the facility, should contact the Membership Manager.
4. Proof of Eligibility for Joint Membership. See Section 144(F)(2).
5. Background Checks. Background checks, including full criminal, credit and civil checks, are required, at the applicant's expense, for all adult applicants for membership, including all adult children age 18 or older who are seeking membership as part of the Active application, as well as applicants for Membership by Marriage and JSP to Senior Transfer.
1/22/09: Adopted Section 4, background check requirement; 8/25/11 and 10/27/11: Modified to exclude Memberships by Marriage and JSP to Senior transfers; 10/28/21: Reinstituted requirement for background checks of all adult applicants.
6. Final Action by Board.
... election shall be by ballot of the Board of Trustees. Two adverse votes shall exclude an applicant.
Article I, Section 2
As soon as the final decision is made by the Board of Trustees regarding the application, the sponsor or sponsors (or the applicant in the case of a JSP to Senior Transfer), are immediately notified. The applicant is also notified directly by the Club, but only if accepted (or a JSP to Senior Transfer). The Membership Committee and the Board of Trustees reserves the right not to divulge any information regarding its investigation or deliberations.
Following approval by the Board of Trustees, approved Active Wait List Applications will be admitted to membership when openings are available. The number of openings that are available in each calendar year is set by the Board before each year begins pursuant to a set procedure.
If the application is disapproved, or a recommendation for disapproval is made, at any time during the processing procedure, the applicant is so advised through the sponsors (or directly in the case of a JSP to Senior Transfer). It is the responsibility of the sponsors to relay this information the applicant.
The Membership Committee, the Board of Trustees and the Club staff shall not be required to divulge any information regarding their investigation or deliberations.
A decision by the Board to deny membership is final. Requests for reconsideration are out of order, and shall not be allowed.
12/6/12: eliminated former appeal process, in favor of reconsideration process described in Chapter 254.
7. No Immediate Reapplication. After an application for Social membership, for Active membership from the waitlist, for Membership by Marriage, or for transfer from JSP to Active or Social membership is either denied by the Board of Trustees or withdrawn after being posted, the relevant applicant (or both applicants, in the case of an application for Joint membership) may not:
(i) join the Active waitlist until at least five years have passed since the denial or withdrawal or
(ii) apply for any membership (other than from the Active waitlist) until at least 13 years have passed since the denial or withdrawal.
2/22/24: new Section 7 adopted by the Board.
8. Additional Requirement for JSP to Senior Transfers. The account of an applicant for JSP to Senior Transfer must be current at all times during the processing period.
9. Additional Requirement for World Class Tennis Players at Age 35. The account of World Class Tennis Player member applying for Social or Active membership at age 35 must be current at all times during the processing period.
Children of a person who is already an Active member become Junior members as described in Chapter 144.
Children of applicants for Active membership (including applicants for Membership by Marriage) are processed at the same time as their parents. Eligibility of children of applicants for Active membership to be admitted as members depends on each child’s age at the time the parent's or parents' application for Active membership is approved:
(i) each child who is under 21 may be admitted as a Junior member upon payment of the appropriate initiation fee;
(ii) each child who is over 21 but under 25 may be admitted as a JSP upon payment of one-half of the initiation fee for Active memberships;
(iii) each child who is over 25 but under 27 may be admitted as an Active member upon payment of one-half of the initiation fee for Active membership;
(iv) children who are 27 or over will not be admitted as members along with their parents, but must apply for membership independently, and are subject to the waiting list and initiation fees applicable to any applicant.
A child admitted as a JSP as described in clause (ii) shall not be required to pay a further fee upon conversion from JSP to Senior Active membership.
5/26/06: Adopted policy set forth in clauses (ii) and (iii) to allow children between 21-26 to join with their parents, at a price.
The procedure for Social membership will vary only (i) in that references beyond a proposer and seconder are not required, and qualifications to be a proposer or seconder are more relaxed, and (ii) to the extent that the absence of a waiting list may expedite the process and permit the preparation, filing and review of a formal application without the intervening stages of the Active wait list and Applicant Pool.
Children of Social members have no Club privileges and cannot apply for any class of membership except by going through the same process as any other new applicant for membership. Social members who were not previously Active members are not treated any differently from a new applicant when seeking admission as an Active member.
Spouses and registered domestic partners of single members may be elected to joint
membership status under procedures set forth in Guidelines and Policies
prescribed from time to time by the Board of Trustees.
"Registered domestic partners" has the same meaning as "state registered domestic partners" in
RCW 26.60.020,
and also includes persons who have substantially similar status under the law of their state of residence and domicile (if not Washington).
Article I, Section 2
3/17/10: Amendment expanded joint membership to include registered domestic partners, rather than only spouses. The primary effect was to make joint membership available to same-sex couples, who before 2012 could not be married under applicable law, but could be registered domestic partners. Note that all single-sex domestic partnerships were converted to marriages after 2012. Currently, under Washington law, registered domestic partnerships are limited to couples (same- or opposite-sex) over 62 years old. Such couples remain eligible for joint membership.
The above policies generally apply to applicants for Membership by Marriage, except as described above.
10/27/16: Eliminated former provision offering guest cards to applicants for Membership by Marriage.
Applicants for Membership by Marriage are required to submit documentary proof of eligibility. See Section 144(F)(2).
There is no difference between the Membership by Marriage process for non-resident members and the process for resident members.
–
1/26/23: Chapter 142 approved by the Board.