City of Tumwater
Annexation Policies

Resolution Number R2001-019
November 20, 2001

I.    Purpose
These annexation policies set forth a framework for phasing the growth of the City of Tumwater. The primary goal of these policies is to ensure efficient delivery of adequate public services to new development as it occurs in a manner that is most beneficial to the citizens of the community. This goal will be further accomplished by adherence to the Tumwater Comprehensive Plan and adopted master plans for City services, such as the master sewer and water plans. The City will pursue the following annexation goals when reviewing a proposed annexation. These goals are consistent with goals set forth in the Tumwater Comprehensive Plan.

II.    Goals
1. Encourage the highest intensity of growth to locate within the City’s corporate limits.

2. Encourage urban growth within the city limits with gradual phasing outward from the urban core.

3. Ensure that adequate public services, facilities and publicly-owned utilities are available to proposed and existing development.

4. Encourage land use patterns that will increase the availability of affordable housing for all economic segments of the Tumwater population.

5. Supply sufficient, safe, suitable housing sites and housing supply to meet projected future housing needs for Tumwater over the next twenty years.

6. Ensure that development patterns that will encourage efficient multi-modal transportation systems are coordinated with regional, City and County transportation plans.

7. Reduce impacts from flooding; encourage efficient stormwater management; and ensure that the groundwater of Tumwater is protected and preserved.

8. Consider cost/benefit issues, when appropriate, for proposed annexations to determine annexation boundaries and timing.

9. Inform the public of all annexation proceedings, in full accordance with state law.

10. Consider citizens’ concerns during the annexation process.

III. Implementation Policies

A. General Policies

    1. City of Tumwater will pursue annexation of contiguous properties within its urban growth area (as defined in the Thurston County/Tumwater Joint Plan) using appropriate methods allowed under state law.

    2. Timing of annexation proposals will be determined based on what is most beneficial to the citizens of the community, which includes incorporated area and unincorporated area within the Tumwater urban growth area (UGA).

B. Unincorporated Islands

    1. Tumwater will actively encourage annexation of unincorporated islands within its UGA.

    2. To the extent possible, Tumwater will not allow annexations that create new unincorporated islands or unincorporated areas substantially surrounded by annexed areas.

    3. Tumwater will approve annexations that lessen the size of existing unincorporated islands if it is not feasible to annex the entire island.

C. Municipal Boundaries

    1. To maintain efficient city service provision, Tumwater will discourage annexations that would result in irregular city boundaries.

    2. Annexations will include the largest practicable area contiguous to city limits that still results in logical city boundaries.

D. Comprehensive Planning and Zoning
     1. Tumwater will approve only annexations that lie completely within the urban growth boundary established in the Joint Plan and which are consistent with the policies of the Joint Plan.

     2. Land use designations shown on the Joint Plan land use map will be continued for annexed properties for at least one year following annexation.

     3. Thurston County has adopted zoning in the urban growth area consistent with the Joint Plan. This zoning will be continued for annexed properties for at least one year following an annexation.

E. Extension of Services
     1. Tumwater will support extensions of public water and sewer services within the urban growth area that are consistent with the following, as applicable: the Tumwater Comprehensive Plan, the Tumwater Master Plans for Potable Water and Sanitary Sewer; the Thurston County Coordinated Water System Agreement; LOTT Wastewater Resource Management Plan; and the Thurston County Sewerage General Plan and implementing agreement.

     2. Owners of unincorporated properties must annex to receive City water or sewer service if the properties are contiguous to city limits and are configured in a manner that conforms to annexation policies.

     3. In order to receive City water or sewer service (including on-site community septic systems maintained by the City), the owners of unincorporated properties not required to annex will be required to sign a waiver of protest/special power of attorney agreement which runs with the land and binds the property for future annexation.

     4. Tumwater will consider the existing boundaries of special purpose districts when reviewing annexation proposals. Affected districts will be notified and provided the opportunity to comment on annexation proposals.

F. Timing of Submission of Annexation Petitions or Waivers of Protest Agreements.

     1. Developments processed as plats

         (a) The Public Works Department shall  only warrant the availability of City utility services to Thurston County in conjunction with a county plat requiring such utilities when the plat applicant has executed and submitted a valid and enforceable waiver of protest agreement or annexation petition to the City of Tumwater for all the property within the proposed plat; provided however, the City will not process the annexation petition or use the waiver agreement in conjunction with an annexation petition as applicable until the county plat application has received preliminary plat approval by Thurston County.  Provided further, if the plat application is withdrawn by the petitioner prior to preliminary plat approval, the City will nullify and/or return the annexation petition or waiver agreement as applicable if so requested by the submitting party.

          (b) Applicants for county plats requiring city utilities who have not executed annexation petitions or waivers of protest as required by the above provisions by the effective date of this policy shall submit such petition or waiver no later than the earliest of the following process stages:

                 i.    Preliminary plat approval.
                 ii.    City approval of engineering plans to extend city utilities to said plat.
                 iii.    Request for final plat approval.

        2. Developments requesting city utility services not processed as a plat.

            (a) If the property proposed for development requires an extension of the City's water or sewer main, the annexation petition or waiver of protest agreement shall be submitted at the time engineering plans are submitted to the Development Services Department for approval.

            (b) If the property proposed for development only requires approval of a service request, the annexation petition or waiver of protest agreement shall be submitted at the time engineering plans are submitted to the Development Services Department for approval.

IV. Annexation Cost/Benefit Analysis

The Tumwater City Council may request that City staff on any annexation proposal perform a cost/benefit analysis. Such a cost/benefit analysis should be primarily for the purpose of determining appropriate annexation boundaries and timing, and may analyze several alternatives to provide a range of options.

V. Public Information

The City of Tumwater will make available to any interested person annexation information sheets that explain the process and benefits of annexing into Tumwater. All annexation proceedings will be conducted in full accordance with state law, including at least one public hearing.

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Updated: 03/04/08