Title
Agenda Item:
Annual Annexations Briefing.
Body
Issue:
Whether to proceed with any annexations, particularly the two 'islands' in the northwest portion of the City.
Committee Recommendation:
None; last comparable briefing was on September 26, 2011.
City Manager's Recommendation:
Staff will continue westside "islands" annexation process unless otherwise directed by Council (Option 1).
Staff Contact:
Todd Stamm, Planning Manager, Community Planning and Develoment, 360.753.8597
Presenter(s):
Todd Stamm, Planning Manager, Community Planning and Develoment
Background and Analysis:
Olympia's Urban Growth Area (UGA) was created by Thurston County consistent with the Growth Management Act, the County-wide Planning Policies, and the joint City-County Comprehensive Plan. Annexation beyond the UGA boundary is prohibited by the Washington Growth Management Act. Among the goals set forth in the Urban Growth Management and Annexation chapter of the Plan are to, "Support annexations which create logical boundaries and reasonable service areas within the urban growth area, including annexation of unincorporated islands within the city limits," and to, "Annex only areas where the City has the capacity to provide services."
It has been the City's practice to seek annexation of the largest area practical to avoid piecemeal annexations and avoid difficult 'remainder' annexations, annex property where development is pending and lack of annexation may result in development being substantially inconsistent with City standards, and to facilitate the annexation process in an open public setting. Only under special circumstances has it been the City's practice to initiate annexation of new territory. Instead, annexations are generally initiated by interested property owners. The unincoporated urban growth area includes three 'islands' that are surrounded by the City.
Until 2009 there were only two basic methods of annexation: by special election (rarely employed...
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