Dispute leads Yakima to limit annexations

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Major residential development in West Valley will all but cease under a new Yakima city policy that makes it tougher for developers to get sewer hookups outside city limits.

The new policy, adopted Tuesday by the City Council, represents a dramatic turnabout for the city, which has pursued an aggressive annexation policy in west Yakima.

Currently, developers can obtain approval for new homes and subdivisions under less rigorous county standards and then apply to the city to annex so their new homes have city sewer service.

Council members, voting 7-0, said they've decided there's no need to make that sewer service so easily available.

That policy had been part of a longstanding sewer agreement with Yakima County, Union Gap and Terrace Heights. But now that Yakima County is pulling out of a 35-year-old regional planning agreement, Yakima city officials say there's no need to allow sewer hookups as a trading chip for annexation.

Instead, the city will focus its limited resources on providing sewer services inside the city where that service currently is lacking.

There are some exceptions to the new policy. City Manager Dick Zais told the council service could still be provided outside the city in areas that are within 200 feet of an existing sewer line.

Bill Cook, Yakima's community and economic development director, said the council's decision is a signal to developers they should not assume they will have sewer service for their developments.

"I think development will be significantly slowed," Cook said.

Also on Tuesday, the council agreed to establish its own planning commission and not to consider any major new annexation requests until the newly released West Valley Neighborhood Plan is adopted.

Councilman Rick Ensey made it clear that city leaders aren't comfortable with a go-it-alone approach on planning but that they're ready to do so now that the county has opted to end regional planning.

"We are blazing a new trail. We are in uncharted territory," Ensey told fellow council members at the end of the afternoon study session.

He, Councilman Bill Lover and Mayor Dave Edler made the recommendations approved by the full council, all of which will be put in writing as a response letter to the Yakima County Commission.

It's all part of a disagreement between the city and Yakima County over who should control planning and development standards in the unincorporated area around the city that is likely to be annexed in the future.

The area, known as the city's urban growth area, extends in an arc around the city's western boundary that reaches as far as 112th Avenue.

The city's westernmost city limit is 96th Avenue in the area of Summitview Avenue and Tieton Drive.

On the east end of the city, the urban growth area includes Terrace Heights.

For 32 years, a seven-member regional planning commission has made recommendations to the Yakima City Council and Yakima County Commission on land-use policy and comprehensive plan amendments in the urban area.

County commissioners have been critical of regional planning, viewing it as a process that gives too much power to planners and not enough to political leaders.

Commissioner Mike Leita said the problems have resulted in gaps in sewer service in the urban area and substandard roads leading to major developments like the Apple Tree Resort, a golf course and residential development on Occidental Road in west Yakima.

Commissioners have given notice the county will withdraw from the regional planning agreement on Dec. 31.

Leita, using the same kind of language that Ensey employed, said the change is a chance to develop a new city-county relationship that was lacking under the old agreement.

"I'm pleased with the council's willingness to be open. I'm sure there is some hesitancy," Leita said. "It's always tough to leave home, if you will. But that is where we are. We are embarking on a new adventure."

For developers, though, there is clearly nervousness.

Joe Walsh, director of governmental affairs for the Central Washington Home Builders Association, told the City Council the development community is willing to help bring the city and county back together on regional planning.

"If the development community could play a role in pulling the city and county together, we'd like to offer that," he said.

* David Lester can be reached at 509-577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.