Sonico annex plans advance
Forced to move out of its current building, Sonico plans for a new facility, which likely will be annexed into the City of Moses Lake.
MOSES LAKE - The City of Moses Lake is moving forward with plans to annex the Sonico property into the city limits.
The Moses Lake City Council accepted Tuesday the petition for what is known as the "Sonico Annexation." The annexation also includes nearly 30 other pieces of properties near Sonico, most of which the city is already providing water and sewer services through an utility extension agreement, according to City Manager Joseph Gavinski.
Sonico, an airplane maintenance company, originally requested city utility services as the company prepares to construct a new facility. But the property is within one half mile of the city's limits, triggering the need to annex the property into the city.
Bea Stump, an area property owner, expressed her concerns about the annexation, worried her future plans for the property could be in jeopardy. She is hoping early next year to create an RV camping area.
Community Development Director Gilbert Alvarado seemed to ease Stump's worries.
"I did go ahead and take a look at what the county's underlying zoning is for that particular piece she has," Alvarado said. "The county's development regulations don't allow what she wants to do. Ours does. I thought that would be pretty important for her to know."
Alvarado added he spoke with Stump in the past about the regulations.
Either way, the city has the power of attorney to commence annexation because of "sufficient interest" with the utility extension agreements already in place.
Councilmembers were given the option to exclude those properties not already receiving city utilities, at least five properties, but decided to include those properties in the process. The Titan building was excluded at this time because conversations are ongoing with the company.
Both Councilmembers Dick Deane and Karen Liebrecht did not want to create an "island" of county property within the city limits if all the properties were not included in the annexation.
City staff will be contacting the property owners in the near future before filing the petition to annex.