Title
Annual Annexations Briefing
Recommended Action
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive briefing regarding annexation issues and provide initial guidance as to whether City should staff explore annexation of Friendly Grove and Ward Lake Park sites, including potential of including surrounding areas. (Option 1)
Report
Issue:
Whether the City should initiate any new annexation proceedings.
Staff Contact:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8597
Presenter:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development
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's Growth Management Act. Among the goals set forth in the Urban Growth Management and Annexation chapter of the Comprehensive 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." This report provides an update regarding recent annexations and addresses additional annexation possibilities. The attached map displays all possible annexation areas.
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.
It has been the City's practice to:
? seek annexation of the largest area practical
? avoid piecemeal annexations and avoid creating 'remainder' areas that are difficult to annex
? annex property where development is pending and lack of annexation may result in development being substantially inconsistent with City standards
? conduct the annexation process ...
Click here for full text