Chapter 19.180
NEWLY ANNEXED AREAS
Sections:
19.180.010 Annexation methods and applicability.
19.180.020 Annexation evaluation criteria.
19.180.030 Jurisdictional cooperation.
19.180.040 Newly annexed areas.
19.180.050 Decision on annexation.
19.180.005 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to clarify the process and criteria to annex adjacent and contiguous areas into the City, and to ensure that the fiscal impacts of providing the facilities, utilities, services, and maintenance of the annexation area are adequately considered prior to annexation. (Ord. 20-007 § 3, 2020).
19.180.010 Annexation methods and applicability.
A. All annexations shall occur pursuant to the procedures set forth in Chapter 35A.14 RCW, as adopted or amended, and as otherwise allowable by law. In addition to all other procedures allowed by law, all voter-initiated, city-council-initiated, and direct petition annexations shall be subject to the procedures set forth in Chapter 19.180 SVMC. Other types of annexations may, but are not required to, use these procedures.
B. To be eligible for annexation, the entire subject area must be within an adopted urban growth area and be contiguous with the City boundary. (Ord. 20-007 § 3, 2020).
19.180.020 Annexation evaluation criteria.
A. The purpose of this section is to provide criteria to evaluate annexations on the basis of their short- and long-term community impact. Annexations shall be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
B. Prior to approval or disapproval of any annexation as allowed by law, the City shall consider at a minimum the following:
1. The ability of the City and other applicable entities to provide required public services at a level equal to or better than that available from current service providers;
2. The financial impact of providing the required public services at the City’s adopted levels of service, including potential sources of revenue. Review of financial impact shall include at a minimum an analysis of the costs to provide services and anticipated revenues from the proposed annexation area to support required levels of service;
3. The impact of annexation on any applicable City bonded indebtedness, including an analysis of the impact of City bonded indebtedness upon property within the proposed annexation area;
4. Whether the annexation would follow logical boundaries, such as streets, waterways, or substantial topographic changes;
5. Whether the annexation would eliminate an irregularity or irregularities in the City’s boundaries, thereby improving service delivery;
6. Review of existing infrastructure prior to defining boundaries of the proposed annexation to determine logical inclusions or exclusions, including but not limited to the review of the following factors:
a. Whether right-of-way will be needed for the provision of utilities or transportation links.
b. Whether there are preexisting utilities from a particular district or jurisdiction that are currently in a right-of-way.
c. Whether the existing transportation network will produce an unfair burden on the City for the operation, maintenance and preservation or replacement of assumed infrastructure;
7. Zoning that will be applicable for the proposed annexation area, subject to the requirements of SVMC 19.180.040; and
8. Review of any other impact identified as necessary by the City.
C. Prior to any annexation, the City will confer with affected special districts and Spokane County to assess the impact of the annexation. Where possible, boundaries should be mutually resolved by the jurisdictions before final action on the proposed annexation.
D. The City may request that petitioner(s) provide information regarding the identified impacts as part of a petition or part of the petition process, may require the petitioner(s) to respond to inquiries regarding the impacts, and may require the petitioner(s) to conduct any studies necessary to evaluate any of the identified impacts at their cost or to pay for such studies undertaken by the City. (Ord. 20-007 § 3, 2020).
19.180.030 Jurisdictional cooperation.
A. The City shall, as appropriate, cooperate with Spokane County and other municipalities to identify, review, and address area-wide comprehensive planning, zoning, and service provision to urban growth areas that are contiguous to the City’s municipal boundaries.
B. When determined to be advantageous to the City, the City should assist in the creation of interlocal agreements to provide technical and financial support to contiguous urban growth areas for the extension and improvement of public services and facilities.
C. The City will cooperate with Spokane County and other service providers to establish uniform street and utility standards within adopted service areas of the City as appropriate. (Ord. 20-007 § 3, 2020).
19.180.040 Newly annexed areas.
A. Annexed areas shall be annexed with the following Comprehensive Plan and zoning designations:
1. The Comprehensive Plan and zoning designation set forth in joint planning designations; or
2. The closest comparable City Comprehensive Plan and zoning designation to that imposed by Spokane County.
B. Upon annexation of property, in the absence of a preestablished zoning designation, the city council shall, within the annexation ordinance, establish an interim classification for the property on the City’s Comprehensive Plan and zoning map. The interim zone shall be consistent with the annexation area’s Comprehensive Plan designation.
If an interim Comprehensive Plan and zoning designation(s) is established, it shall be in place no longer than 12 months unless otherwise provided by ordinance. The process for establishing an interim zoning district shall meet the requirements of RCW 36.70.795. For all property classified in the interim zone, the City shall commence all steps necessary to establish an official zoning classification pursuant to the procedure described in SVMC 17.80.140.
C. The City may seek to mitigate increased expenses due to annexation through any means allowed by law. An example would be to seek agreement from all property owners within the annexed area that they will not object to the formation of a local improvement district to bring existing infrastructure into compliance with adopted City standards. (Ord. 20-007 § 3, 2020).
19.180.050 Decision on annexation.
Subject to applicable law regarding annexations by election, the city council shall not be obligated to approve or disapprove any annexation, regardless of the outcome of the review undertaken pursuant to Chapter 19.180 SVMC. (Ord. 20-007 § 3, 2020).