Staff Report to Council
City of Yelm
STAFF REPORT
To: Mayor Adam Rivas Yelm City Council
From: Grant Beck, Director of Community Development
Date: November 22, 2004 (for December 8, 2004 City Council Meeting)
Subj: Annexation Petition - Denny Balascio
Recommendation
Accept the request to circulate a petition for annexation for the proposed annexation area excluding the 12.53 Tyler parcel and including the properties in the Sunnyland Estates subdivision
utilizing either the petition method or the alternate petition method of annexation. Require the properties within the annexation area to assume their share of the existing City indebtedness
and identify the Comprehensive Plan Designation of the annexed parcels as Moderate Density Residential (R-6).
Background
Denny Balascio has requested Council approval to circulate a petition for annexation utilizing either the petition method or the alternate petition method as allowed by State law. The
property for which Mr. Balascio requests annexation is comprised of two parcels of land owned by Suburban Realty, Inc. (10 acres) and George and Sharon Tyler (12.53 acres) located on
Grove Road.
Current Situation
Annexation Process
The annexation process is started with a request to circulate a petition for annexation. The City Council, at a public meeting, determines whether to accept, reject, or geographically
modify the proposed annexation, whether it requires the simultaneous adoption of the comprehensive plan, and whether it shall require the assumption of all or a portion of existing City
indebtedness.
If the Council accepts the request to circulate a petition, the applicant then must obtain sufficient signatures on the petition. A hearing is then scheduled before the City Council
on the proposed annexation. The Council may then adopt an ordinance which annexes the property into the City.
Property Description
The subject property is located on the west side of Grove Road between 100th Way SE and Canal Road. The property is approximately 22.53 acres in area and contains two parcels of land,
owned by Suburban Realty (10 acres) and George and Sharon Tyler (12.53 acres). The existing City limits are located to the west of the properties, which is the Willow Glenn subdivision
developed by Mr. Belascio.
The entire proposed annexation area is currently zoned Rural Residential 1/5 by Thurston County. The City has pre-zoned the entire area Moderate Density Residential (R-6), which allows
between 3 and 6 homes per acre.
The 10 acre Suburban Realty parcel is part of the sewer LID although they are located outside the existing City limits, and have purchased 32 connections to the sewer system through
the LID. The Tyler property to the north is not part of the LID and no evidence has been submitted that indicates the property carries with it water rights sufficient to serve the development
of the property.
The property to the south of the proposed annexation area has been previously subdivided (Sunnyland Estates) and is currently comprised of 20 urban sized lots and a common open space
tract. These lots are currently served by City water and on-site sewage disposal systems. The subdivision of Sunnyland Estates is approximately 7.47 acres in area.
Consistency with City Regulations
The Water Comprehensive Plan updated in September, 2002, states as interim water service policies:
Annexation of properties in the future water service area will only be allowed for parcels within an existing sewer LID area or parcels that provide at least enough water rights to the
City to allow service of the property seeking annexation.
Parcels that currently receive city water and are not in the City limits will be subject to the annexation requirements identified above.
The Comprehensive Plan identifies the ‘future zoning’ of the subject property to be Moderate Density Residential (R-6), which allows residential development at a density of between 3
and 6 units per acre.
Analysis
The proposed annexation is partially within the water service area as an area with a commitment to serve the property with City water through the sewer LID. The Water Comprehensive
Plan allows properties in this situation to annex into the City without bringing additional water rights.
The proposed annexation does not makes a more logical City boundary as it creates a peninsula of City into the County, with Grove Road being a County Road from 103rd Street to the annexation
area, a City Street within the annexation area, and a County Road to Canal. A more logical boundary would include Sunnyland Estates, making 100th Way, Middle Road, and Grove Road the
City limits. Grove Road would still be split between City and County, but the split would occur at 100th Way, a logical boundary.
The Community Development Department would recommend that the Council authorize circulation of the petition for annexation, but modify the boundaries as follows:
Do not include the Tyler property as its annexation does not meet the interim policies of the Water Comprehensive Plan.
Include Sunnyland Estates as its annexation would make a more logical boundary and the lots are existing City water customers.