Boundary Review Board stays intact

Positive testimony for board

EPHRATA - The Grant County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved to keep Boundary Review Board following a public hearing held Tuesday.

The review board monitors proposed annexations into cities within Grant County. The process allows for citizens to contest annexations. The board also corrects any legal errors taking place during the process.

"I believe the Boundary Review Board is serving a purpose," Stevens said.

He added the planning commission needs to complete their plan. The county plans to meet with Moses Lake City Council to create official regulations for the Urban Growth Area.

The five people testified in favor of leaving the review board intact were county staff or review board members.

Moses Lake city officials were present but did not testify.

Grant County Engineer Derek Pohle said the review board evaluates the Notice of Intent for annexations and reviews the maps to ensure the annexation follows proper guidelines.

He said two-thirds to three-fourths of all annexations usually need to be corrected. Many times, the legal description of the annexation does not match the figures provided with the annexation or the boundary issues have not been dealt with related to the right-of-way.

"(Without the review board, annexations) would move forward with errors in them and we'd have to review them later," Pohle said.

The amount of errors in the annexations have been consistent for several years, he added.

"It's a benefit to have someone trained in that area," Pohle said. "An independent review is prudent."

Without the review board, it would be difficult for citizens to give input on the annexations, he said.

Pohle said there are ways to fix an annexation after it's annexed into the city if it has errors.

A jurisdictional transfer can be done if the problem is due to a lack of contiguity.

Commissioner LeRoy Allison said a jurisdictional transfer was conducted several months ago with Moses Lake to make property on Frontage Road contiguous.

Pohle said no progress was made from the city for the transfer.

"One entity doesn't have to act on a jurisdictional transfer," he said. "They're not really obligated to participate but it's in their best interest."

Grant County Planning Department Senior Planner Damien Hooper said the review board is needed because the county continues to operate on interim zoning regulations.

He said the county adopted an ordinance establishing boundaries but it lacks zoning regulations.

Hooper said a countywide rezone is needed to be consistent with the new ordinance. The planning commission is working on mapping the areas in need of the rezone.

The interim controls need to be extended, he added.

Boundary Review Board Member Mick Hanson said the board allows citizens an opportunity to voice their concerns about an annexation without heading to court.

He said many times people aren't aware of an annexation until the review board brings it to light.

Hanson is concerned with the abolishment of the review board because Moses Lake has the most problematic annexations in need of correction.

He said the review board has met three to five times this year.

"When there's no problem, we don't meet," Hanson said.

Jim Young serves the review board and is in favor of keeping it together.

"I've never been on a most unwanted list before," he said.

Young said the review board is mandated by the state. The state should do a survey of all cities and counties to see if the review board is not wanted, he said.

If 51 percent of cities want to do away with review boards, then the board should be abolished, Young said.

He said the review board has rejected two Moses Lake annexations recently.

One was settled with a lawsuit and the other was made into a larger annexation so it was contiguous.

Young said the review board puts a hold on problematic annexation for up to 45 days. If there are no objections, it is annexed.

He said the 45-day period allows citizens to express their concerns about the annexations to the board.

"The only people we've had problems with is Moses Lake," Young said. "There's more county than Moses Lake."

Don McDowell serves the review board and is in favor of keeping the board intact.

"It probably could be done without us," he said.

Without the review board, citizens don't get a public hearing for the annexation and can't be heard, McDowell said. It takes away people's rights, he added.

Stevens said he was concerned no city representatives from cities other than Moses Lake have expressed their concern for the issue. He said he is unclear if other cities are for or against the review board.

Stevens agreed the review board is vital for citizen concern to be heard without paying court fees.

He said he wanted more information.

Allison said he agreed with Stevens.

He said the additional time will allow Moses Lake to be compliant with other entities involved.